Zoom Time lost for Vouilloz

Two loops over three stages on today's Rally Portugal programme will serve for the event's final six tests. After a visit to the Algarve Stadium service park, 44 contenders headed for the Santana de Serra starting line, the day's first run with over 15 kilometres to cover.

Leader at the end of Day One, Italian driver Luca Rossetti continued on his lead by winning the opening stage today, signing a time of 12:15.7 at the wheel of his Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

Giandomenico Basso was second-fastest aboard his Fiat Abarth Grande Punto, 4.4 seconds way, while the Peugeot of Jan Kopecky was a further 4.7 seconds behind in third place.

François Duval's Fiat and Manfred Stohl's Peugeot came next in fourth and fifth positions. Portuguese driver Bruno Magalhaes took the sixth spot but was closely followed by Frenchman Brice Tirabassi, both driving Peugeots.

At the wheel of his 207 S2000, Nicolas Vouilloz drove into eighth place, a full 16 seconds behind the stage winner. 1994 WRC champion Didier Auriol lagged 22 seconds late after a mishap saw him lose his Grande Punto's rear bumper.

Spaniard Dani Sola has been having problems with his Fiat's engine, costing him 50 seconds. Bernardo Sousa went off-road, Valter Gomes broke his differential, and Paulo Meireles has been dealing with a faulty gearbox.

Luca Rossetti remains at the top of the general standings, now with an 18.4-second advantage on Nicolas Vouilloz. However, second position is still very much open as Vouilloz's lost time and François Duval's good pace has brought the gap between them down to exactly three seconds. Jan Kopecky and Didier Auriol, several seconds away, round off the top five.

Daniel BASTIEN
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