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Mikko Hirvonen was fastest on the shakedown for the Rally Wales GB in his Ford Focus while Henning Solberg lost control of his Stobart Ford.

The preparatory run ahead of the first special stage at the season-ending event took place in the Penllergaer forest in damp and chilly conditions.

Hirvonen, second in the championship this year with the works Ford, set the pace on the 3.90km stage with a time of two minutes, 25.6 seconds, just under a second clear of four-times Rally Wales GB winner Petter Solberg in the leading Subaru.

Sebastien Loeb, who has already clinched his record fifth title but has never won this event, posted the third-fastest time ahead of Dani Sordo in the second C4.

Jari-Matti Latvala, back with the works Ford team again this weekend, was fifth fastest ahead of Francois Duval in the leading Stobart Ford entry.

Things were not quite so simple for team-mate Solberg.

"It happened on the first straight," the Norwegian driver explained. "We were doing about 150kph when - bang - the damper just came through the bonnet.

"We immediately went off and finally came to a stop when the car touched a tree."

Fortunately, the Focus sustained little damage and Solberg is hoping that there will be no repeat of the incident when it counts.

Chris Atkinson was seventh best in the second Impreza ahead of local driver Matthew Wilson. PG Andersson and Sebastien Ogier rounded out the top 10.

Rally-Live.com / Eurosport