The British Chris Meeke (Citroen) took the lead of the general of the Rally de Portugal, fifth round of the World Championship, after dominating the day on Friday from the first special, while the Spanish Dani Sordo (Hyundai) continues third, now at 37.3 seconds of the leader.
Meeke leads the general classification with a cumulative time of 1h28: 53 and a 31.9sec lead over Frenchman Sebastien Ogier (Volkswagen Polo R), world champion for the last three years, who had set the best time in the opening superspecial on Thursday and , consequently, it opened track today.
The British rider, who had missed the two previous rounds of the World Championship (Mexico and Argentina), has returned in good shape and already in the first special of the day he took the lead, winning the Ponte de Lima stage with 5.6 seconds over Ogier, who has won this Portuguese race four times.
The scare of the day was taken by New Zealander Hayden Paddon, Dani Sordo’s teammate on the Hyundai team. His car was burned in the first section of the afternoon, in the second pass through Ponte de Lima, and the Estonian Ott Tanak, minutes later, also overturned at that same point. Neither man was injured.
In fourth place overall is the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen, 52 seconds behind Meeke, and in fifth the Belgian Thierry Neuville, 1: 12.2.
Ogier tries to return to the path of triumph in Portugal after having won the first two races of the World Cup (Monte Carlo and Sweden), and being deprived of the victory in the next two (Mexico and Argentina).
Dani Sordo, sixth in the World Cup with two sixths (Monte Carlo and Sweden) and two quarters (Mexico and Argentina), is looking for his first podium of 2016 in Portugal.
Meeke takes command; Dani Sordo continues third
