WRC: Loeb leads after first loop in Finland

Thursday, July 28, 2011, 17: 59 GMT

Sebastien Loeb leads Sebastien Ogier in a one-two Citroen after a late cagey opening of Rally Finland.

Only two stages of long duration and a Gronholm took place this afternoon, with local ace and former favorite S2000 Jari Ketomaa taking maximum advantage of a humble road position to take the initial advantage.

But with the order of post-SS2 establish morning startup list, Ketomaa opted to alleviate near the goal to avoid in the first place on the road Friday, getting ahead, the duo of Citroen factory with leaders Ogier 2.8 seconds to Loeb.

Jari-Matti Latvala Ford is now the third, in the head with Ketomaa 4.4s 7s in front in the fourth.

Sebastien Loeb suffered a disaster early when slipped into a tree after cuts the engine of his Ford on the opening stage. Forced to fight for the rest of the leg with suspension and brake then damage, he already is two minutes away from the front.

Another local star Matti Rantanen had its Mini in a sixth promising after SS1, but crashed heavily the SS2. Dani Sordo Minis and Kris Meeke works are sixth and ninth, with Petter Solberg's Citroen in the fifth and leader S2000 Ott Tanak impressive once again in the seventh.

Positions of leadership after SS3:Driver pos equipment/car/interval of time 1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen 20m17.5s 2. Sebastien Ogier Citroen + 2.8s 3. Jari-Matti Latvala Ford + 4 4.4s. Jari Ketomaa HJ-Autotalo Ford + 5 7.0s. Petter Solberg Solberg Citroen + 12.6s 6. Dani Sordo Mini + 14.3s 7. Ford Ott Tanak MM + 17.3s 8. Mads Ostberg Sébastien Ford + 18.6s 9. Kris Meeke Mini + 20.9s10. Juho Hanninen Red Bull Skoda + 25.8s