Volkswagen’s Jari-Matti Latvala has taken an early lead in Rally France-Alsace, eleventh round of the 2014 World Rally Championship, as his German team mate Sebastien Ogier, who won the opening stage of the first day, hit mechanical trouble in SS2 and dropped back.
Andreas Mikkelsen, VW’s third driver, benefited from Ogier’s issue to take the lead, but the Norwegian lost the position to his Finnish team mate in the third special stage. With four more stages to go on Friday, Latvala now leads the rally, just 0.7 seconds ahead of Mikkelsen.
The two Volkswagens are followed by the Citroen of Kris Meeke, the M-Sport Ford of Elfyn Evans and the Hyundai of Dani Sordo respectively.
