After Special Stage 24...

With Richard Burns setting the fastest time on the opening three stages of the final day of the Network Q Rally there was no change in the leaderboard after SS24, though the Ford driver Bruno Thiry has put in a charge to close the gap on third placed Carlos Sainz from 60 seconds to 25 seconds.

However, if he does overtake Sainz the Spaniard still has more than three minutes advantage over Sebastian Lindholm from Finland who has been consistently in the top dozen from the outset last Sunday.

With the Ford team hoping to end their season on a high note they have four cars in the top 10.

There is almost certain to be a Finnish celebration when the Formula 2 battle is resolved. Throughout yesterday Messrs Laukkenen, Gardemeister and Kytolehto swapped times and places and their titanic struggle which has taken them seven minutes clear of the rest. There is much at stake for Renault, Vauxhall and SEAT.

Top amateur at the start of the day was Brian Lyall, the canny Scotsman from Aberdeen in an Escort, while the leading lady is 26 year old Swedish lass Pernilla Walfridsson in her Mitsubishi Lancer.

1998 Network Q Rally of Great Britain