Local driver Marcus Gronholm held an 18.5-second lead after 15 stages on the Rally of Finland today as the Peugeot driver moved clear of team-mate and compatriot Harri Rovanpera.
Reigning champion Gronholm, who is still looking for his first win of a nightmare season, took full advantage of using overnight leader Richard Burns as a "road-sweeper" and opened up a comfortable gap at the head of the leaderboard.
Briton Burns paid the penalty for running first on the fast, twisty gravel roads as he dropped to third spot in his Subaru, 20 seconds adrift of the lead.
Ford's Colin McRae gained two places on his overnight sixth position as he attempted to reduce a 10-point series deficit on championship leader Tommi Makinen, who retired on the opening stage on Friday.
Finland's Jani Paasonen retired from ninth position after he suffered two heavy crashes in his Ford Focus WRC. Co-driver Arto Kapanen was taken to hospital with damaged ribs after Paasonen rolled his car on the 14th "Parkkola" run.
Frenchman Didier Auriol was also forced out after he parked his Peugeot with suspected gearbox problems on stage 13.
The drivers moved on to tackle three more stages, including the second running of the "Killeri" superspecial, before returning to base at Jyvaskyla to complete the second leg.