Three drivers, one tenth of a second

The Citroen driver had finished the daytime stages in second position, two seconds behind World Rally Championship leader Mikko Hirvonen (Ford), and 2.1secs ahead of five-time WRC Champ and Citroen team mate Sebastien Loeb.

But after just 5.1km of competition this evening on the streets of Murwillumbah, Sordo vaulted into first place, with Hirvonen and Loeb just one tenth behind in equal second place.

It’s anyone’s win, and anyone’s championship.

Tomorrow’s third and final day begins at 7:14am, and its 10 special stages will comprise the longest day’s competition of the rally – almost 125 competitive kilometres.

The overall REPCO Rally Australia finishes with the televised REPCO 2 Stage in the Kyogle region, beginning at 1:27pm, and the winner is expected to climb the podium in the Kingscliff Service Park at 4:46pm.

Leaderboard after SS25
1. D Sordo/M Marti (ESP)                        Citroën C4               +1h52m28.1ss
2=. S Loeb/D Elena (FRA)                       Citroën C4               +0.1s
2=. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen(FIN)               Ford Focus RS          +0.1s
4. J-M Latvala/M Anttila (FIN)                  Ford Focus RS          +44.4s
5. S Ogier/J Ingrassia (FRA)                    Citroën C4               +46.2s
6. H Solberg/C Menkerud (NOR)           Ford Focus RS         +2m42.4s
7. M Wilson/S Martin (GB)                      Ford Focus RS         +2m43.2s
8. F Villagra/J Perez Companc (ARG)         Ford Focus RS          +3m59.8s

Photos: Peter Whitten

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