BP Ford Abu Dhabi's Jari-Matti Latvala heads the pack in the shakedown for the Rally of Turkey.

Jari-Matti Latvala was quickest in the shakedown for the Rally of Turkey on Thursday morning, the eighth round in the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship and the final event before the summer break.

Latvala completed the stage in his BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT Focus RS WRC07 in 3 minutes 55.7 seconds, setting his best effort on his third and final pass.

Stobart Ford's Gigi Galli meanwhile was second - 1.5 seconds slower, while Mikko Hirvonen ensured the 'Blue Oval' took a clean sweep of the top three, albeit another 2.2 seconds further back.

Subaru's Chris Atkinson was next up and fourth in the new Impreza WRC2008, while current championship leader, Sebastien Loeb completed the top five in his Citroen C4 WRC, followed by the Solberg brothers, Henning and Petter in sixth and seventh respectively.

Andreas Mikkelsen was eighth, while Dani Sordo and Urmo Aava rounded out the top ten. Suzuki's Toni Gardemeister was unable to post a time due to a mechanical problem - possibly transmission.

The Rally of Turkey now gets underway later on today, with the first run through the short 2.60 kilometre Antayla SSS. The action then begins 'proper' on Friday, with eight stages on the bill and over 150 competitive kilometres - the longest day of the event.

Leading shakedown times:

1. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 07 3mins 55.7secs M

2 Gigi Galli Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 3mins 57.2secs MT

3. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 07 3mins 59.4secs M

4. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 4mins 00.4secs M

5. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 4mins 00.7secs M

6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 4mins 01.4secs MT

7. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 4mins 01.7secs M

8. Andreas Mikkelsen Ramsport Ford Focus WRC 4mins 02.4secs A8

9. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 4mins 03.9ecs M

10. Urmo Aava PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC 4mins 04.3secs A8

11. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 4mins 05.6secs A8

12. Federico Villagra Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 4mins 10.1secs MT

13. P-G Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC 4mins 10.4secs M

14. Conrad Rautenbach PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC 4mins 13.1secs A8

15. Aris Vovos Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 4mins 21.5secs MT

Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC Did not set a time M