SS8 : Ogier closes on Solberg

Petter Solberg’s lead on the Acropolis Rally has been narrowed after he reported losing approximately 10 seconds when he went straight on at a right-hand junction on the second stage of day two.

His lead over fellow Citroen DS3 WRC driver and stage winner Sebastien Ogier is 19.8s with one stage remaining before midday service in Loutraki.

“I missed a junction and went completely straight,” said Solberg. “I had to go round and turn back again. I lost about 10 seconds because I went straight on at a right-hander. It was a mistake.”

Ogier, who was 20.1s faster through the stage than Solberg, said: “The end was very rough and the suspension felt very soft at the end. It’s okay and the car is working well at the moment.”

World championship leader Sebastien Loeb set the second quickest time and is now 9.3s clear of fourth-placed Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen.

“This one for me was not cleaning so much, just some places,” said Loeb. “I took it too easy at the start of the rough place so I tried to push harder at the end. It was very hard for the tyre and for the second pass it will be terrible.”

Jari-Matti Latvala continues to lose time with the turbo boost problem that struck his Fiesta towards the end of the previous stage.

Standings after SS8: