The Finn leads Hyundai’s Ott Tanak by less than a second after Friday, although that could have potentially been more had the last two tests not been cancelled by organisers for safety reasons.

While Lappi’s GR Yaris Rally1 was in full health, Tanak’s I20 N Rally1 developed a transmission issue not to dissimilar to the one his team-mate Thierry Neuville suffered prior to the conclusion of the morning loop finished.

But whereas Neuville was left with one front-wheel-drive, the issue – according to Tanak – gave the impression that only on e of the corners on his car wasn't working as it should have under acceleration and braking and admitted the cancellation of SS7 and SS8 had been a godsend.

Although some will consider it a missed opportunity for one-time World Rally winner Lappi, he wasn't dwelling on it. “I thought we could be close to the front at the end of today but not necessarily to be leading, so it’s been a good day and I’m really satisfied,” said Lappi, who was called into the team for round five of the World Rally Championship as part of his shared-drive programme with Sebastien Ogier.

“It has been three years since I’ve been leading after a Friday and it feels very good. We started at a safe pace, also be𒁏cause of the hanging dust, but then when it was clear we could push like normal.

“On thisꦜ rally you can’t drive at 100 per cent all the time, but I think we were consistently at 90 per cent and that was the key today. The most important thing was to secure a good road position for tomorrow and now we have the best position possibl🅰e, so it is job done for today and let’s continue like this tomorrow,” he added.

Meanwhile, Toyota’s mechanics have successfully repaired Elfyn Evans’ car meaning he will re-join the action tomorrow under Super Rally rules. The Welshman retired no๊t long after emerging from Friday’s second stage; during 'Terranova' a hefty impact with a large rock caused considerable damage to the underside of his GR Yaris Rally 1 and on the advice of his team, Ev▨ans and co-driver retired.

“That Elfyn was forced to retire after the impact on SS3 was obviously not so nice,” said the𓄧 squad’s Sporting Director Kaj Lindström, who is deputising for Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala in Sardinia this week, “but the team have been able to fix the car – he is good to restart tomorrow.”

Earlier in the day Evans - twice a runner-up in the WRC title battle - spoke of his disappointment at bowing out so early, "especially as we had a good s꧅tart and an early lead". Prior to the incident, he was 4.7 seconds to the go🦄o🌟d over Tanak.