Toyota has retained its position on top of the World Rally Championship leader board after the latest round, Rally New Zealand. Toyota Team Europe continued its impressive run of reliability with the Corollas of Didier Auriol and Carlos Sainz both finishing in the points. Toyota now leads the manufacturer?s championship by 19 points, following Auriol?s fourth place and Sainz?s sixth in New Zealand. Auriol overcame an off-track excursion on the event?s second day which saw him lose nearly three minutes to his rivals. ?The back end of the car went out, slid off the edge of the road and we hit a rock which ripped off the left rear wheel,? the Frenchman said. ?We had to run about 17 kilometres of the stage with only three wheels.? After limping to the service area, the Toyota technicians replaced the rear drive and suspension components and Auriol was able to continue. The two Toyota drivers sit second and third in the driver?s championship behind Tommi Makinen, the eventual winner in New Zealand. Toyota has recorded a podium finish for at least one Corolla in eight of the first nine 1999 WRC rallies. The FIA WRC now heads back to the northern hemisphere for Rally Finland which will be held from 20-22 August. World Rally Championship standings after round nine: MANUFACTURERS Toyota 78 points Mitsubishi 59 Subaru 52 Ford 35 SEAT 12 DRIVERS Makinen 46 points Auriol 35 Sainz 30 Kankkunen 24 McRae 23 Burns 23