Hirvonen nibbles at Loeb

Mikko Hirvonen is still in attack mode and conquered the awesome 33km Ouninpohja stage to set best time and take 2.2 seconds out of rally leader, Sébastien Loeb.

The two Citroen men each kept one eye on the scary road and on the splits as they stay within just a few tenths of one another until the last portion of the run when Hirvonen extended the margin. Loeb said he was trying to take it easy and keep Hirvonen in check, which he did. The Finn has one more chance to win his first rally in a DS3 when they repeat the stage, which is also the Power Stage.

The factory Fords are resigned to a Citroen success. Jari-Matti Latvala is third at 29 seconds, while team mate, Petter Solberg is now 56.6s adrift of the leader. Mads Ostberg was able to move back around Ott Tanak for fifth place.

TOP TENSS 17
1 Hirvonen
2 Loeb +2.2s
3 Latvala +5.8s
4 Solberg + 13.4s
5 Ostberg + 16.3s
6 Rantanen + 30.0s
7 Tanak + 30.6s
8 Prokop + 50.6s
9 Atkinson +51.3s
10 Ketomaa +54.3s

TOP TEN AFTER SS 17
1 Loeb
2 Hirvonen +7.2s
3 Latvala +29.0s
4 Solberg +56.6s
5 Ostberg +2:17.9s
6 Tanak + 2:30.1s
7 Rantanen +4:30.0s
8 Ketomaa + 5:24.9s
9 Prokop + 5:33.0s
10 Ogier + 8:04.0s