KEY POINTS:
Finland's Mikko Hirvonen overtook compatriot and Ford teammate Jari-Matti Latvala to hit the lead after the opening morning of the Rally of New Zealand today.
In road conditions that most drivers described as difficult and slippery, Hirvonen held a 5.3 second advantage over Latvala after the first two special stages.
Third, 9.4sec off the pace, was championship leader and defending world champion Sebastien Loeb.
Latvala had edged Hirvonen by 1.2sec during the opening 24.22km Pirongia West stage southwest of Hamilton.
But Hirvonen, second on the World Rally Championship driver standings just four points behind Loeb, turned the tables on the two-part 43.21km second stage around Waitomo.
Earlier, Loeb, who is seeking his fifth world title in a row, said he went off in the latter part of the first stage while avoiding big stones on the road and was lucky not to roll his car.
The Frenchman didn't lose too much time, but feared his Citroen's suspension might have been broken.
"We went through lots of loose stones," he said.
"This gravel is undriveable with hard tyres without any cuts. The start of the stage was okay, but it got worse."
Meanwhile, Masterton's Richard Mason, bidding to be the leading New Zealand finisher for the third year in a row, headed the local contingent.
Mason, with wife Sara co-driving in their Subaru Impreza, was 13th overall, 2 minutes 12.7 seconds behind Hirvonen, making him also the leading competitor in the production class.
The next best New Zealanders were Cantabrian Hayden Paddon, 20th at 3min 8.1sec behind the leader, and Hawke's Bay's Stewart Taylor, one place and just 0.1sec further back.
- NZPA
