SS16: Ogier’s error boosts Loeb

Sebastien Ogier has faltered in his efforts to catch Citroen team-mate and rally leader Sebastien Loeb after making a small mistake at the wheel of his DS3 WRC.

Ogier reported getting sideways on some loose gravel and completed the stage with a time that was 0.9s slower than Loeb. It means his gap to the 2008 Rally Finland winner is 10.8s heading to the service halt in Jyvaskyla.

Loeb said: “There was a lot of loose gravel and sometimes the conditions have been really difficult. I could not have gone faster.”

Factory Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala admitted he has no answer to the pace of the leading Citroens.

“I can’t catch them. Even though I feel quite okay I can’t catch them and I don’t know what I can do. I can’t get them on speed so I will have to see if something happens at the front.”

Mads Ostberg impressed in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta by going faster than Latvala despite reporting making a few driving errors. However, Mikko Hirvonen has closed to within 6.1s of the young Norwegian by winning the stage.

Dani Sordo also impressed in the lead MINI John Cooper Works WRC. The Spaniard was 1.7s adrift of Hirvonen’s pace.