UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8

1st (1) Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautainen (Peugeot) 1.20.15.0

2nd (5) Richard Burns/Robert Reid (Subaru) 1.20.51.6

3rd (16) Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietilainen (Peugeot)1.21.07.4

4th (2) Didier Auriol.Denis Giraudet (Peugeot) 1.22.25.0

5th (3) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford) 1.22.41.9

6th (10) Alister McRae/Dave Senior (Accent) 1.22.52.6

7th (17) Mark Higgins/Bryan Thomas (Ford) 1.23.56.9

8th (11) Armin Schwarz/Manfred Hiemer (Octavia) 1.24.06.9

9th (9) Kenneth Eriksson/Staffan Parmander (Accent)1.24.07.4

10th (8) Freddy Loix/Sven Smeets (Lancer) 1.24.32.5

Just outside the leaderboard...Wearden 11th: Thiry 12th: De Mevius 13th: Arai 14th: Solberg 15th:

Despite the fog and darkness of stages 7 and 8 the battle raged unabated at the front of this Network Q Rally GB. Harri Rovanpera was fastest through stage 8, Trawscoed, with a time of 16.51.9 for the 26.26kms, Burns was on 16.55.0, Gronholm 16.55.8, A McRae 17.24.8, Sainz back on 17.47.5, his Ford Focus having been in a ditch for quite a few seconds. The drivers reactions to the bad conditions were mostly universal. They didn't like it! Several said as well that they felt it was unfair, the top few cars started stage 7 in quite good light, which fell into darkness over a period of 5 to 10 minutes.

Rally leader Gronholm commented "It is important for me to take the manufacturer points. It would be nice to win the rally and I hope I can, but the points are important. I lost some time in stage 8, almost spun, and was in the ditch on the inside of the corner, afterwards it is difficult to go same speed again. My engineer, Francois Savier, changes many parts at service, it is routine, precaution". Richard Burns' co-driver Robert Reid had to attach a small Maglite to his thumb through stage 8 as the map light was broken - "It wasn't easy, but we managed. In the fog you don't know whether you're winning or losing, but Didier and Carlos had small problems which gave us breathing space. Conditions were bad, really muddy, visibility went from zero to 200 metres and down again in two corners!"

Harri Rovanpera's comment after Trawscoed "It is always crazy speed at the front, but we not go really crasy, our position is good!" All reports are that Alister McRae is driving his heart out on his last run with Hyundai. His cool comment was "Not going too bad, car's good, we definitely had a bit of a disadvantage with the cars in front having good light in stage 7". Mark HIggins reported catching Kresta in stage 7 and getting his windscreen and lights covered in mud getting past. Then in stage 8 Mark came round a corner to find Kresta in a ditch with the OK board up.

Further retirements include Gwyndaf Evans crashed in stage 7. Derek McGarrity and Martin Rowe crashed at a square right in stage 7 - McGarrity was able to drive the Subaru out, but didn't continue. Pete Littler crashed out.

In GpN Ramon Ferreyros leads from Backlund, David Higgins 3rd. In Super 1600 Loeb is in front of Dallavilla, McShea 3rd, Stenshorne 4th. 

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON