Rally - Murky daylight

The rain hasn’t stopped but it’s less wet at the Tunnock’s Mull Rally and the rallyists keep wilting. Paul MacKinnon still leads, but second placed John Cope is parked up in the last stage at Calgary/Tuath. That means James MacGillivray is now second: “They’re all dropping out around me, it’s maybe my turn next, he joked.

Tristan Pye is concerned about the standing water which is puddling everywhere and Daniel Harper is behaving himself – well nearly: “I had the biggest moment of my life in there,” he said, “the MINI stepped out on a Left 5 going flat out, and I caught it, but it was still going!” His eyes were like brake lights as he recalled the incident.

Alan Gardiner is dropping down the top ten: “The engine was overheating in that last one. It was 120 degrees. I had to back off, but we’ll need to check the engine at service.” Curley Haigh has dropped back a bit and was wide=eyed at the end of the long test: “Eddie O’Donnell must have a screw loose, he passed me in there – and I thought I was going well.” As for Eddie, he's got a minute penalty somewhere, so he's checking that out with the results team.

Just outside the top ten is David Miller: “I bent the front chassis leg landing after a huge jump in there.” Not so lucky was Jamie Peden. The number 89 seed will need more than gaffer tape and tie-wraps to repair the Sierra after a bad landing in Gribun, striking a post and removing many of the body panels.

Bruce Edwards is a happier chappie this afternoon: “I’ve changed the dampers and the tyres, and the Darrian is going a lot better. I’m really enjoying myself.” Top 20 runner Philip Scholes in the Fiesta ruined a good run when he slid off in Mishnish Lochs: “I tried slicks then fried the brakes, and just slid off into a hedge. I’s still be there if it wasn’t for the spectators.”

It looks like Billy Bird is out too, the Vauxhall Chevette is parked up in the long one. And the reason for Howard Moore’s retirement in the Lotus Elise was clutch failure on the second stage last night.

It's a bit misty at present with low cloud cloaking the high roads, so fingers crossed it doesn't get any worse tonight.

Interim Leaderboard after 15 of 19 stages:

1 Paul MacKinnon, 1h 39m 37s

2 James MacGillivray, 1h 46m 44s

3 Tristan Pye, 1h 46m 57s

4 Daniel Harper, 1h 47m 12s

5 Tim Stell, 1h 48m 02s

6 Jonathan Mounsey, 1h 48m 15s

7 Iain MacKenzie, 1h 48m 28s

8 Eddie O’Donnell, 1h 48m 31s

9 Alan Gardiner, 1h 48m 52s

10 Tugs Sherrington, 1h 49m 01s