Ford and Citroen have made totally opposing decisions regarding the running order for Thursday night's opening loop of Rally of Portugal stages, with the factory Fiestas at the back of the pack and the DS3s at the front.
Jari-Matti Latvala was first to select his position on the road, courtesy of his fastest time on the qualifying stage this morning. The Finn confirmed Ford's strategy by picking 17th on the road. His teammate Petter Solberg will start directly ahead of him in 16th.
Citroen then surprised onlookers by going in completely the other direction, electing to place Mikko Hirvonen first and Sebastien Loeb second.
Latvala said: "The organizers have told us there will be no dust in the stages tomorrow night and that's why we have made our decision."
The organisers of the Faro-based event will send water bowsers through the first three gravel stages of the event five hours and three hours before the first car goes onto the road.
Hirvonen said: "We have taken the safest option. If we are unlucky and the road is cleaning badly then it's only three stages and 30 kilometres [the leaderboard is reversed for Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the slowest cars running at the front], so it would be tough on those stages, but not for the whole rally.
"But if there is dust or if there is rain then it's better to be first on the road."
Rally Portugal Running order:
1. Mikko Hirvonen
2. Sebastien Loeb
3. Ott Tanak
4. Dani Sordo
5. Jari Ketomaa
6. Thierry Neuville
7. Armindo Araujo
8. Martin Prokop
9. Nasser Al-Attiyah
10. Daniel Oliveira
11. Peter van Merksteijn
12. Dennis Kuipers
13. Patrik Sandell
14. Mads Ostberg
15. Evgeny Novikov
16. Petter Solberg
17. Jari-Matti Latvala