SWANSEA, Wales -- Petter Solberg and Sebastien Loeb turned the Rally of Britain into a winner-takes-all title duel on Friday.

With Spanish hope Carlos Sainz crashing out, the first full day of the championship showdown became a war of wills in the Welsh forests between Citroen's Loeb and his Subaru rival.

Each won three of the day's six stages with Norwegian Solberg, winner of the season-ending rally last year, going into Saturday's second leg with an eight second lead over the Frenchman despite a spectacular puncture.

"Four kilometres from the end of the (sixth) stage the front right just exploded," said Solberg, who was a minute and a half clear of third placed team mate Tommi Makinen.

Sainz, Loeb's team mate, was the only other man with a title claim but his hopes disappeared in a ditch early on.

The Spaniard, who started late after stopping to deal with a smouldering on-board camera, careered off the road in the Brechfa forest on stage three.

"What happened in the stage was because I wasn't concentrating," said Sainz, who had been level on points with overall championship leader Loeb but behind on victories.

"I just didn't hear what (co-driver) Marc (Marti) said...I didn't even try to brake. I just came in in fifth gear and went straight on and off."

Loeb is a point ahead of Solberg and, with each having three wins apiece, that left everything to play for in a tussle that guarantees a first-time champion on Sunday.

If Solberg retires, Loeb will be champion.

But if they both stay the distance, the Frenchman must beat a rival who does not care about manufacturers' points since Subaru are out of the running whereas Citroen are fighting Peugeot for the championship.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRUGGLE

Sainz's departure sparked fears that Citroen would order Loeb to ease off to safeguard their five-point lead in the standings.

"We need both our other cars to finish," said team boss Guy Frequelin. "I must speak with Sebastien to tell him he needs to finish the rally.

"Maybe it is bad for the sport and bad for the fight between him and Solberg. It is very clear that the manufacturers championship comes before the drivers' championship. We can't take risks."

Loeb said later: "It's very important for Citroen to win the manufacturers' title but it's also important to fight for the drivers' title, so for sure I cannot take all the risks to catch up with Petter.

"But I think it's important to keep a good rhythm, to be concentrated. It's easier to make a mistake when you slow down and you lose concentration."

Solberg, returning to the service park near Swansea before winning the day's final super special stage in Cardiff, dismissed the idea of Loeb slowing.

"I think it's a psychological game," he said.

Citroen's position became more comfortable when Peugeot's 2002 champion Marcus Gronholm retired after hitting a tree stump and ripping a wheel off in the third Trawscoed stage.

The lanky Finn was then prevented by police from driving back to service on public roads on three wheels.

Briton Colin McRae was running fourth for Citroen in what could also be his top-flight farewell after failing to secure a drive for 2004.