Stage 7: Makinen remains ahead

The world champion - who still faces expulsion for entering the service area at stage six via an unauthorised route - is more than 90 seconds ahead of Ford's Carlos Sainz, who came in third.

Juha Kankkunen [Subaru] won the stage with a time of 17.01.6 to move into fourth place.

Toni Gardemeister [SEAT] was second fastest on the stage and moves into third following the earlier retirement of Richard Burns and the Gilles Panizzi.

Freddy Loix was fourth fastest, elevating him to seventh overall.

British hopeful Colin McRae finished eighth on the section and moves up to fifth place.

Overall positions:

1 T Makinen - Mitsubishi - 1.39.47.3

2 C Sainz - Ford - 1.41.33.9

3 T Gardemeister - SEAT - 1.42.01.0

4 J Kankkunen - Subaru - 1.42.10.9

5 C McRae - Ford - 1.42.31.8

6 B Thiry - Toyota - 1.42.45.0

7 F Loix - Mitsubishi - 1.43.47.4

8 O Burri - Toyota - 1.43.50.4

9 D Auriol - SEAT - 1.44.37.7

10 H Lundgaard - Toyota - 1.45.47.4

Results after stage 7:

1 J Kankkunen - Subaru - 17.01.6

2 T Gardemeister - SEAT - 17.05.5

3 C Sainz - Ford - 17.08.7

4 F Loix - Mitsubishi - 17.10.0

5 T Makinen - Mitsubishi - 17.13.2

6 B Thiry - Toyota - 17.17.4

7 A Schwarz - Skoda - 17.17.5

8 C McRae - Ford - 17.25.9

9 O Burri - Toyota - 17.30.1

10 D Auriol - SEAT - 17.34.9