Beijing Formula E, Rally Australia, Misano MotoGP
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Still to come on AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live, we have coverage of the final MotoGP practice session from Misano coming up in about an hour's time, with the first part of qualifying commencing not long after that.
We also have the opening Formula Renault 3.5 race from the Hungaroring later on, as well as DTM action from the Lausitzring - if the fog present at the German track ever clears.
We also have the opening Formula Renault 3.5 race from the Hungaroring later on, as well as DTM action from the Lausitzring - if the fog present at the German track ever clears.
FR3.5 - Hungaroring: As the supporting Formula Renault Eurocup field heads off on its warm-up lap, a bit of housekeeping from its bigger brother:
Luca Ghiotto, Will Buller and Sergey Sirotkin have all been cleared to start the race, despite not setting a time within 107 per cent. No surprise there.
We also caught a brief word with Carlos Sainz Jr in the paddock, and it's safe to say he hasn't perked up yet since sending out despondent Tweet about half an hour ago.
Luca Ghiotto, Will Buller and Sergey Sirotkin have all been cleared to start the race, despite not setting a time within 107 per cent. No surprise there.
We also caught a brief word with Carlos Sainz Jr in the paddock, and it's safe to say he hasn't perked up yet since sending out despondent Tweet about half an hour ago.
Formula E - Beijing: Our report of a rather controversial inaugural Formula E race is also ready for your viewing pleasure.
Lucas Di Grassi will go in the history books as the series' first winner, but we suspect the race will be remembered for an altogether different reason.
It's probably safe to say that Nico Prost won't be able to rely on getting many FanBoost votes for the rest of the year...
Last-lap crash gives di Grassi FE win
Lucas Di Grassi will go in the history books as the series' first winner, but we suspect the race will be remembered for an altogether different reason.
It's probably safe to say that Nico Prost won't be able to rely on getting many FanBoost votes for the rest of the year...
Last-lap crash gives di Grassi FE win
FR3.5 - Hungaroring: GLENN FREEMAN also has the full story of a Formula Renault 3.5 qualifying session at a wet Hungaroring, where Oliver Rowland bagged pole position while points leader Carlos Sainz Jr was left high and dry by a red flag:
Rowland on pole, disaster for Sainz
Rowland on pole, disaster for Sainz
WRC - Australia: Just six stages of Rally Australia remain, and it's advantage Ogier as the Frenchman looks to take another step towards his second WRC crown with victory tomorrow.
Here's the story of the final loop of day two stages:
Ogier stretches Rally Australia lead
Here's the story of the final loop of day two stages:
Ogier stretches Rally Australia lead
Twitter
FR3.5 - Hungaroring: @carlosainz: "Bad qualy. A red flag 2 minutes from the end didnt let us improve on a drying track. Starting p14."
WRC - Australia: Real down under tiredness kicking in at the AUTOSPORT desk now – eyes shutting, head falling forward, proper Le Mans-spec. But help is on its way... the press office staff in Coffs Harbour are the best in the world and have provided food. Question is, will chicken curry and Red Bull help or hinder?
WRC - Australia: More drama on the superspecial among WRC2 runners.
Several drivers were having to go again because the Ketomaa accident and related yellows forced a stoppage. Ott Tanak was among them as he stopped to help at Ketomaa's crash - but now on the re-run Tanak's car has ground to a halt.
Ironically Ketomaa's is back on its wheels and running fine. He'll be given an appropriate penalty tonight for the original crash.
Very weird end to day two.
Several drivers were having to go again because the Ketomaa accident and related yellows forced a stoppage. Ott Tanak was among them as he stopped to help at Ketomaa's crash - but now on the re-run Tanak's car has ground to a halt.
Ironically Ketomaa's is back on its wheels and running fine. He'll be given an appropriate penalty tonight for the original crash.
Very weird end to day two.
Crash
Digger
WRC - Australia: The superspecial stage has been stopped while the organisers adjust the straw bale which Ketomaa hit and rolled over.
Massive amount of diligence going on here - as can be seen from the use of the digger...
Quote
Formula E - Beijing: Prost says he didn't see Heidfeld and reckons his rival was carrying far too much speed to make the corner anyway...
Formula E - Beijing: An admirably restrained and professional Heidfeld is telling reporters that he's completely unhurt but was already complaining about Prost's driving over the radio even while flying through the air upside down.
He thinks the TV pictures make the apportioning of blame pretty clear...
He thinks the TV pictures make the apportioning of blame pretty clear...
Breaking news
Formula E - Beijing: The results shake-ups continue in Beijing, with a penalty for Daniel Abt dropping him from third to 10th and giving Sam Bird a podium.
Crash
WRC - Australia: Big drama in the WRC2 battle on this superspecial, as Jari Ketomaa rolls.
He'd been a close third in the class battle behind Yazeed Al-Rahji and Nasser Al-Attiyah.
He'd been a close third in the class battle behind Yazeed Al-Rahji and Nasser Al-Attiyah.
DTM - Lausitzring: DTM practice has been pushed back to 12pm (local time). Fog still the problem.
WRC - Australia: Ogier, by contrast, thinks the battle for the lead is still very much alive. He'll be leading by about 10s overnight, but let's give the timing system a little while to settle down before saying that for sure.
Ogier also appears to have won the surfboard.
Ogier also appears to have won the surfboard.
WRC - Australia: Latvala completes day two and says he just wants to go to bed and forget today.
He's despondent over losing the lead to Ogier this afternoon when he chose the wrong tyres for what turned out to be dry and sunny stages.
He's despondent over losing the lead to Ogier this afternoon when he chose the wrong tyres for what turned out to be dry and sunny stages.
DTM - Lausitzring: While getting airborne seems to be all the rage elsewhere in the motor racing world, it's a lack of air activity that's holding up practice at the Lauzitzring. Fog is still keeping the chopper grounded, and the DTM cars in the pits. Practice now delayed by more than 50 minutes.
WRC - Australia: Oh hello WRC timing system... the screens have reset and Mikkelsen's time has been altered - putting Meeke back into third place...
...but now they're changing again and Mikkelsen is back in third place overall.
We'll give that one five minutes before deciding who actually holds third overnight.
...but now they're changing again and Mikkelsen is back in third place overall.
We'll give that one five minutes before deciding who actually holds third overnight.
WRC - Australia: As Meeke suspected, he's lost third place to Mikkelsen after the superspecial.
The Norwegian has been quickest on both runnings of the short course and he goes into Sunday 1.5s ahead.
Meeke was as puzzled as everyone else by the start order for this stage, which seems to have been the reverse of Friday's superspecial results because there's a contest to see who sets the fastest time of the weekend over all the runnings of the superspecial. The prize is apparently a surfboard.
But as Meeke says, if you're in an overall podium battle, surely you should be running with the car you're battling with...
The Norwegian has been quickest on both runnings of the short course and he goes into Sunday 1.5s ahead.
Meeke was as puzzled as everyone else by the start order for this stage, which seems to have been the reverse of Friday's superspecial results because there's a contest to see who sets the fastest time of the weekend over all the runnings of the superspecial. The prize is apparently a surfboard.
But as Meeke says, if you're in an overall podium battle, surely you should be running with the car you're battling with...
Crash
Formula E - Beijing: Replays of that final-lap crash show that Heidfeld had a run down the straight into the last corner, got alongside Prost only for the Frenchman to turn in on him.
The contact then sent Heidfeld sideways down the escape road, where he hit a kerb and was launched into the air, hitting the wall and fence with the top of the car and then rolling again, landing upside down.
The contact then sent Heidfeld sideways down the escape road, where he hit a kerb and was launched into the air, hitting the wall and fence with the top of the car and then rolling again, landing upside down.
DTM – Lausitzring: A very good morning from the far east of Germany for the eighth round of the 2014 DTM season. After some fog delays, we're only a few minutes away from the first free practice session of the weekend getting away.
Here is how the top of the points table looks after the first seven rounds:
Marco Wittmann (BMW) 120
Mattias Ekstrom (Audi) 56
Edoardo Mortara (Audi) 56
Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) 53
Bruno Spengler (BMW) 42
So, with just 75 points left on offer from the three remaining races, the big question is whether Wittmann can wrap up the title this weekend, or whether he will have to wait until Zandvoort or Hockenheim.
Here is how the top of the points table looks after the first seven rounds:
Marco Wittmann (BMW) 120
Mattias Ekstrom (Audi) 56
Edoardo Mortara (Audi) 56
Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) 53
Bruno Spengler (BMW) 42
So, with just 75 points left on offer from the three remaining races, the big question is whether Wittmann can wrap up the title this weekend, or whether he will have to wait until Zandvoort or Hockenheim.
Checkered flag
Formula E - Beijing: Away from that crash, Lucas di Grassi won for Abt, with Franck Montagny second and Daniel Abt third.
Formula E - Beijing: Heidfeld makes his displeasure known to Prost as they walk away.
We're just very glad Heidfeld walked away.
We're just very glad Heidfeld walked away.
Formula E - Beijing: Heidfeld climbs out of his car, thankfully unhurt. That was a very scary accident.
Yellow flag
Formula E - Beijing: Heidfeld makes a last-corner move on Prost, they make contact, and Heidfeld flies down the escape road into the barriers, getting airborne and landing upside down.
Di Grassi picks up the victory.
Di Grassi picks up the victory.
Formula E - Beijing: Half a lap to go and Prost is hanging on in front of Heidfeld.
Formula E - Beijing: Alain Prost is so tense he wanders around the e.dams awning having a swig of water.
His son continues to hold off Heidfeld onto the penultimate lap.
Sato, who is running again, now pinches Buemi's fastest lap bonus.
His son continues to hold off Heidfeld onto the penultimate lap.
Sato, who is running again, now pinches Buemi's fastest lap bonus.
WRC - Australia: Eighth-placed Neuville is now running (told you the start order didn't make huge sense) and doesn't seem to have lost any pace with the amount of cosmetic damage he did to his Hyundai on the last stage, when he clipped what he reckons was a postbox.
Formula E - Beijing: Prost is keeping things tidy out front as Heidfeld, di Grassi and Montagny all loom ever larger in his mirrors.
Red flag
FR3.5 - Hungaroring: No chance for Sainz or anyone else to improve - Sorensen has crashed and the red flags are out with just over a minute left on the clock.
Rowland takes pole from Gasly, with Nato and Vaxiviere making it three Frenchmen in the top four.
Stevens and debutant Ocon share row three, while Sainz will start from P14.
Rowland takes pole from Gasly, with Nato and Vaxiviere making it three Frenchmen in the top four.
Stevens and debutant Ocon share row three, while Sainz will start from P14.
FR3.5 - Hungaroring: Sainz probably has two flying laps left, and he's currently 14th.
Formula E - Beijing: We're suddenly seeing the effect of drivers using their energy allowance at different stages of the race, as long-time leader Prost begins to come under big pressure from Heidfeld with just over four laps left.
WRC - Australia: Slightly weird running order for this stage, with podium contender Meeke having just come through.
He's currently third overall, just ahead of Mikkelsen, but is sceptical about his chances of keeping that place overnight.
Last night Meeke came into the superspecials in the lead, and came out fourth behind an all-VW top three, leaving him pretty stunned.
He's currently third overall, just ahead of Mikkelsen, but is sceptical about his chances of keeping that place overnight.
Last night Meeke came into the superspecials in the lead, and came out fourth behind an all-VW top three, leaving him pretty stunned.
Stopwatch
FR3.5 - Hungaroring: Things are coming alive in the final minutes of qualifying. F3 European championship leader Esteban Ocon briefly went to the top of the times, but he has lost P1 to Oliver Rowland, while Pierre Gasly is up to third.
Three minutes to go and Sainz is ninth...
Three minutes to go and Sainz is ninth...
Formula E - Beijing: Tight battle for sixth between Chandhok and Bird, and the Mahindra man gets the place back.
Buemi has retired, but the bonus points for fastest lap look to be his.
Buemi has retired, but the bonus points for fastest lap look to be his.
Quote
WRC - Australia: Kubica makes it through the second run intact and can get his car properly fixed.
He's still frustrated about his crash on the last full-length stage, which happened when a yellow flag system test took him by surprise.
"It was a stupid mistake, but some things shouldn't happen," he says.
He's still frustrated about his crash on the last full-length stage, which happened when a yellow flag system test took him by surprise.
"It was a stupid mistake, but some things shouldn't happen," he says.
Formula E - Beijing: Heidfeld is now getting away from di Grassi a little in the battle for second, with the aggressive Montagny having a few serious looks at the Abt car ahead as he hunts for a podium from eighth on the grid.
Prost remains in control up front.
Prost remains in control up front.
WRC - Australia: Could've been worse for Kubica, he drops 7s to Evans.
MotoGP - Misano: And here's a look at the riders who will be forced to battle it out in Q1 for the remaining two spots in Q2:
Bradl, Hernandez, Crutchlow, Redding, Aoyama, Camier, Abraham, de Angelis, Laverty, di Meglio, Petrucci, Barbera, Parkes.
Bradl, Hernandez, Crutchlow, Redding, Aoyama, Camier, Abraham, de Angelis, Laverty, di Meglio, Petrucci, Barbera, Parkes.
WRC - Australia: Kubica is on the superspecial now. His M-Sport Ford took quite a battering in his trip off the road on the last stage and he's likely to lose more time here as service doesn't come until afterwards.
It's unlikely to jeopardise his 10th place but it's going to drop him further behind Neuville and Evans.
It's unlikely to jeopardise his 10th place but it's going to drop him further behind Neuville and Evans.
By: Matt Beer, Glenn Freeman, AUTOSPORT staff, Andrew van Leeuwen, David Evans, Dan Cross, Kevin Turner
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