LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Carlos Sainz set the early pace in the Cyprus Rally on Friday as the Ford driver posted the best times on three of the opening four stages.
Spain's two-time world champion, who began the opening leg fourth on the road in the hot, dusty conditions, moved 11.7 seconds clear of team-mate Colin McRae.
Championship leader Marcus Gronholm swept the road clear for his rivals and struggled on the rock-strewn tracks as he finished the fourth Platres-Kato Amiantos run 24.5 seconds adrift in fifth spot.
"We are checking the differential and the car was understeering on the opening stage," Gronholm said.
Subaru driver Richard Burns won the second stage but dropped to third place after the Briton suffered turbocharger problems on stage four.
Burns said: "We slipped back a bit after the problem and the surface is cleaning up for every car. It will get harder now for the rest of the day."
High temperatures of around 30 degrees greeted the drivers on the morning stages and the thermometer was expected to rise as the leg progressed.
German Armin Schwarz was the first of the WRC contingent to retire as he crashed out four kilometres into the second stage after approaching a corner too fast.
The drivers moved on to tackle the remaining five stages in the Troodos Mountains on the opening leg before returning to the rally base in Limassol.


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Friday, 8 September 2000 09:10:32
RTRS [n8179525]

 

After ss6

1 SAINZ FORD 01:25:02.1 00:00:00.0
2 BURNS SUBARU 01:25:17.5 00:00:15.4
3 DELECOUR PEUGEOT 01:25:42.6 00:00:40.5
4 MCRAE FORD 01:25:49.1 00:00:47.0
5 MAKINEN MITSU. 01:26:04.4 00:01:02.3
6 LOIX MITSU. 01:26:08.4 00:01:06.3
7 KANKKUNEN SUBARU 01:26:26.0 00:01:23.9

Gronholm Out