PORTO, Portugal, May 9 (Reuters) - Frenchman Sebastien Ogier will take a commanding 21.9-second lead over Thierry Neuville into the final day at Rally Portugal after a masterful display during a gruelling leg on Saturday.
The Toyota veteran reclaimed the lead after a dramatic shift in the weather, ending the day firmly in control as the field struggled with torrential rain and muddy terrain.
“This afternoon, with these conditions, I’m glad we finished it because it has been very demanding,” said Ogier.
“There was no grip at all on the mud, it was just about going through, but we had a good day.”
The afternoon loop was a turning point for Sweden's Oliver Solberg, who had briefly surged ahead before midday.
Solberg’s bid for the lead unravelled after an incident in which his front-right tyre came off the rim, dropping him from second to fourth overall.
That allowed Neuville to move into second place for Hyundai, though he remains under pressure from Toyota’s Sami Pajari, with the Finn 3.9 seconds behind the Belgian in third place.
The rally, headquartered near Porto, runs until Sunday.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
