Gardemeister heads the field on final day

Toni Gardemeister will start the final day of Rallye Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season, in first position on the road.

The 35-year-old Finn, who is driving a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 for the Astra Racing team, is 10th overall following the first two days of competition.

With the top 10 positions reversed, Gardemeister, a Rallye Monte-Carlo podium finisher on two occasions in the past, will lead the competitors away from Valence.

Following a final service halt in the city at 0630hrs, crews will begin the 390-kilometre journey to Monaco via the last Drôme stage, Montauban sur l’Ouveze-Eygalayes. Upon arrival in Monaco, cars enter parc ferme while the drivers and co-drivers are able to rest before the four night stages in the Alpes Maritimes, which will be shown live on Eurosport.

Top 10 starting positions are as follows:

1 Toni Gardemeister (Peugeot 207 S2000)
2 Jan Kopecký (Škoda Fabia S2000)
3 Nicolas Vouilloz (Škoda Fabia S2000)
4 Petter Solberg (Peugeot 207 S2000)
5 Juho Hänninen (Škoda Fabia S2000)
6 Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot 207 S2000)
7 Guy Wilks (Peugeot 207 S2000)
8 Freddy Loix (Škoda Fabia S2000)
9 François Delecour (Peugeot 207 S2000)
10 Bryan Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000)