SANTA MARIA DA FEIRA, Portugal Four-time world champion Tommi Makinen moved into the outright lead in this year's world rally championship series after winning a thrilling final stage battle in Portugal with Spain's Carlos Sainz.

Finn Makinen, competing in his 100th top-level event, trailed Ford driver Sainz by 0.3 seconds heading into the final 11.15-kilometer 'Ponte de Lima Sul' stage, but produced a blistering performance on the run to claim a 8.6-second winning margin.

The win moved Makinen one place behind his mentor Juha Kankkunen and Sainz in the all-time list of total rally wins, as he secured his 22nd victory after four days of driving through treacherous muddy conditions.

Makinen said: "We made the wrong tyre choice and suffered a bit on the first stage of the day and the tire wear was really hard, which allowed carlos to move ahead of me.

"I am absolutely shattered and I couldn't have done any more on that final stage as I gave everything. I feel great about winning the event after such a hard few days and now I am leading the championship."

------------------- Visibly Distraught ---------------

Sainz was 8.9 seconds slower than Makinen on the final run and was visibly distraught after being denied the chance to become the most successful rally winner in world championship history.

"It went down to the final stage but Tommi drove a fantastic final stage. I'm disappointed not to have won but I have now got three podium finishes in three events this year."

Event organizers made the decision to cancel stage 20, the scheduled first stage of the final leg, due to the quagmire that faced the remaining competitors.

The cancelation left the leaders to battle through 34.41 kilometers of mud-dominated roads to conclude the rally.

Reigning champion Marcus Gronholm finished in third position in his Peugeot, almost three minutes adrift of compatriot Makinen, and admitted that the event was his toughest ever.

"I've never seen conditions like this before and it was very, very tough," Gronholm said. "I am glad to have won my first points of the season but I couldn't have achieved anything more after the first day."

Briton Richard Burns secured a comfortable fourth-placed finish but said that his chances of a possible victory had ended on the first leg.

(Reuter)