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Returning legend Juha Kankkunen expects Sebastien Loeb to take a measured approach to this week’s Rally Finland.

Speaking on the eve of his first World Rally Championship outing since 2002, four-time champion Kankkunen reckons Citroen’s star driver - a Finland winner two years ago - is under no pressure to push for a second win in Jyvaskyla.

Kankkunen added that if the current hot and dry conditions continued, running first on the road will be tricky for Loeb, with the Frenchman forced to sweep loose gravel from a hard gravel surface.

“If I am Sebastien and I am first car [on the road], then I am not pushing,” said Kankkunen. “If the weather stays like this, then it will be slippery for first on the road.

“For me, he is already world champion this year - look at the rallies which are remaining this season, he doesn’t need to go 100 per cent. He is trying his best, but if the road is too slippery, then he can take the second place. If I am in his trousers, then I would do that.”

Loeb was second quickest to Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen on this morning’s shakedown stage, just one tenth of a second down on the Focus RS WRC.