Latvala switched to the manual gearshift system in his Volkswagen Polo R during the final speed test. Although that cost time, the Finn did enough to end the penultimate leg 2.0sec clear of surprise pacesetter Evans.Storm damage forced the cancellation of the opening stage for a second day. But Latvala rocketed through the next test to slash Evans’ 22.9sec overnight advantage to just 1.7sec, before gaining the initiative in the final 48.46km stage near Corte, the longest of the rally. “I had a problem with the gearbox shifting down and lost my rhythm,” said Latvala. “It was difficult under braking because I couldn’t trust the gears. I had to use the manual shift but we got...
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