Ott Tänak retired from fourth place in Wales Rally GB after crashing in Sunday’s morning’s opening special stage.
Road opener Jari-Matti Latvala was fastest through both stages in his Volkswagen Polo R from team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen.
Leader Sébastien Ogier was ultra-cautious, eighth fastest in Brenig and sixth in Alwen, to preserve a comfortable 27.9sec advantage over Kris Meeke in Citroën’s DS 3, with Mikkelsen 17.4sec further back in third.
“This morning is a very safe rhythm. Today I just need to finish like this,” said Ogier, who promised there would be no attack in search of bonus points in the final live TV Power Stage after his rally-ending accident in Spain last month.
Lorenzo Bertelli overshot a junction in Alwen in his Fiesta RS.