Monte Carlo Rally
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Well, that was a thoroughly enjoyable end to the 2015 season opener.
Yes, yes, we all wanted a Loeb-Ogier fight on the final day. But there was still plenty of drama, some great scraps and stellar performances.
We'll leave you with the championship standings after the first round. Thanks very much for joining us, and a reminder that AUTOSPORT Live resumes next Sunday for the start of Formula 1 testing while Race Centre Live returns for Rally Sweden in the middle of February (12-15).
Drivers' standings:
1 Ogier, 25
2 Latvala, 19
3 Mikkelsen, 15
4 Ostberg, 12
5 Neuville, 10
6 Sordo, 8
7 Loeb, 7
8 Evans, 6
9 Meeke, 4
10 Prokop, 2
Full Monte WRC statistics available on FORIX
Full Monte Carlo report here
Yes, yes, we all wanted a Loeb-Ogier fight on the final day. But there was still plenty of drama, some great scraps and stellar performances.
We'll leave you with the championship standings after the first round. Thanks very much for joining us, and a reminder that AUTOSPORT Live resumes next Sunday for the start of Formula 1 testing while Race Centre Live returns for Rally Sweden in the middle of February (12-15).
Drivers' standings:
1 Ogier, 25
2 Latvala, 19
3 Mikkelsen, 15
4 Ostberg, 12
5 Neuville, 10
6 Sordo, 8
7 Loeb, 7
8 Evans, 6
9 Meeke, 4
10 Prokop, 2
Full Monte WRC statistics available on FORIX
Full Monte Carlo report here
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Reaction from the two VW drivers and to be honest you do have to think the following words reflect rather a lot on each of them.
Ogier: "It's a huge challenge but the satisfaction is even more when you make it. Conditions were so tricky this year. It means a lot, especially for me, so close to my home town."
Latvala: "I'm delighted! This is much more than I expected, before the rally I was thinking fourth or fifth. I must thank my ice crew for their information."
Ogier: "It's a huge challenge but the satisfaction is even more when you make it. Conditions were so tricky this year. It means a lot, especially for me, so close to my home town."
Latvala: "I'm delighted! This is much more than I expected, before the rally I was thinking fourth or fifth. I must thank my ice crew for their information."
Checkered flag
And the WRC2 battle has now been settled as well, with Stephane Lefebvre's crushing victory confirmed.
Congratulations to Craig Breen, fastest again on SS15 to consolidate second place in class ahead of Armin Kremer.
Congratulations to Craig Breen, fastest again on SS15 to consolidate second place in class ahead of Armin Kremer.
Trophy
And also the final standings of the first round of the 2015 WRC:
Monte Carlo Rally result:
1 OGIER 3h36m40.2s
2 Latvala +58.0s
3 Mikkelsen +2m12.3s
4 Ostberg +2m43.6s
5 Neuville +3m12.1s
6 Sordo +3m12.9s
7 Evans +5m23.7s
8 Loeb +8m34.7s
9 Prokop +9m54.8s
10 Meeke +10m55.6s
And a tip of the hat to the luckless Robert Kubica as well.
Monte Carlo Rally result:
1 OGIER 3h36m40.2s
2 Latvala +58.0s
3 Mikkelsen +2m12.3s
4 Ostberg +2m43.6s
5 Neuville +3m12.1s
6 Sordo +3m12.9s
7 Evans +5m23.7s
8 Loeb +8m34.7s
9 Prokop +9m54.8s
10 Meeke +10m55.6s
And a tip of the hat to the luckless Robert Kubica as well.
Checkered flag
Confirmation of Kris Meeke's excellent powerstage win then:
Leading SS15 times:
1 Meeke 6m30.5s (3 points)
2 Loeb +0.2s (2 points)
3 Latvala +1.9s (1 points)
4 Ogier +2.7s
5 Mikkelsen +4.4s
6 Neuville +4.5s
7 Chardonnet +5.4s
8 Sordo +5.5s
9 Tanak +7.3s
10 Evans +8.3s
Leading SS15 times:
1 Meeke 6m30.5s (3 points)
2 Loeb +0.2s (2 points)
3 Latvala +1.9s (1 points)
4 Ogier +2.7s
5 Mikkelsen +4.4s
6 Neuville +4.5s
7 Chardonnet +5.4s
8 Sordo +5.5s
9 Tanak +7.3s
10 Evans +8.3s
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"Victory in Monte Carlo means a lot," smiles a delighted Ogier, with this rally in his backyard. "Especially for me. It's the most important to win all season. It's a huge challenge.
"The atmosphere was just magic."
"The atmosphere was just magic."
Trophy
Ogier doesn't get inside the top three. It's only fourth for the world champion, in between his two VW team-mates.
But that doesn't bother Ogier or co-driver Ingrassia.
THEY'VE WON THE 2015 MONTE CARLO RALLY!
But that doesn't bother Ogier or co-driver Ingrassia.
THEY'VE WON THE 2015 MONTE CARLO RALLY!
Latvala's ends the stage in 6m32.4s to go third fastest - a bonus point for the Finn unless Ogier can pull it out of the bag.
Ogier gets to the mid-point of the stage and is only sixth at present.
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Still a bit of angst from Ostberg, who wants parity in Sweden.
"Again very lucky, same engine problem again, so we had to stop," he says to explain his slow time.
"I'll be in the new car for Sweden so hopefully it won't happen again. I'm pleased to be here without any mistakes from my side."
"Again very lucky, same engine problem again, so we had to stop," he says to explain his slow time.
"I'll be in the new car for Sweden so hopefully it won't happen again. I'm pleased to be here without any mistakes from my side."
As Latvala comes across the first split, third fastest and 1.4s slower than Meeke, Ogier starts the stage.
The end is nigh!
The end is nigh!
The TV shots from the helicopter are breathtaking.
What an absolutely mega event the Monte is.
What an absolutely mega event the Monte is.
Mikkelsen's 1.9s down on Meeke at the first split.
There's fourth place overall confirmed for Ostberg, though his powerstage effort is only good enough for ninth.
Latvala's powerstage run begins.
A very poor first split from Ostberg, who's on the stage.
His brilliant SS14 run had put him about half a minute from Mikkelsen in third. It was never likely to translate into a podium but it looks as though the Citroen man has made a mistake early in this run.
His brilliant SS14 run had put him about half a minute from Mikkelsen in third. It was never likely to translate into a podium but it looks as though the Citroen man has made a mistake early in this run.
...and Sordo doesn't do enough!
He's fifth fastest on the stage, 6m36.0s.
Neuville nicks fifth overall from his team-mate!
He's fifth fastest on the stage, 6m36.0s.
Neuville nicks fifth overall from his team-mate!
The target for Sordo is 6m35.1s...
Mikkelsen starts the stage.
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Big cheer for Neuville as he crosses the line.
"It feels great," says the first-time Monte finisher. "It's an honour to do such a nice sport."
He's loving experiencing the rally for a bit longer than he has previously.
"It feels great," says the first-time Monte finisher. "It's an honour to do such a nice sport."
He's loving experiencing the rally for a bit longer than he has previously.
Neuville crosses the line in 6m35.0s, which is good enough for third
But is it good enough to beat Sordo to fifth overall?
But is it good enough to beat Sordo to fifth overall?
Here comes Sordo through the first split...he's slower than Neuville!
He needs to find at least a second to maintain fifth, the Spaniard.
He needs to find at least a second to maintain fifth, the Spaniard.
Neuville's dropped 2.3s to Meeke at the first split. Sordo won't be too far off that mark.
Evans is in, and that's (run to service permitting) the rally done and seventh earned for the Welshman.
Solid effort. The M-Sport man is fifth, 8.3s slower than Meeke.
Solid effort. The M-Sport man is fifth, 8.3s slower than Meeke.
Now Sordo starts the stage...Spain versus Belgium for fifth.
Prokop comes through seventh fastest, not a great run but he's made it to the end.
Prokop's nearing the stage end and as he does so Neuville gets under way.
There's a mega battle between Neuville and team-mate Sordo remember, just 0.2s between them going into this decider for fifth!
There's a mega battle between Neuville and team-mate Sordo remember, just 0.2s between them going into this decider for fifth!
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"No plan at the moment," says Loeb of future WRC outings.
"It was great," he smiles.
"It was great," he smiles.
Here comes Loeb...
...he's 0.2s slower than Meeke!
...he's 0.2s slower than Meeke!
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That strategic call on SS14 looks like it may well have paid off for Meeke.
"A little more dry, it was still tricky. I had a good stage."
He says he's looking out for Loeb as his main challenger.
"There only is one Seb," he laughs.
"A little more dry, it was still tricky. I had a good stage."
He says he's looking out for Loeb as his main challenger.
"There only is one Seb," he laughs.
Stopwatch
Evans starts the stage.
As one Brit begins, the other ends.
Meeke is through in 6m30.5s. It's a very good time.
As one Brit begins, the other ends.
Meeke is through in 6m30.5s. It's a very good time.
Loeb crosses the first split, and he's 0.8s slower than Meeke.
Solberg slipped under our radar, he crosses the line now to go third fastest, 5.3s behind Chardonnet.
Prokop's up. Protasov was running in fourth, fifth and sixth gear only on that run!
Meeke goes quicker than Chardonnet by 1.8s at the first split.
Ah, fair play Protasov. He makes it to the end of the rally and completes the power stage.
Loeb starts his run now.
Remember, Meeke sacrificed a good time on the long SS14 to save his tyres for the powerstage. Let's see what he can do.
Here comes Tanak, and the M-Sport man's time is 6m37.8s. That's second.
Meeke, the fastest man through this run on SS13, starts the powerstage.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Scott Mitchell
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