World Championship leader Sebastien Loeb hit the front of the Rally Sardinia at the end of the first leg after spending much of the day running down the order.

Defending champion Sebastien Loeb grabbed the initiative in the Portuguese round of the World Rally Championship on the second day.

Marcus Gronholm claimed the lead in the World Rally Championship with second place behind his Ford team-mate Mikko Hirvonen in Norway today.

PEUGEOT driver Marcus Gronholm finally ended Sebastien Loeb’s World Rally Championship dominance as he claimed victory on home territory in the Rally Finland yesterday.