Defending world rally champion Sebastien Ogier opened a 6.6 second lead after the opening day of the final race of the 2014 season in Wales.

The French driver, who made sure of successive world titles last time out in Spain, claimed four of the day’s eight stages in his VW Polo to edge teammate Jari-Matti Latvala after a testing day in the forests of Wales.

Latvala won the day’s four other stages.

“It was difficult to drive this morning but I really enjoyed the stages,” said Ogier.

“This afternoon was just a question of surviving. Conditions were slippery and I was fighting the car all the way.”

Ogier misjudged a hairpin on the afternoon’s opening stage, while Latvala admitted he was lucky not to roll after hitting a hole in the first test.

Mads Ostberg and Mikko Hirvonen, tackling his last rally before retirement, fought over third for most of the day.

The Norwegian held the advantage in the morning but Hirvonen moved ahead to finish 1min 07.2sec off the lead in his Ford Fiesta.