Ogier stays on course for fourth title.
Dani Sordo mastered treacherous conditions to lead RallyRACC Catalunya – Rally de EspaĂąa on Friday night and set up hopes of a home victory for the first time in 21 years.
Torrential rain turned gravel tracks in the hills above the Costa Daurada into a mudbath, with aquaplaning a constant threat in water-filled ruts. But Sordoâs storming afternoon performance earned the Hyundai i20 pilot a 17.0sec lead over SĂŠbastien Ogier.
Championship leader Ogier, bidding to seal a fourth consecutive world title here, and Thierry Neuville each led during the morningâs three speed tests. Sordo was sublime when they were repeated, winning two and placing second in the other to climb from fourth to first.
âThis is a dream for me,â said Sordo, hoping to become the first Spaniard to win on home ground since Carlos Sainz in 1995. âI have to say thanks to the team for a great job with the car. Tomorrow we need to continue and see what we can do. Two long days to go, but today was unbelievable.â
Ogier endured the worst of the slimy roads from first in the start order and the Frenchman admitted his priority in the early afternoon stages was simply surviving in his Volkswagen Polo R.
Team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen completed the podium places, 18.1sec behind Ogier. The Norwegian overcame brake problems late in the day and twice slowed on stages when mistakenly believing he had a puncture.
