Sebastien vs Sebastien: it’s game on!

Sebastien Loeb took more than six seconds from Sebastien Ogier’s lead of Rally de Portugal on Sunday’s opener as the defending world champion began a final push for victory.

Loeb, the winner of the rally in 2007 and 2009, reduced the gap on his Citroen stable-mate from 21.1sec to 14.9sec over the 21 kilometre Felizes test.

Behind the lead pair, the battle for third hotted up too as Petter Solberg dropped time with steering rack problem. Fourth placed Dani Sordo began the stage 13.5sec behind the Norwegian but was only 2.2sec adrift at the finish.

Mikko Hirvonen also closed in on the final podium position. Despite being hampered by dust in the cockpit of his Ford Focus, the Finn slimmed the gap to Sordo ahead from 8.2sec to 5.7sec.