CARDIFF, Nov 24: Title favourite Richard Burns had a moment of “routine panic” in the rally of Britain Saturday but stayed on course for the championship.

While Finland’s Marcus Gronholm pulled away in his Peugeot at the front of the field, Briton Burns remained comfortable in second place after coaxing his recalcitrant Subaru into action.

The Englishman’s car failed to start after the overnight stop at rally headquarters in Cardiff, forcing him and co-driver Robert Reid to busy themselves under the bonnet.

Burns, who has won in Britain for the past three years, need only finish fourth to secure his first world title and is not taking any risks.

Ford’s championship leader Colin McRae crashed out on Friday, as did Mitsubishi’s other main title contender Tommi Makinen, taking most of the heat out of the championship battle.

Saturday’s second leg started with Gronholm, the 2000 world champion, extending his lead over Burns to a minute and 9.6 seconds after 10 stages.

The ninth, Resolfen, stage near Neath was the rally’s longest at 46.45 km.

Leading standings in the season-ending British rally Saturday after 10 stages (seven stages remaining, times in brackets are gap behind leader):

1. Marcus Gronholm (Finland) Peugeot two hours two minutes 9.3 seconds. 2. Richard Burns (Britain) Subaru 2:03:18.9 3. Harri Rovanpera (Finland) Peugeot 2:03:35.5 4. Carlos Sainz (Spain) Ford 2:05:09.1 5. Alister McRae (Britain) Hyundai 2:05:43.0 6. Armin Schwarz (Germany) Skoda 2:07:04.3 7. Mark Higgins (Britain) Ford 2:07:16.2 8. Kenneth Eriksson (Sweden) Hyundai 2:07:17.1 9. Didier Auriol (France) Peugeot 2:08:10.4 10.Bruno Thiry (Belgium) Skoda 2:08:44.3—Reuters