Eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb leads the Rally of New Zealand by four seconds from Citroen teammate Mikko Hirvonen after the opening day, snatching the advantage on the Friday’s last stage.
Hirvonen led from the second to the seventh of eight stages contested on the opening day of the 15-stage rally, but never by more than 7.6 seconds from the hard-charging Frenchman.
Loeb won the third, fourth, fifth and seventh stages to trail Hirvonen by only 4.6 seconds going into the last.
He then won that 32.13-km dash to claim the overall lead and to set up a showdown with Hirvonen on Saturday’s final day of what is the seventh round of the World Rally Championship.