Andreucci takes lead in Sardinia

Paolo Andreucci is the new leader of Rally d’Italia-Sardegna after going fastest through SS3, the 14.53-kilometre Gonnosnò stage. Driving a Peugeot Italia 207 Super 2000, the four-time national champion heads Kris Meeke by a mere one tenth of a second as the battle for victory on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier intensifies.

Jan Kopecký, who led after the opening stage, lost time with a front-right puncture, which the Czech feared had left his Škoda Fabia S2000 with possible suspension damage. He drops to fourth behind team-mate Juho Hänninen.

Franz Wittmann is fifth with Thierry Neuville climbing from eighth to sixth on this first gravel rally in a four-wheel drive car.

Teemu Arminen has dropped from fifth to seventh following a minor off, while Bruno Magalhães has slipped out of the top 10 with a brake problem in his Peugeot Sport Portugal 207.

Crews are now heading to the service halt in Simaxis, near Oristano.