"It's probably been the most difficult day's rallying this year, with the weather and Mikko's accident. It was an uncharacteristic error by Mikko - quite unlike him. The good thing is he's still going and the car can be repaired 100%. I'm delighted Jari-Matti is leading and, although our championship aspirations look a tall order, if the conditions are the same again tomorrow then anything can probably happen."

Olivier Quesnel
Team principal, Citroen World Rally Team
On today's conditions and tyres...

"It was a special day today, as the conditions were quite awful. For these conditions we didn't have the right tyre. That's not the fault of Pirelli, but the fault of the regulations. It is stupid, because today we could have made a nice rally for the spectators and competitors with an emergency tyre. It was bad - especially for the spectators. It was a mess and it was stupid. This is supposed to be a show and we need spectators, but we cannot put on a good show without good tyres. Obviously there is also the aspect of safety, and what we have been doing is not nice."
On Loeb's pace and the Manufacturers' title...

"Sebastien has been first on the road today and that means he has come across the real problems first. He wants to get the win, but he also wants to be around tomorrow. Today it has been a lottery. It is also better to win the Manufacturers' title than win the rally, and also to try and win the rally today would have been a big mistake. The Manufacturers' title is far from over. Maybe tomorrow it will be my cars that are off the road."
On Sebastien Ogier...

"We are very pleased with Ogier's speed. Next year I hope he will do six rallies to learn about the WRC. He learns very quickly, as he has shown here."

David Richards
Team principal, Subaru World Rally Team
On today's conditions and tyres...

"It's been an extremely frustrating day. For some time now, after the introduction of the control tyre, we have said that there should be an emergency tyre available in the event of extreme conditions. When conditions are like today it should be at the discretion of the clerk-of-the-course to use them. We should not find ourselves in a situation where we are not able to deliver to spectators, who have had an even more frustrating day than us. One of my guys drove down from Warwickshire at 6am today and hasn't seen a rally car in action. How can we turn round to the general public and say that it was too slippery for the best drivers in the world to perform? It makes a mockery of the whole sport. We've repeatedly spoken to the FIA about this and we've been told it's too complicated to sort out. We don't accept this."

On Chris Atkinson...
"Chris took a knock to the head on the rollcage, but the encouraging thing is how well the safety measures, such as the side impact and rollcage improvements, are working."

On Petter Solberg...
"Petter is a little frustrated because of something stupid happening with the misted windscreen. Without that problem he feels he'd be up with the leaders. We'll just see what tomorrow brings. It's been a frustrating couple of years, but Petter is right to be optimistic."

Paul Wilding
Team manager, Suzuki World Rally Team
"What a fantastic day - we're very pleased. We've proved the capability of the car. We've worked hard since Japan, and we always knew the car was good. We said it would take until the end of the season to come together and it has. It's been a hard day, even if it's not the longest of the event. Overall, though, it's a fantastic first day."

OTHER NEWS
3: Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen
"I took the watersplash really fast and I knew I'd go sideways - but I ended up a little too sideways! That put the front end in the ditch and then the car went over slowly. The problem was that there were not enough marshals to turn us over and it took a while to get the spectators to help. This is not a criticism, but in Finland it would have been quicker because of the way the marshals work. The car was broadside across the road, so to get Sordo by they pushed me more into the ditch. It was probably the right thing to do. All I can do on Saturday is drive flat out - I can't lose any more. Who knows, maybe I can roll it again! Today I was up for the fight, but it didn't last too long."

6: Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot
Following his crash on SS7, Walters Arena, Atkinson has been taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea for a precautionary medical check as he sustained a heavy blow to his crash helmet. He is reported to be conscious and lucid, but will stay in overnight as a precaution.

11: Toni Gardemeister/Tomi Tuominen
He has suffered fluctuating hydraulic pressure in the centre differential today, causing the car to snake under power. His windscreen also misted in stage six. He's also been without any radio or phone service all day.

14: Henning Solberg/Cato Menkarud
His problems this morning were caused by problems with his centre differential. A software change this afternoon solved the problem.

18: Mads Ostberg/Ole Kristian Unnerud
The marshals waved him down in Walters Arena, so he slowed. However, he didn't see any cars off the road and is annoyed at the time loss.

19: Khalid Al Qassimi/Michael Orr
He has been losing power all afternoon. The intercooler has been blocked repeatedly today, and he thinks it is now broken.

58: Gaurav Gill/Nicky Beech
Team manager has confirmed the rollcage is damaged and the crew will not rejoin the rally.

UPDATE ON CREW OF CAR 86: Koray Muratoglu/Caglar Suren
The Turkish crew were involved in a collision with another vehicle on the non-competitive liaison section from SS2 (Sweet Lamb) to SS3 (Myherin) earlier today. The driver sustained a broken left ankle and will stay overnight in Bronglas Hospital, Aberystwyth. The co-driver has sustained multiple fractures but his condition is stable. He is undergoing observation in Princes Royal Hospital in Shrewsbury.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A marshal was injured by a piece of gravel kicked up by a competing car in SS3, Myherin1, today. The 37-year-old man has since been released from hospital with no serious injuries.