1 Aug 2008

Loeb leads at start of Rally Finland

11:27 am on 1 August 2008

The French rally driver Sebastien Loeb leads the Rally of Finland, the ninth round of this year's World Rally Championship after the opening Super Special.

Loeb leads his Citroen teammate Dani Sordo by 0.3 of a second, with championship leader Mikko Hirvonen of Finland in a Ford in third just 0.1 second further back.

The Subarus of Chris Atkinson and Petter Solberg are fourth and fifth.

Tomorrow sees the first full day in the forests, with eight stages and a further Super Special, and tens of thousands of Finns out to celebrate their national sport.