Milner in command

British Rally champion Jonny Milner leads Ulsterman Kenny McKinstry by 1min 52secs in the Gibbs Aquada Manx International Rally with seven stages and 65 miles of competitive driving before this afternoon’s finish in Douglas.

Success for Milner will keep him on course for a hat-trick of Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship wins and back-to-back victories in the Isle of Man event.

Third-placed Derek McGarrity was fastest on today’s first stage, potentially increasing his Pirelli Irish Rally Championship lead to give the Subaru Impreza World Rally Car a 1-2-3 finish.

Manx-born Mark Higgins led the rally until Friday afternoon until mechanical problems relegated him to seventh.

Durham’s Guy Wilks (Suzuki) leads Super 1600, three minutes ahead of local driver Shaun Fox in a Vauxhall Corsa.

Manxman Robert Watson is 10th and leads the production category, almost three minutes ahead of Welshman Sebastian Ling, both driving Mitsubishis.