Sébastien Ogier continues his dominant run as he takes the overnight lead on Day 1 at the 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB.
The Volkswagen driver took five stage wins to go into Day 2 with a +37.8 second lead over Ott Tänak.
Tänak, who took back-to-back stage wins on SS3 and SS4, was at one point, nearly eight seconds behind the rally leader Ogier. But the DMACK driver is second after Day 1.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Hayden Paddon are third and fourth, after Neuville took the final stage win of the day at SS8.
But the Belgian’s runner-up chances in the Drivers’ Standings have been given a boost as his nearest rival Andreas Mikkelsen suffered a broken front right driveshaft on his Polo R WRC on SS4.
With no mid-leg service, Mikkelsen had to drive on, with the Norwegian plummeting to nineteenth position.
Citroën’s Kris Meeke is the first of the British World Rally Championship competitors in Flintshire, finishing fifth on Day 1, ahead of the third Hyundai of Dani Sordo in sixth.
Mads Østberg is the only M-Sport driver in the top ten in seventh, whilst the third Volkswagen of Jari-Matti Latvala is eighth.
Stéphane Lefebvre, who makes his return to the WRC in Wales is ninth, while Finland’s Esapekka Lappi completes the top ten for Day 1 of the 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB.
Credit: Škoda
In WRC2, Esapekka Lappi has a +46.7 second lead over his fellow Finn Teemu Suninen on the opening day of the 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB.
Lappi took six stage wins on the muddy, gravel Welsh stages to gain the advantage over Suninen, coming into Day 2 of the penultimate round of the 2016 WRC2 season.
Sweden’s Pontus Tidemand is third after taking the final stage win of the day on SS8, while Jan Kopecký is fourth.
Norway’s Marius Aasen is fifth, while the 2016 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy-winner Osian Pryce and Gus Greensmith are sixth and seventh respectively.
Ole Christian Veiby is eighth, while Nicolás Fuchs and Hubert Ptaszek complete the WRC2 category for Day 1 for Wales Rally GB.
Credit: @World Photography/Citroën Racing
Meanwhile, in WRC3 and Junior WRC, Martin Koči has the overnight lead on Day 1 of the 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB over 2016 Junior WRC-winner Simone Tempestini.
The Slovakian has a +34.2 second lead over Tempestini after taking four stage wins on the opening day at Wales Rally GB.
Yohan Rossel and Vincent Dubert are third and fourth, but Dubert has a ten-second penalty for arriving late at Time Control.
Belgium’s William Wagner completes the WRC3 and Junior WRC runners for Day 1 in Wales.
Credit: @World Photography/Citroën Racing
Finally, with the British drivers round-up in Wales, Kris Meeke is the leading Briton for the World Rally Championship in fifth.
Meeke, who finished second last year, had a string of fourth places on a couple of stages, on his way to be the leading British WRC driver overnight on the opening day at Wales Rally GB.
While in WRC2, Osian Pryce showed his class on the mud and gravel of his home rally as he was the leading Briton in the WRC2 category in sixth, ahead of his fellow Brit Gus Greensmith in seventh.
MSA British Rally Championship competitors David Bogie and Rhys Yates are thirteenth and fourteenth to complete the round-up for the British WRC competitors in North Wales.
The 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB continues with SS9 at Pantperthog 1 at 08:18am UK time.
The Checkered Flag will be bringing you extensive pre and post-event coverage, as well as all four days of the 2016 Wales Rally GB from the 27-30 October 2016.
