Veteran Spaniard Carlos Sainz retained the lead after day two of the Cyprus rally, with his Ford Racing Focus teammate Colin McRae of Scotland taking over second place 1min 4sec behind after an excellent time in the 14th special.
Frenchman Francois Delacour driving a Peugeot 206 was in third 2min 1sec back, while Englishman Richard Burns in his Subaru lost more than a minute in the day's final special stage and had to be content with fourth place, a distant 2min 46sec behind Sainz.
Sainz, who won the world title in 1990 and 1992, was solid during the morning specials before slightly easing off during the demanding afternoon stages. He now goes into Sunday's final day firmly in control as Ford look for a one-two sweep to consilidate their lead at the top of the constructors standings.
A cautious Sainz said however, “I can't afford to think about the finish yet because there's still a long way to go. I know surprises can happen any time.” McRae knew he had made the most of a good opportunity, saying, “We knew this was the stage where we could make up time. None of the remaining stages offer the same opportunity.”
Reuters
Filed by Shane Murray
