Rate it!

0 votes

Peugeot Italy driver Rossetti, who leads the standings after winning April's season opener in Turkey, was a comfortable victor with more than half a second over runner-up Nicolas Vouilloz.

Rossetti's time of 1:29.8 was 0.6s quicker than Peugeot team-mate Vouilloz, who also came second overall in Turkey.

Portuguese driver Armindo Araujo - who won the same Rally two years ago - delighted the home crowd by coming third, a tenth of a second behind Vouilloz, while compatriot and fellow Mitsubishi Lancer man Fernando Peres was fourth.

There were few problems during the superspecial with most of the drivers content to coast through the only asphalt stage of the rally, although Austrian Andreas Aigner slid slightly wide at the start while Brice Tirabassi hit a kerb.

Friday's racing sees the drivers face the first of the gravel special stages, which have a reputation for being narrow, technical and challenging.

Reda Maher / Eurosport