FRENCHMAN Patrick Bernardini took charge of the Monte Carlo Rally yesterday on roads made treacherous by melting snow. Favourite Armin Schwarz of Germany lost considerable ground and dropped to third, almost five minutes behind, because his Toyota Celica developed mechanical trouble.

Bernardini clocked the fastest time in his Ford Escort on two of the day's six timed stages to build a lead of a minute and nine seconds on compatriot Francois Delecour, second in a Peugeot 306.

Schwarz, widely favoured to win this year, lost eight seconds on Bernardini in the first section from St Pierreville to Antraigues because of a wrong choice of tyres. He fought back in the second stretch, a 17 mile dash from La Souche to the Chavade mountain pass, to seize the lead.

But in the third timed stage to St Martial, as snow began to fall on the Ardeche mountains, the transmission of his privately entered Toyota failed and he lost two minutes 41 seconds on Bernardini.

Schwarz was then handed a two minute penalty for failing to report on time for the start of the next stage.