Sordo extends his lead in SS5

Ogier beat his morning time by two seconds on the repeat pass through Góis, pipped Evans and Tänak but still dropped an additional three seconds to Neuville. The Frenchman’s consolation was being able to move ahead of Fourmaux and into seventh place. 

An impressive stage time enabled Katsuta to displace Evans and snatch fourth place and the Welshman found himself under even more pressure from a pursuing Rovanperä. Sordo claimed his third stage win of the day and extended his outright lead to 10.6 seconds. 

Suninen beat Lappi by 3.1 seconds in the eye of the WRC2 storm to keep up the pressure on his fellow countryman, although Lappi actually regained the outright category advantage from Gryazin.