Intro:

Jari-Matti Latvala stayed on course for victory in his home Rally of Finland on Friday as he opened up a commanding lead over Britain`s Kris Meeke.

Script:

Jari-Matti Latvala went into the third day of his home event, the Rally of Finland, having dominated the first two days.

He'd started the Saturday morning stages with a lead of nearly 20 seconds.

World championship leader Sebastien Ogier of France, who was third overnight, made progress in the morning, moving up to second place after Stage 15.

Great Britain's Kris Meeke dropped down a place behind the Frenchman, but was still in contention only a few seconds behind .

The Norwegian driver Andreas Mikkelsen made a strong start to the day as the leader of a three-way fight for fourth place gaining time on Mads Ostberg and Mikko Hirvonen on the morning loop .But Latvala extended his overnight lead after setting the scratch times on the first three stages of the morning. The Finn's lead with ten stages remaining was 29 seconds over Ogier, with Meeke four and a half seconds further back.

The Norweigian driver Andreas Mikkelsen made a strong start to the day as the leader of a three-way fight for fourth place gaining time on Mads Ostberg and Mikko Hirvonen on the morning loop.But Latvala extended his overnight lead after setting the scratch times on the first three stages of the morning. The Finn's lead with ten stages remaining was 29 seconds over Ogier, with Meeke four and a half seconds further back.