Ogier heads Rally of Poland after first day

Mikolajki: French defending world champion Sebastien Ogier, driving a Volkswagen Polo-R, led the field after the first day of the Rally of Poland.

Ogier won two of the day`s three specials in the Mikolajki region to finish almost three seconds ahead of Norwegian teammate Andreas Mikkelsen, with Britain`s Citroen DS3 driver Kris Meeke in third at 7sec. Finland`s Juho Hanninen, in a Hyundai i20, won the second special and was fourth overnight. Local hero Robert Kubica the former Formula One driver now piloting a Ford Fiesta, lost 30sec in the second stage after running off course, albeit with no damage to his car. "I was braking over a crest, the car unloaded and we went straight into the ditch and rolled," he said. There remain 21 stages to be raced on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.