The Peugeot driver finished 0.8 seconds ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz and Norwegian Petter Solberg.

Sainz, in the Ford Focus and Solberg's Subaru finished in a dead heat for second, with Scot Colin McRae another 0.3secs back after the tight two-kilometre circuit.

Drivers tackled the stage in pairs - the first stage to feature that format since the Rally of Argentina in May - and the top contenders were all within two seconds of Burns.

Stage one was the only stage run on Thursday, and the rally begins in earnest on Friday with the Valokola stage from west to east on roads just north of the town of Jyvaskyla.

Times after stage one (of 22) of the Rally of Finland:(GB unless stated)

1 Richard Burns Peugeot leading time of one minute and 16.7 seconds
2= Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ford + 0.8 seconds
2= Petter Solberg (Nor) Subaru + 0.8
4 Colin McRae Ford + 1.1
5 Marcus Gronholm (Fin) Peugeot + 1.3
6 Harri Rovanpera (Fin) Peugeot + 1.4
7= Markko Martin (Est) Ford + 1.5
7= Armin Schwarz (Ger) Hyundai + 1.5
9 Thomas Radstrom (Swe) Citroen + 1.6
10 Kenneth Eriksson (Swe) Skoda + 2.1