But none of them can afford to take things easy, as there are still 114.26km of competitive action still to go, beginning with the tricky Brechfa test that has just kicked the action off.

Mikko Hirvonen has started the day with a lead over Ford team-mate Marcus Gronholm of 35.5s, but knows that the rally is not won yet.

“A gap of 35s is only big enough if there’s still some of it there at the end of the rally,” he said. “I still have a lot of work to do.”

The focus of attention is on the championship battle – if third-placed Sebastien Loeb remains in the top five at the end of the day he will be crowned World Rally Champion for the fourth time.

But if the Citroen driver slips from that position and Gronholm moves into the lead, it is the Finn who will scoop the title, for a third time.

With that in mind, today will be a nail-biting experience for the pair.

It’s equally tense for Chris Atkinson (Subaru) and Matt Wilson (Ford), who are at the centre of the other major battle among the frontrunners.

They are fighting over sixth place, with just 10.0s between them, and have been swapping position all rally. Wilson, of course, is the leading British driver on the event and has the home crowd behind him.

Meanwhile, the British Rally Championship fight continues to rage, with Mitsubishi drivers Guy Wilks and Mark Higgins looking the most likely to take the crown.

Wilks currently leads the class by more than a minute from Higgins, but he knows that a slip or puncture will reverse the positions on the rally, and in the championship.