Sebastien Loeb tightened his grip on the Wales Rally GB with a controlled display this morning.

Armagh’s Andrew Nesbitt (Subaru WRC) took his second victory in the Punchestown Rally Experience when he finished almost seven seconds ahead of another former winner, Austin MacHale (Ford Focus WRC).

FIA World Rally Championship, Rally of New Zealand

Marcus Gronholm admitted that the moment when he tipped his Peugeot on its side during the second leg of the Rally of New Zealand was enough to get him to back off the throttle pedal for the remainder of the race.

Mitsubishi’s Alister McRae admits he is feeling “incredibly frustrated” over his enforced absence from the Network Q Rally of Great Britain.

Peugeot added the 2002 World Rally Championship to the titles it won in 2000 and 2001 as soon as Ford’s Markko Martin threw his car off the road on stage 14 of the Rally of New Zealand today.

ALTHOUGH there are few certainties in rallying, Niall Maguire should wrap up the Dunlop National Rally Championship at the Clonmel Arms Hotel/FESP-sponsored Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally on Sunday.

Richard Burns hopes a return to the scene of his maiden World Rally Championship victory will ignite his bid to claim a second title.

Youngster Alister McRae must hope his Mitsubishi team recover from an armed robbery in time to help him score more points in this weekend’s Rally of Argentina.

Frenchman Sebastien Loeb faces an anxious and lengthy wait before discovering if his likely maiden world championship victory in today’s Monte Carlo Rally is confirmed.

Frenchman Sebastien Loeb retained his lead and Colin McRae consolidated third place as the 70th Monte Carlo Rally resumed in the French Alps this morning.

Cautious Colin McRae will take the softly, softly approach this morning when he resumes his Monte Carlo Rally challenge.

Richard Burns has dropped one place to third in the Network Q Rally of Great Britain this morning, but is still on course for the world title.

Niall McShea continues to lead the Irish challenge after the conclusion of the second leg of the Network Q Rally of Great Britain. The Fermanagh driver in his Citroen Saxo, co-driven by fellow Northern Ireland man, Michael Orr, finished today's stages in 18th place.

Watch out Michael Schumacher. The world’s top rally drivers might not match you for outright speed but they are hot on your trail in the race for TV coverage and the market in hi-tech boys toys in the ultra-competitive world of motor sport.

Alister McRae will drive for Mitsubishi in the World Rally Championship for the next two seasons.

Colin McRae, in his Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, maintained his lead through the second leg of the Acropolis Rally.

REIGNING world rally champion, Marcus Gronholm (Peugeot WRC), holds a slender five-second lead over the Subaru WRC of Richard Burns heading into today’s second leg of the Cyprus Rally.

Scotsman Colin McRae and co-driver Nicky Grist kept themselves ahead of the chasing pack at the end of the second day of the Argentine Rally in Cordoba.