Monte Carlo Rally 2014
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Breaking news
If you're just joining us, the news is that the penultimate stage had to be abandoned because Melicharek got stuck in a huge amount of snow and the following cars were trapped behind him.
The cars are now heading for our grand finale on a sodden SS15.
The cars are now heading for our grand finale on a sodden SS15.
Waiting for Bouffier and Ogier to make their way through now. Bit of a gap as they were kept at the startline once it was clear the stage was a mess.
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Kris Meeke
By contrast, Meeke is shaking his head and laughing.
"I'll never forget this rally and I'll never forget this stage.
"My radiator was blocked with snow, my engine temperature was up and I had to start switching everything off. It was incredible.
"Then we got the yellow flag and we could slow down."
Hirvonen sounds very miserable actually. Again.
Breaking news
Bad news for Hirvonen: he reports an alternator failure and that his M-Sport Fiesta is running out of power.
That's going to be a nerve-wracking run through the final stage and to the finish.
That's going to be a nerve-wracking run through the final stage and to the finish.
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Here's Elfyn Evans' verdict:
"It was really bad in there. There were cars stopped as soon as we got to the worst of it and we knew the stage couldn't continue like it.
"The snowfall was at the point where it was dangerous so I think it was right to stop it."
"It was really bad in there. There were cars stopped as soon as we got to the worst of it and we knew the stage couldn't continue like it.
"The snowfall was at the point where it was dangerous so I think it was right to stop it."
Latvala makes it to the end too. He's glad the stage was abandoned as his four-wheel-drive World Rally Car was struggling to get up the snow-covered hill so he doubts the two-wheel-drive cars down the order would've stood a chance.
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Mikkelsen reaches the stage end still laughing over what just happened.
He reckons Melicharek simply ran out of traction in the deep snow.
"Just before the Col, he was stuck, he couldn't get up the hill. We were standing in a queue and waiting for him.
Lots of spectators came and pushed him up to the top, and finally in the end we got going.
There was so much snow, I couldn't believe it. Like a winter wonderland."
He reckons Melicharek simply ran out of traction in the deep snow.
"Just before the Col, he was stuck, he couldn't get up the hill. We were standing in a queue and waiting for him.
Lots of spectators came and pushed him up to the top, and finally in the end we got going.
There was so much snow, I couldn't believe it. Like a winter wonderland."
Snow
And this picture is on the wall of the Automobile Club de Monaco just outside race control.
It seems there's nothing new about cars getting stuck on the Monte...
It's not quite an anti-climax yet, though.
We've still got one proper stage left, and it's the power stage, and it's going to take place in torrential rain.
The Sospel stage is due to start in 15 minutes, but expect a delay there.
We've still got one proper stage left, and it's the power stage, and it's going to take place in torrential rain.
The Sospel stage is due to start in 15 minutes, but expect a delay there.
Yellow flag
Stage now neutralised, which means drivers won't go through at full speed and will be given nominal times.
Race control
Green flag
Stage appears to be back to normal, Bouffier now going in.
Expect those who got stuck behind Melicharek to get given notional times but the stage to run as planned for everyone else - at a guess.
Expect those who got stuck behind Melicharek to get given notional times but the stage to run as planned for everyone else - at a guess.
Melicharek, Mikkelsen, Hirvonen and Evans look set to arrive at the stage end in convoy now.
Sorry, rally control. In fairness, it does say race control on the door.
Melicharek went off and the other cars were stuck behind him, according to race control.
All the stopped cars are moving again so the drivers will be able to tell us exactly what happened.
Logically this stage may be called off given the delay.
Logically this stage may be called off given the delay.
Red flag
Bouffier and Ogier are being kept at the startline while whatever the mid-stage problem is gets sorted.
Evans, Latvala, Ostberg and Meeke also went onto the stage before the stoppage.
Evans, Latvala, Ostberg and Meeke also went onto the stage before the stoppage.
Tracking now shows the stranded cars moving. Seems they stopped in the same place Panizzi's course car got stuck - could it be the sheer amount of snow?
Breaking news
Now Hirvonen has come to a halt at the same point on the tracking system.
Breaking news
Tracking system shows both Melicharek and Mikkelsen stopped on the stage in the same place...
Press conference room
This will be the view for the winner at the post-event press conference, except hopefully with a few more seats filled.
It's currently a safe bet that it'll be Ogier in the winner's chair.
Gilles Panizzi was the guilty party. He got his Megane stuck in the snow. He says he's sorry.
He's forgiven.
He's forgiven.
Stopwatch
Hirvonen up on Mikkelsen at the first splits as the quicker cars begin to come through.
The expectation is that crews will encounter a lot of snow, ice and slush as they get to the highest part of this stage.
The expectation is that crews will encounter a lot of snow, ice and slush as they get to the highest part of this stage.
Lots of speculation about the course car incident in the press office. Nobody's willing to accept that it could have gone off - this is probably something to do with the fact that one is driven by Jean Ragnotti and the other by Gilles Panizzi. Both legends in these parts.
Both legends in all parts come to think of it.
Both legends in all parts come to think of it.
Lights out
We're underway, Melicharek onto the stage now.
When we do get going, start order tonight is Slovakian rookie Melicharek, then Mikkelsen, Hirvonen, Evans, Latvala, Ostberg, Meeke, Bouffier and Ogier.
Breaking news
The stage is currently delayed, we presume due to the issues with the #00 car in the snow. No information yet on when we'll get moving.
Breaking news
Sebastien Ogier
A recap of where we stand: Sebastien Ogier leads Bryan Bouffier by a minute, with big gaps back to Kris Meeke, Mads Ostberg and Jari-Matti Latvala.
Then it's M-Sport pair Mikko Hirvonen and Elfyn Evans two seconds apart in sixth and seventh.
We lost Robert Kubica to a crash yesterday, both Hyundais retired on the first morning (Thierry Neuville crashed, Dani Sordo's battery failed) but showed great pace, and Francois Delecour hit technical problems on the very first stage.
So there are no ultra-tense battles left, this evening is all about firstly surviving the mixture of pitch black, heavy snow and torrential rain, and secondly about fighting for the potentially quite important power stage points on the final stage.
Breaking news
Might have problems on this first stage immediately, with one of the course car reported to be stopped in heavy snow at the top of the Col.
Monte Carlo press officer just delivered sandwiches and news of a five-minute delay to the start of SS15, the rally's final stage.
Welcome back to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for two dark, wet and slushy deciding stages of the 2014 Monte Carlo Rally.
Trophy
Dakar: Nani Roma has won the 2014 Dakar Rally.
Stephane Peterhansel made very sure of obeying team instructions by stopping on course 24 kilometres from the finish and waiting for X-raid team-mates Roma and Nasser Al-Attiyah so that they could stage a formation finish.
Stephane Peterhansel made very sure of obeying team instructions by stopping on course 24 kilometres from the finish and waiting for X-raid team-mates Roma and Nasser Al-Attiyah so that they could stage a formation finish.
Breaking news
With all the top crews through Sospel now, it's time for a break.
The second run at La Bolene starts at 8.12pm local time, so AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live will slow the pace of updates until around 7pm UK time.
In the meantime, we'll continue to bring you newsflashes from the Dakar finish and information from service in Monte Carlo, and full-on RCL service will resume in just over three hours.
The Monte Carlo Rally order remains: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier; 3 Meeke; 4 Ostberg; 5 Latvala; 6 Hirvonen.
The second run at La Bolene starts at 8.12pm local time, so AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live will slow the pace of updates until around 7pm UK time.
In the meantime, we'll continue to bring you newsflashes from the Dakar finish and information from service in Monte Carlo, and full-on RCL service will resume in just over three hours.
The Monte Carlo Rally order remains: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier; 3 Meeke; 4 Ostberg; 5 Latvala; 6 Hirvonen.
Dakar latest: Nearing the finish line, Roma is 2m23s quicker than Peterhansel and poised for victory.
Sebastien Chardonnet
In more underdog appreciation news, Sebastien Chardonnet is 12th overall in a WRC3 spec Citroen, behind WRC2 leader Protasov.
This has been a very good weekend for Chardonnet, who put his humble two-wheel-drive car fourth overall after the opening stage.
We'll see him out in WRC2 later in the year as part of his prize for winning last year's WRC3 title.
There's only one registered WRC3 runner here: Quentin Gilbert.
Under WRC feeder series rules, drivers pick whichever six rounds they fancy to contest, which does raise the possibility of just one WRC2/3 bloke turning up, or none at all.
Gilbert just has to trundle round Monte Carlo for two more stages to pick up 25 very easy points.
Breaking news
Behind all the World Rally Cars, 10th place and the final point currently belong to Matteo Gamba in a Super 2000 Peugeot.
The Italian is outpacing all the registered WRC2 cars at the moment, and so we thought it was worth finding out more about him.
Thanks to AUTOSPORT contributor Richard Rodgers (who knows everything about every rally driver ever) for the following info...
Gamba was on course to win the Italian championship privateers' crown in 2012, but his car was tampered with at overnight parc ferme on the final round and he lost the title.
The federation tried to make him and Alessandro Perico joint champions but neither liked that idea. He was invited to the prize giving but didn't turn up and only had one outing in 2013, driving a Citroen Xsara WRC in a minor national event.
He started rallying in 2004 and won the ACI CSAI young driver of the year award in 2005 then the Evo Cup in Italy in 2006. His prize was a season in the Italian championship with Mitsubishi as team-mate to Paolo Andreucci. He drove a Clio in the CIR in 2008 and did some European events in 2010 but has mainly competed in Italy since.
Gamba is driving for a team called Balbosca (it's a merger of two teams) on Hankook tyres. This is his first WRC start but he did the Monte when it was part of the IRC in 2010.
He describes himself as an entrepreneur and has a girlfriend who speaks fluent English.
One Italian journalist here said he's one of the best young drivers in Italy. As he was born in 1979, we're dubious about the 'young' part.
The Italian is outpacing all the registered WRC2 cars at the moment, and so we thought it was worth finding out more about him.
Matteo Gamba
Thanks to AUTOSPORT contributor Richard Rodgers (who knows everything about every rally driver ever) for the following info...
Gamba was on course to win the Italian championship privateers' crown in 2012, but his car was tampered with at overnight parc ferme on the final round and he lost the title.
The federation tried to make him and Alessandro Perico joint champions but neither liked that idea. He was invited to the prize giving but didn't turn up and only had one outing in 2013, driving a Citroen Xsara WRC in a minor national event.
He started rallying in 2004 and won the ACI CSAI young driver of the year award in 2005 then the Evo Cup in Italy in 2006. His prize was a season in the Italian championship with Mitsubishi as team-mate to Paolo Andreucci. He drove a Clio in the CIR in 2008 and did some European events in 2010 but has mainly competed in Italy since.
Gamba is driving for a team called Balbosca (it's a merger of two teams) on Hankook tyres. This is his first WRC start but he did the Monte when it was part of the IRC in 2010.
He describes himself as an entrepreneur and has a girlfriend who speaks fluent English.
One Italian journalist here said he's one of the best young drivers in Italy. As he was born in 1979, we're dubious about the 'young' part.
AUTOSPORT
Back to the AUTOSPORT Hyundai Santa-Fe's attack on the Monaco GP layout... here we are at Portier.
Checkered flag
Here's a results update after that stage:
SS13 times: 1 Ogier 10m12.5s; 2 Meeke +3.5s; 3 Latvala +3.8s; 4 Mikkelsen +8.4s; 5 Bouffier +9.3s; 6 Ostberg +12.2s.
Leading positions: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier +1m01.2s; 3 Meeke +1m49.6s; 4 Ostberg +3m33.0s; 5 Latvala +6m08.5s; 6 Hirvonen +7m30.7s.
SS13 times: 1 Ogier 10m12.5s; 2 Meeke +3.5s; 3 Latvala +3.8s; 4 Mikkelsen +8.4s; 5 Bouffier +9.3s; 6 Ostberg +12.2s.
Leading positions: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier +1m01.2s; 3 Meeke +1m49.6s; 4 Ostberg +3m33.0s; 5 Latvala +6m08.5s; 6 Hirvonen +7m30.7s.
Another twist in WRC2 - Barrable struggles badly with a fogged windscreen on this stage and Bertelli retakes second from him.
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Ogier doesn't just want 25 points when he could have 28...
"A good run, a lot of water on the road. We've checked the notes just in case we try to get a few more points on the power stage."
"A good run, a lot of water on the road. We've checked the notes just in case we try to get a few more points on the power stage."
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell
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