It's not just the World Rally Championship that's at stake on Wales Rally GB - the British Rally Championship title is up for grabs too.

The main title protagonists are Mark Higgins and Guy Wilks, and the battle between them has carried them into the top places among the production car drivers.

After trailing Higgins early on, Wilks really excelled in the fog and wet of the opening day's afternoon stages, finding traction where others encountered time-sapping wheelspin.

The former FIA JWRC contender ramped up the pace in his Mitsubishi Lancer and his joy was compounded when Higgins suffered two punctures in the stages, dropping more than a minute.

That left Higgins in third place, with Wilks' team-mate Gwyndaf Evans slotting in between them.

Over the course of the morning on the second day, Higgins has been trying to claw his way back into contention with his rival, but his pace has been restricted by jarring his shoulder, which is still healing after he broke a collarbone six weeks ago.

"I snapped the steering wheel to catch a slide and I've tweaked it again," said Higgins after the first three stages of day two. "I've got no choice but to attack and try and force a mistake from Guy, but it's hard when you are in pain."

Wilks is only too aware that, despite his seemingly comfortable lead, the rally victory and title hangs in the balance.

"One minute will disappear in a flash if I make a small mistake and spin or if I get a puncture," he said.

Evans, meanwhile, is sitting just 7.8s behind Wilks in second position and still pushing hard.