Perth, Sept 07: Sebastien Loeb leads at end of second day of Rally of Australia. Frenchman Sebastien Loeb extended his narrow lead over Petter Solberg of Norway after the pair dominated Saturday's second day (September 6) of the Rally of Australia. Loeb, driving a Citroen, started the day 3.9 seconds ahead of Solberg's Subaru and finished 5.0 in front as he completed the first 20 stages of the 24-stage race in an aggregate time of two hours 32 minutes 4.6 seconds. "It's not a big lead, but it's a little bit more than this morning," Loeb told reporters. "We both can win, so we must push." Solberg was the only driver able to keep up with Loeb with both men each winning four of Saturday's 10 stages, setting the scene for a thrilling duel in Sunday's concluding four stages with heavy rain forecast.


"I'm happy with second -- I'm in a hunting position," said Solberg, who was lucky not to damage his car when he hit a tree stump on the 18th stage. "Tomorrow there are long stages and it's the most important day of the rally."

Britain's championship leader Richard Burns finished the day third overall in a Peugeot, but almost a minute and a half behind. Estonia's Markko Martin was fourth in his Ford after clocking the fastest times in the concluding super stages in downtown Perth.


Briton Colin McRae was fifth for Citroen with Tommi Makinen of Finland sixth in his Subaru. Burns has not won a race all year but leads the championship by five points because of his ability to score points consistently and remains on course to win a second title.


"It may look from outside like I'm playing safe but I'm trying just as hard as those guys," Burns said. "The thing is to get as many points as possible. We've got to keep on this track to the end of the year."


Solberg won four of Saturday's first five stages in the forests east of Perth but never quite managed to get in front of Loeb, who inherited the lead late on the first day when world champion Marcus Gronholm crashed into a ditch.


Solberg cut the margin to just 1.1 seconds after 15 stages but Loeb won the next three in a row after winning an earlier stage to stretch his advantage to five seconds by the end of the day.


Leading positions after the 20th of 24 special stages of the Rally of Australia on Saturday: 1. Sebastien Loeb (France) Citroen 2 hours, 32 minutes 4.6 seconds 2. Petter Solberg (Norway) Subaru 5.0 seconds behind 3. Richard Burns (Britain) Peugeot 1:25.8 4. Markko Martin (Estonia) Ford 1:53.1 5. Colin McRae (Britain) Citroen 2:19.5 6. Tommi Makinen (Finland) Subaru 2:20.9 7. Carlos Sainz (Spain) Citroen 2:26.8 8. Harri Rovanpera (Finland) Peugeot 2:54.2 9. Freddy Loix (Belgium) Hyundai 5:17.8 10. Francois Duval (Belgium) Ford 5:55.1


Bureau Report