Championship leader and Tänak's teammate, Belgian Thierry Neuville, who has just extended his contract with Hyundai to next year, posted the fastest time overall.

Tänak set the quickest time on the first run, clocking in at 2:46.0. On his second run, the Estonian recorded a time of 2:39.7, and did not top that on his third run. Neuville set the overall fastest time on the third and final run, finishing in 2:38.2.

Neuville was followed by Toyota driver Takamoto Katsuta (2:39.1), and the third Hyundai man, Dani Sordo (Spain) was fourth-fastest (2:40.4).

Stage one proper starts on Friday morning rather than Thursday evening as is often the case with WRC events, and there are 14 more stages to follow through to the conclusion on Sunday afternoon.

Neuville leads the championship standings with 168 points, followed by eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) with 141 points in second place. Tänak, who won the world championship in 2019, is in third place with 137 points.

There are three more races this season to go, after the Acropolis rally.

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