Tanak fastest in Rally Germany opener

Last year asphalt ace Kopecky stunned the World Rally Championship by leading outright in Germany following SS1.

He appeared set to repeat that feat as a string of factory World Rally Car drivers failed to beat his 2m11.8s time.

But Kopecky was eventually pipped by Dani Sordo's Hyundai and then Toyota driver Tanak beat both to take the early rally lead.

Tanak, the dominant winner of the previous WRC round in Finland, felt the St Wendel stage was one of the worst and tightest superspecials he had ever experienced but ended it 0.4 seconds ahead of Sordo and 0.6s up on Kopecky.

Championship leader Thierry Neuville was a relaxed eighth fastest, 2s off Tanak's pace.

Neuville's title rival Sebastien Ogier headed for service four places ahead in fourth, with Andreas Mikkelsen, Craig Breen and Esapekka Lappi between them.

Jari-Matti Latvala was only eighth in the remaining Toyota having clipped a hay bale and then briefly stopped.

Mads Ostberg brought up the rear of the WRC field and reported a lack of power in his Citroen.

Leading times after SS1