BP Ford's Mikko Hirvonen is determined to be among the pacesetters at this weekend's Rally Italy as he bids to consolidate his place at the top of the World Rally standings.

The Finn hit the summit in the drivers' table after taking his first win of 2008 at the last round in Jordan, and enjoys a five-point lead over erstwhile title leader Sebastien Loeb, who could only finish 10th last time out after an accident on leg two.

Hirvonen will be first on the road in Sardinia by dint of his championship lead, but the 27-year-old believes that will be less of a disadvantage than it is at other events on the calendar.

"I'm first in the start order on Friday because I lead the championship," said Hirvonen. "That's never the best place on a dry gravel rally because the first car cleans the loose stones and those behind have a better driving line.

"But it's not usually a big disadvantage in Sardinia and I'm not going to worry about that.

"My focus is finding the right speed on Friday morning because I can't afford to let any driver break clear.

"At the end of the first day in Jordan four cars were covered by less than 15 seconds. It could be just as close in Sardinia and I need to be in that group."

The weekend's rally is the first of a triple-header of gravel rallies in Europe, with events in Greece and Turkey to follow in the next five weeks.

Frenchman Loeb will be hoping for a return to winning ways in the Citroen C4 following his unusual exit from the lead in Jordan.

Loeb crashed into the semi-works Citroen of Conrad Rautenbach on service road leading away from the 11th stage of the rally to continue his inconsistent trend in 2008.

Despite taking three wins [Monte Carlo, Mexico and Argentina] in five rallies this season, Loeb failed to score at the other two as a result of accidents.

And the reigning four-time champion knows that better consistency is needed if he is to take the title fight to Hirvonen, who has not finished outside the top five at any rally this season.

"I hope to do better next time," said Loeb after the Jordan Rally.

"It is becoming consistent: you win one, you lose one, you win one, you go out on one.

"And Hirvonen is going about the championship the right way. I have to win in Sardinia to compensate."

He added: "I left Jordan with a bad impression. I fulfilled one mission by collecting a manufacturers' point, but I could have really dominated the event."

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