RICHARD BURNS only managed to shave five seconds off Finland's Ari Vatanen's lead during the longest day of the gruelling Hong Kong Beijing rally yesterday.

Mitsubishi Lancer driver Burns, who had held the lead up until Tuesday, cut the a to one minute and 27 seconds on Vatarien, who looks set to become the first driver to win the event twice.

However, the 1993 winner nearly struck disaster in his Lancer, during the third of the day's five stages over 83 miles.

He said. I was really enjoying myself in that stage, but almost a bit too much. I didn't have a caution, in my pace notes for the last big jump and it really gave me a moment.

Japanese driver Kenjiro Shinozuka, also in a Mitsubishi, is third.