Packed to overflowing with interest and excitement aptly sums up this 2001 Network Q Rally, particularly for the home fans. Four drivers - Colin McRae, Tommi Makinen, Richard Burns and Carlos Sainz can win the World Drivers Title. Admittedly Sainz is a long shot. Realistically it is a winner take all situation between McRae, Burns and Makinen. There again if outgoing champion Gronholm were to win, then the calculators will come out. Another interesting angle is that many drivers - Burns, Makinen, Loix, Alister McRae, Schwarz, Eriksson,Thiry, are on their last drives with their present teams. They will want go out on a high. There are so many facets. How will the likes of Neil Wearden, Gwyndaf Evans and Mark Higgins get on against the WRC drivers? Irish interest focuses on Eammonn Boland and Stephen Harron, now that Austin MacHale has been denied a start. The Dubliner's Corolla WRC was converted to RHD some time ago, but apparently the paperwork in connection with that is not in order. Still there is plenty of interest for the visitors from over the Irish Sea. They will be watching as well how Niall McShea gets on in the Super 1600 race. This would appear to be the last opportunity for 'amateurs' to compete. Which is maybe partly why we have a great entry of home talent, particularly in Gp N. David Higgins, Gavin Cox, Jeremy Easson - they are just some of the talented 'regulars'who could be appearing on this great stage for the last time as privateers.

The top 30 cars ran in reverse order for the SuperSpecial, with Reece Jones having the honour of being the first of the 117 cars over the ramp at Cardiff City Hall. As the cars head for the forests on Friday morning, the top cars will be in more or less World Championship order - McRae first on the road, then Makinen Burns Sainz Rovanpera Gronholm Auriol Solberg, Loix and Scwharz making up the top ten.

Unofficial leaderboard after stage 1 - Super Special

1st (4) Colin McRae/Nicky Grist (Ford) 2.10.1

2nd (6) Petter Solberg/Phil Mills (Subaru) 2.10.2

3rd (3) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford) 2.10.8

4th (1) Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautainen (Peugeot) 2.11.2

5th (22) Gilles Panizzi/Herve Panizzi (Peugeot) 2.11.5

6th (2) Didier Auriol/Denis Giraudet (Peugeot) 2.11.8

7th (10) Alister McRae/Dave Senior (Accent) 2.12.1

8th (9) Kenneth Eriksson/Staffan Parmander (Accent)2.12.5

(18) Markko Martin/Michael Park (Subaru) 2.12.5

10th (5) Richard Burns/Robert Reid (Subaru) 2.12.6

10,000 watched the Superspecial, the consensus of opinion from the drivers "so much better than last year. A little slippery, but more like a proper stage. Colin McRae commented "The real action starts in the forests, but still it is nice to give Richard something to sleep on!" Drivers in early trouble included John Papadimitriou whose Subaru suffered driveshaft and clutch problems at the 3rd corner. Pete Littler's Hyundai was overheating before the stage. Just outside the leaderboard is Gwyndaf Evans in 11th, Toshi Aarai 12, Mark Higgins 13th. Schwarz 14th. Tommy Makinen was 18th after clipping the rear of his Lancer against a wall. More news from service..