Stage 2: Burns storms into lead

Untypically dry roads still had patches of black ice to catch out the unwary crews, and Burns survived a 'moment' at the end of the second stage when he half spun and stalled his Subaru.

He then sat helpless as the Impreza slid gently backwards into a crash barrier.

Nevertheless, the Oxford driver emerged unscathed to lead the rally by 6.2 seconds from four-times world champion Tommi Makinen and Peugeot's French ace Gilles Panizzi [who had been given a good luck send off by close friend Fabien Barthez, the Monaco FC and France international goalkeeper].

Fourth place was held by Colin McRae's Ford Focus but the Scot was already almost a minute off the pace of Burns with just 55kms of special stages completed.

Other drivers were enjoying mixed fortunes.

Skoda's Armin Schwarz struggled for times on both opening stages when his car dropped onto three cylinders from the start.

Peugeot's Francois Delecour was seriously debillitated from the effects of an overnight stomach upset, while Bruno Thiry's first drive in the Grifone Toyota Corolla saw the Belgian set third quickest on the opening stage, albeit a performance he could not sustain on the second.

Overall positions after Stage 2:

Times from Stage 2: