It was a dream day for the British squad with its Ford Puma cars topping the timesheets on every single speed test as the rally threaded its way north following Thursday’s spectacular start in Athens.

Loeb was initially dominant on the rugged gravel roads and opened up an early advantage on his fourth WRC start of the season. However, as temperatures soared, the nine-time world champion lost momentum.

An overshoot on a hairpin bend in Dafni was enough to break Loeb’s stride and he gave way to Puma team-mate and fellow Frenchman Loubet, who seized the top spot whilst also grabbing his first stage win in the WRC’s top-flight.

Loubet looked likely to lead overnight after notching up another fastest time at Livadia but Loeb’s superior experience came to the fore.

Source: wrc.com