Latvala leads Rally of Great Britain

CARDIFF, Wales (AFP) –

Ford dominated the first day of the Rally of Great Britain on Friday with last year’s winner Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland, pictured in June 2012, leading after the first six specials ahead of Norwegian teammate Petter Solberg.

Ford dominated the first day of the Rally of Great Britain on Friday with last year’s winner Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland leading after the first six specials ahead of Norwegian teammate Petter Solberg.

Eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb was sitting third for Citroen after the day’s racing around Cardiff which proved slippery after overnight rain.

Latvala has a 12.1sec advantage on Norwegian Solberg while Loeb, who failed to win any of the day’s specials, admitted he had an “impossible” task against the Fords as the three-time winner sits just over 21sec behind the leader.

Solberg, a four-time winner of the race, won the first two stages of the day but Latvala, the 2011 race winner, took control after claiming the third special and increased his advantage by topping the remaining stages of the day.

“It worked very well, nothing special at all. It was a very tricky stage and Jari had a fantastic time,” Solberg told wrc.com. “The car worked very well.”

Latvala added: “The road is very slippery, more challenging to drive than on the first passage. The car is very good to drive.”