WORLD champion Tommi Makinen of Finland captured the lead in the Monte Carlo Rally yesterday but still faces tough competition from Piero Liatti and Carlos Sainz in the opening event of the season.

It was a bad day, however, for Britain's Colin McRae, who crashed out of the race after starting the day in fourth position.

Mitsubishi driver Makinen, who began the penultimate day three seconds behind the Spaniard Sainz, drove brilliantly to end it with a 24-second lead over Italy's Liatti. Sainz was third, a further three seconds back.

Liatti shone on wet roads with icy patches in the Vercors mountains, taking three of the day's six tests in his Suharu Impreza. But Makinen won two and was never more than a handful of seconds behind in the others.

With Liatti's Subaru and Sainz, driving a Ford Escort, both pressing hard, the gifted Finn took every conceivable risk to clinch the day's last timed stage over 18.6 kilomettes from Plan de Vitrolles to Sigoyer.