Intercontinental Rally Challenge points leader Andreas Mikkelsen holds a narrow lead over Jan Kopecky after day one of the Targa Florio.
Skoda UK driver Mikkelsen was quickest on five of Friday's stages, but his margins over his nearest rivals were always slender. Kopecky's works Skoda interrupted Mikkelsen's run of stage wins on SS6, and heads into the final day within 4.5 seconds of the lead.
Giandomenico Basso was also very close to Mikkelsen's pace for much of the day, although the Ford driver felt an early choice of soft tires was costly. The Italian is 13.2sec adrift of Mikkelsen in third.
Locals Umberto Scandola and Paolo Andreucci complete the current top five, with sixth-placed Craig Breen also ruing running soft tires in the morning.
Pos Driver Car Time
1. A. Mikkelsen Skoda Fabia 53m23.5s
2. Jan Kopeckyn Skoda Fabia + 04.52
3. G. Basso Ford Fiesta + 13.22
4. U. Scandola Škoda Fabia + 23.62
5. Paolo Andreucci Peugeot 207 + 34.82
6. Craig Breen Peugeot 207 + 52.82
7. Matteo Gamba Peugeot 207 + 53.62
8. Sepp Wiegand Skoda Fabia + 1m07.92
9. A. Perico Peugeot 207 + 1m17.52
10. Marco Runfola Peugeot 207 + 1m36.92