Sebastien Loeb set the quickest time in the shakedown for the German round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Driving a Citroen DS3 the Frenchman, seeking his ninth win in the event, clocked a time of two minutes 25.2 seconds on the 4.55-kilometre stage around the village of Kommlingen in warm and dry conditions.
Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala was second fastest for the Ford factory team alongside Mads Ostberg of Norway in his privateer Fiesta RS, both drivers just 0.8 seconds behind Loeb.
Another Norwegian, Petter Solberg, was another 0.3 seconds back in fourth place.