Tommi Makinen consolidated his advantage in the firstthree stages of today’s second leg of the Safari Rally.
His closest rival starting out this morning, Carlos Sainz, has retired from the gruelling event, joining team mate, Colin McRae, who retired yesterday.
Some 35 kilometres into the fifth stage, Sainz had slowed his Ford Focus WRC avoid an animal - the engine stopped and the Madrid based driver failed to re-start his stricken Ford.
Harri Rovanpera (Peugeot) is second with PetterSolberg (Subaru) third, the latter lost time afterbreaking a rear drive shaft.
Leaderboard after S.S. 7;
1. Makinen; 2. Rovanpera +5M. 06S; 3. Solberg +8M. 40S; 4. Schwarz + 15M. 41S; 5. Delecour +18M. 07S and 6. Thiry +31M. 21S.