Tenth of a second separates top three in Australia

Spain's Dani Sordo snatched the narrowest of leads from world champion Sebastien Loeb and championship leader Mikko Hirvonen yesterday to set the stage for a thrilling finish to the Rally of Australia.

Sordo finished the second day leading by just one-tenth of a second from Loeb and Hirvonen, who engaged in their own game of cat and mouse.

Frenchman Loeb led the rally by 11 seconds after the 22nd stage but deliberately slowed down to let Hirvonen overtake him on the 23rd stage, which decided the running order for today's final day.

Although Sordo grabbed the overall lead at the end of the 25th stage, the last one yesterday, Finland's Hirvonen will be first on the road today, with Sordo second then Loeb third.

"I had no chance of clearing the road tomorrow so we had to do it," Loeb told reporters.

"At the moment we have good grip and a good feeling. It's okay. But I expected if I stayed in this position I will have no chance tomorrow (today) - that's the problem."