New Zealander Hayden Paddon took a slender lead after day two of the Rally Italia, where just 14.7 seconds split the top five cars.
Hyundai Motorsport team-mate Thierry Neuville is 8.2 seconds behind, while Ott Tanak (9.5secs) is in third, but only 0.3secs ahead of Toyota's Jari-Matti Latvala with fellow Ford M-Sport driver Mads Ostberg in fifth.
There was, though, a disappointing finish for Juho Hanninen as the Toyota man went off on the ninth and final special stage from Tergu to Osilo, dropping down to sixth and is now some 38 seconds behind Paddon, who suffered a suspected broken front left damper earlier in the day, while 2016 World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier is three seconds back in seventh.
Britain's Kris Meeke challenge was ended after rolling his Citroen C3, which resulted in a smashed windscreen and broken bonnet, during Friday morning's final speed test when he had been looking to defend a slender 0.8sec lead over Paddon.
Source: PA
