Peugeot Italy driver Luca Rossetti leads after the opening day of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, following an intense battle in which the lead changed at the end of every one of the day's seven stages.
Local hero Bruno Magalhaes was also in contention for the lead until he had a high-speed roll in the morning. Although his Peugeot emerged relatively undamaged, he was out of contention and, in the afternoon, the lead oscillated between Rossetti and Peugeot Belgium driver Nicolas Vouilloz, with the Italian claiming the overnight advantage by just 2.4secs.
Francois Duval climbed up to third in his privately-run Abarth Grande Punto, despite the disadvantage of running first on the road and sweeping the surfaces clean for everybody else behind him. He was just ahead of Czech driver Jan Kopecky in another Peugeot, while 1994 World Rally champion Didier Auriol, making his debut on the IRC with a Grande Punto completed the top five. The Frenchman had been feeling unwell at the start on Thursday, but showed his star quality on the stages to head 2003 Junior World Rally champion Brice Tirabassi at the end of the day.
Rossetti, winner of Thursday evening's super-special through the streets of Faro, was in stunning form, but will be first into Saturday's six stages, which might not be ideal. Indeed, the Portuguese tracks are covered with a thick top-coating of loose gravel that the first drivers have to sweep aside and Rossetti stands to lose time because of this, especially on the first loop.
“I'm going to be first on the road tomorrow, so I'm hoping for rain as that will minimise the disadvantage," Rossetti commented, "But, even if it doesn't rain, I'm happy enough as it means I can follow the tracks of Marcus Gronholm in the zero car – and it doesn't happen every day that you have a two-time world champion showing you the way! We will see how it goes. I will try to keep to Marcus' lines. I don't think there will be that big a difference in grip for Nicolas, François and me."
![Luca Rossetti (I) / Matteo Chiarcossi (I) Peugeot 207 S2000. Istanbul Rally. April 5 2008. [PIC CREDIT: IRC]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/424945.jpg)
