JARI-MATTI Latvala of Finland took a 7.4 second lead in Rally Australia after an opening day marred by protesters who pelted cars with rocks and attempted to block race routes in the World Rally Championship event.
Environmental activists forced the cancellation of two of 15 scheduled stages yesterday which marked the international circuit's return to Australia after a three-year absence.
Latvala, driving a Ford Focus, won six stages. Frenchman Sebastien Ogi
er, in a Citroen, was in second place overall with a further five-second break to Finn Mikko Hirvonen in a Ford.
They were followed by the Citroens of Spaniard Dani Sordo and five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb.
There were two special stages remaining to be raced late last night which were unlikely to change the leading drivers.
"It's been surprisingly good," said Latvala. "Stage four was not so good for me when I hit a hole and made a little damage to one of the steering track rods so it bent about 15 or 20 degrees to the left.
"I would say I've been driving at 95 percent but I've been clean and tidy, that's been the key."
Hirvonen was driving with a look in the rearview mirror at Loeb, whose championship hopes will be improved if he finishes ahead of the French veteran.
"I am keeping my eye on Loeb," Hirvonen said. "It's interesting to see what the boys are doing. I am trying really hard and pushing as hard as I can."
Police, meanwhile, continued investigations into the protesters.
New South Wales state police said they had reports on Friday morning of boulders placed on the roadway near the Byrill Creek stage of the rally and officers from the riot squad were called in to remove them.
Police said that midmorning, the first car to drive along the stage – Hirvonen – was hit by a number of rocks.
"While the driver of the car was not injured in the incident, organisers of the rally stopped the stage due to concerns for the safety of the drivers and spectators," a police statement said.
The "No Rally" and Peacebus groups had staged a campaign leading up to Rally Australia, condemning the event for disrupting the environment in the hinterland site and frightening wildlife.
