Stage 6: Burns eases off

The first stage of the day was the longest of the event, and longer than some full days of a European Rally, and Burns extended his lead with another fastest time.

However the next stage, through Eldama Ravine, was where the Oxford driver retired from the lead last year and so he eased off to ensure no repeat performance.

This let Carlos Sainz take his first fastest time of the event and break Pirelli's stranglehold on stage wins, but it was still good enough for Burns to retain over four minutes in hand over team mate Juha Kankkunen.

Colin McRae is third at present and having a better day in the Ford Focus than yesterday.

Overnight the Stewards imposed a stinging US$50,000 fine on Peugeot driver Gilles Panizzi for 'unsporting behaviour' and will be reporting the Frenchman to the FIA.

At the end of the final stage yesterday Panizzi took issue with Argentinian Group N driver Roberto Sanchez who he felt had held him up uneccessarily.

After retiring from the event with a badly damaged Peugeot Panizzi was then red-carded for the punch and may face further sanctions from the sport's governing body.