Further down the order Jari-Matti Latvala completed the top five, while Stobart Ford's nominated drivers' Francois Duval and Matthew Wilson were sixth and eighth, sandwiching the Subaru of Chris Atkinson.
Suzuki's Per-Gunnar Andersson and 2008 Junior World Rally champion, Sebastien Ogier, who is making his debut in a World Rally car this weekend, rounded out the top ten.
MotoGP ace Valentino Rossi was 17th fastest of the 21 drivers' entered in WRC cars - his best a 2 minute 41.7 second effort.
The Wales Rally GB now continues later on today with the ceremonial start at 18.00 hours in Cardiff. The action then begins proper on Friday with eight stages on the bill, totalling around 124 competitive kilometres. SS1, the 19.10 kilometre run through Hafren 1, begins at 09.08 hours [all times local].
Leading shakedown times*:
1.
Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08
2mins 25.6secs M
2.
Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008
2mins 26.5secs M
3.
Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC
2mins 27.0secs M
4.
Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC
2mins 27.2secs M
5.
Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08
2mins 28.1secs M
6.
Francois Duval Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07
2mins 29.0secs MT
7.
Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008
2mins 29.2secs M
8.
Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07
2mins 30.2secs MT
9.
Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC
2mins 30.4secs M
10.
Sebastien Ogier PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC
2mins 30.6secs A8
11.
Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC
2mins 31.7secs M
12.
Mads Ostberg Adapta WRT Subaru WRC
2mins 32.2secs A8
13.
Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07
2mins 33.8secs A8
14.
Barry Clark Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07
2mins 34.6secs A8
15.
Khalid Al Qassimi BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08
2mins 36.8secs A8
16.
Conrad Rautenbach PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC
2mins 37.4secs A8
17.
Valentino Rossi Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07
2mins 41.7secs A8
18.
Gareth Jones Subaru Impreza WRC
2mins 45.2secs A8
19.
Dave Weston Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 05
2mins 46.0secs A8
20.
Steve Perez Stobart VK Ford Focus
2mins 47.5secs A8
21.
Eamonn Boland Subaru Impreza WRC
2mins 53.9secs A8
M - denotes Manufacturer entry.
MT - denotes Manufacturer Team entry.
* Note: Leading times includes World Rally Cars drivers only – priority 1 and 2.
