Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson headed Ford World Rally Teams challenge in Rally Italia Sardegna after the quickfire opening leg.  They lie third in a Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car, while team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila hold sixth after hitting a rock and damaging a front wheel.Solberg was 13.9sec from the lead as competitors returned to the rally base in Olbia.  Latvalas time loss left him 42.1sec from top spot, with three more days of competition remaining in this 12th and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship.    Latvala and Solberg were first and second in qualifying in the morning, earning them the priority pick of start positions for the evening's two gravel speed tests covering 56.28km.  Latvala opted for first in the order, gambling that the disadvantage of running first on slippery loose gravel would be outweighed by avoiding hanging dusk in the still evening air and completing the second special stage before darkness fell.Solberg opted for third and the 37-year-old Norwegian had a troublefree run through both tests.  Im satisfied with tonight.  There was a delay before the start of the second stage and we didnt have time to fit the extra lights to the car.  It wasnt too bad, but it was quite dark in the forest sections and it was tricky to pick the correct braking points, he said.Latvala expected to lose time on the loose gravel during the first pass, and the 27-year-old Finn was fifth, 15.3sec from the lead.  He was confident of regaining time in the second pass but clipped a rock 10km after the start and drove the remaining 18km with a broken wheel, losing almost 30sec.It happened at a left corner, which had some bedrock on the inside, he explained.  I was faster into the bend than the first pass and I turned in more.  I knew there was a rock, but with the extra speed I couldnt avoid it.  The impact broke the wheel and the air came out of the tyre.  But to drive for so long like that and lose less than 30sec is amazing.  It proves how strong Michelins tyres are.The gamble of running first on the road didnt pay off because the conditions werent as we expected.  Once the loose gravel had been swept away, it was damp beneath, and that offered good grip to everyone, added Latvala.News from other Ford teamsAdapta World Rally Teams Mads stberg / Jonas Andersson were on course for second fastest time in the opening stage until they hit a stone near the finish and bent a steering arm on their Fiesta RS WRC.  They made repairs after the test and safely completed the second test to lie fifth.  M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams Evgeny Novikov / Ilka Minor are seventh, two places ahead of team-mates Ott Tnak / Kuldar Sikk, who regretted choosing hard compound tyres.  Martin Prokop / Zdenĕk Hrůza completed the top 10 in their Czech Ford National Team car.  Todays RouteThe second leg is the longest of the rally and covers new stages along the north coast.  After leaving Olbia at 07.00, drivers tackle the Monte Lerno test, famed for its spectacular jump, before two new stages near Sassari.  After a short service in the town, they repeat the two tests before a second pass through Monte Lerno.  Drivers return to Olbia for an overnight halt after 117.36km of action. Leaderboard after Day 11.  S Loeb/D Elena                      FRA             Citroen DS3             37min 59.1sec2.  M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen               FIN             Citroen DS3             38min 00.2sec3.  P Solberg/C Patterson               NOR             Ford Fiesta RS  38min 13.0sec4.  T Neuville/N Gilsoul                BEL             Citroen DS3             38min 25.3sec5.  M stberg/J Andersson               NOR             Ford Fiesta RS  38min 32.6sec6.  J-M Latvala/M Anttila               FIN             Ford Fiesta RS  38min 41.2sec 7.  E Novikov/I Minor                   RUS             Ford Fiesta RS  38min 50.3sec8.  C Atkinson/S Prvot         AUS             Mini John Cooper        39min 28.0sec9.  O Tnak/K Sikk                      EST             Ford Fiesta RS  39min 30.5sec10 M Prokop/Z Hrůza                     CZE             Ford Fiesta RS  39min 47.3secStage TimesStage 1: 1. Loeb 19min 09.4sec; 2. Hirvonen + 1.4; 3. P Solberg + 10.1; 4. stberg + 11.3; 5. Latvala + 15.3; 6. Neuville + 17.0.Stage 2: 1. Hirvonen 18min 49.7sec; 2. Loeb + 0.3; 3. P Solberg + 4.1; 4. Neuville + 9.5; 5. Novikov + 19.4; 6. stberg + 22.5; 7. Latvala + 27.1. Overall: 1. Loeb 13min 07.4sec; 2. P Solberg + 1.0; 3. Hirvonen + 1.7; 4. Latvala + 4.1; 5. Ogier + 11.9; 6. H Solberg + 16.0.