SS16: Latvala flies

Jari-Matti Latvala has claimed his first fastest stage time on the second day of Rallye de France Alsace. The factory Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver, who is fourth overall, was two seconds faster than Dani Sordo’s MINI John Cooper Works WRC on the 24.02-kilometre Grand Ballon test.

Sordo’s effort means he has narrowed Sebastien Ogier’s overall lead to 7.0s with one stage of day two remaining, the 3.09-kilometre run through the streets of Mulhouse, which goes live at 1656hrs CET. The Spaniard reported at the stage finish that he was trying to keep us much pressure on Ogier as possible.

Factory Citroen driver Ogier, meanwhile, said: “I am happy with this afternoon. I try to push when the road is clean but on this one it was dirty at the end so I prefer to drive [with more caution].”

Petter Solberg was third fastest despite nursing minor front-right suspension damage on his privateer Citroen. Equipe de France FFSA MINI driver Pierre Campana was seventh fastest to maintain 10th position overall.