This was a repeat of the 2013 stage, with a short extension at the finish. It ran through open countryside between fields and crossed a couple of villages. It was narrow and bumpy at the beginning, but fast throughout.
Sébastien Ogier made a clear statement to team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala when he stretched his lead through the opening afternoon stage at ADAC Rallye Deutschland.
Ogier led his Volkswagen Polo R colleague by 1.9sec after the morning loop, but was quickest through the second pass of Sauertal by 3.8sec after changing the set-up at mid-leg service.
“I did a clean stage but was a bit too cautious where I made the mistakes this morning,” said Ogier.
Latvala told a similar story. “I took the cuts and gravel places far too carefully. I didn’t have any split times so I didn’t know what his times were,” said the Finn.
Kris Meeke consolidated third, the Citroen DS3 pilot 5.1sec down on Ogier. “There was lots of gravel but there is a line through it. I was a bit cautious in places but, to be honest, I couldn’t match Seb’s time,” he admitted.
Dani Sordo remains fourth in his Hyundai i20, less than 13sec covering six drivers in the overall standings from the Spaniard down to Elfyn Evans in ninth.
Robert Kubica stalled the engine of his Ford Fiesta RS at the start. The Pole has a new clutch after damaging the previous unit while trying to regain the road when he slid off this morning.