Monte Carlo Rally 2014
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We've got another break now, with the WRC crews heading for a regroup and then off to the early evening Clumanc-Lambruisse stage, which starts at 6pm local time so will run in dusk and darkness.
Breaking news
A round-up of SS10 in Monte Carlo:
* Ogier extends his lead over Bouffier to 22s.
* Mikkelsen goes off when poised to take fifth from Evans, losing four minutes and dropping to eighth.
* Latvala jumps Hirvonen for what becomes sixth as both close in on Evans.
* Meeke and Ostberg taking it steady in comfortable third and fourth for Citroen.
* Ogier extends his lead over Bouffier to 22s.
* Mikkelsen goes off when poised to take fifth from Evans, losing four minutes and dropping to eighth.
* Latvala jumps Hirvonen for what becomes sixth as both close in on Evans.
* Meeke and Ostberg taking it steady in comfortable third and fourth for Citroen.
Over in the desert, seems like there might be a sting in the tail on the Dakar after all...
Just when Nani Roma's win seemed assured because of X-raid's controversial decision to impose team orders and call off Stephane Peterhansel's charge, news from the penultimate stage is that Roma is losing a lot of time.
Just when Nani Roma's win seemed assured because of X-raid's controversial decision to impose team orders and call off Stephane Peterhansel's charge, news from the penultimate stage is that Roma is losing a lot of time.
Checkered flag
Time for an update on the standings:
SS10 results: 1 Ogier 22m03.3s; 2 Bouffier +11.4s; 3 Ostberg +15.1s; 4 Meeke +25.5s; 5 Latvala +43.8s; 6 Hirvonen +1m10.3s.
Overall positions: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier +22.6s; 3 Meeke +1m30.2s; 4 Ostberg +2m19.2s; 5 Evans +5m55.8s; 6 Latvala +6m08.3s; 7 Hirvonen +6m23.3s; 8 Mikkelsen +9m46.9s.
SS10 results: 1 Ogier 22m03.3s; 2 Bouffier +11.4s; 3 Ostberg +15.1s; 4 Meeke +25.5s; 5 Latvala +43.8s; 6 Hirvonen +1m10.3s.
Overall positions: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier +22.6s; 3 Meeke +1m30.2s; 4 Ostberg +2m19.2s; 5 Evans +5m55.8s; 6 Latvala +6m08.3s; 7 Hirvonen +6m23.3s; 8 Mikkelsen +9m46.9s.
Bouffier thinks a set-up change he made at midday service wasn't a good idea and contributed to his messy and costly SS8.
He's changed it back and is happier with his Fiesta again. He doesn't sound like he's given up on the rally win yet.
He's changed it back and is happier with his Fiesta again. He doesn't sound like he's given up on the rally win yet.
Bouffier completes the stage and is slower than Ogier, who extends his lead to 22s.
Meeke comes through safely.
He knows what his mission is now: he's in a comfortable third at the start of his first full year with Citroen, he's never had an outright WRC podium in his career before and he's got a reputation for shunting that he's out to disprove...
He knows what his mission is now: he's in a comfortable third at the start of his first full year with Citroen, he's never had an outright WRC podium in his career before and he's got a reputation for shunting that he's out to disprove...
Quote
Our rally leader is in chilled mode now, Ogier is not pushing harder than he needs to.
"It's been a good day up to now, but there's still a difficult stage to go," he says.
"It's been a good day up to now, but there's still a difficult stage to go," he says.
Mads Ostberg is absolutely bubbling. He's settled into the Citroen in these conditions and admitted he had to hold himself back from pushing too hard as there's little to gain in his lonely fourth place.
He was fastest on the stage (half a minute up on Latvala) before Ogier came through just now and beat him by 15s.
He was fastest on the stage (half a minute up on Latvala) before Ogier came through just now and beat him by 15s.
Evans insists he's doing as he's told, taking it easy and not looking at the gaps around him.
We'll do that for him, though: Latvala has closed to within 12.5s and Hirvonen is another 15s back.
But he doesn't have to worry about Mikkelsen for a while as that mistake cost VW's number three four and a half minutes.
We'll do that for him, though: Latvala has closed to within 12.5s and Hirvonen is another 15s back.
But he doesn't have to worry about Mikkelsen for a while as that mistake cost VW's number three four and a half minutes.
On the splits, Bouffier is hanging in there and losing only a couple of seconds to Ogier so far.
Crash
Mikkelsen admits he made a mistake, forcing him to stop with a puncture after hitting a surprisingly slippery patch.
"I was going really slowly," he insists "I thought the grip would be five or 10 per cent, but it was zero."
Mikkelsen also reckons he lost time because after letting Latvala through he realised he was actually faster as his team-mate was struggling on his compromised tyres.
"I was going really slowly," he insists "I thought the grip would be five or 10 per cent, but it was zero."
Mikkelsen also reckons he lost time because after letting Latvala through he realised he was actually faster as his team-mate was struggling on his compromised tyres.
Latvala says he had to drive the stage with three slicks and one snow tyre after his SS8 puncture, and also had to dodge around Mikkelsen's limping car.
Latvala and Mikkelsen reach the stage end together.
Twitter
Hirvonen's performance this weekend has taken a bit of a hammering on Twitter, with ex-WRC drivers Guy Wilks and Kristian Sohlberg (well, we say 'ex' but he'll be back later this year in WRC2) taking to social media to query the form of the man ostensibly leading M-Sport in 2014.
Hirvonen overtook Mikkelsen's parked car on that stage and will be next through.
On the present pace, Hirvonen is going to lose a place to Latvala here.
On the present pace, Hirvonen is going to lose a place to Latvala here.
Mikkelsen is up and running again, but that delay seems to have been a couple of minutes - just when he had fifth place overall in his sights.
Ogier is fastest of all so far at split one, yet to see how that compares to Bouffier.
Elsewhere in that battle, the Finns are both gaining on Evans, and Latvala is quicker than Hirvonen.
Breaking news
Mikkelsen was absolutely flying through the stage, much quicker than both Hirvonen and Latvala, but he's now stopped...
Lights out
Sisteron is go. Melicharek is onto the stage.
A quick word about Melicharek - we'll be seeing him a few times this year as he's become team-mate to regular WRC midfielder Martin Prokop.
Melicharek has had a few World Rally Car outings in domestic events, but has spent most of his career driving Group N cars in Slovakia.
Inadvertently getting in Mikkelsen's way this morning is probably the most he will hassle the WRC frontrunners in his career, but a top-seven stage time in the ice yesterday and the potential for a couple of points on his top-level debut is a thoroughly decent effort if he gets through the remaining six stages intact.
A quick word about Melicharek - we'll be seeing him a few times this year as he's become team-mate to regular WRC midfielder Martin Prokop.
Melicharek has had a few World Rally Car outings in domestic events, but has spent most of his career driving Group N cars in Slovakia.
Inadvertently getting in Mikkelsen's way this morning is probably the most he will hassle the WRC frontrunners in his career, but a top-seven stage time in the ice yesterday and the potential for a couple of points on his top-level debut is a thoroughly decent effort if he gets through the remaining six stages intact.
Malcolm Wilson and Michele Mouton
Little bit of retro fever snapped by AUTOSPORT while waiting the final few minutes for Sisteron to start...
Rewind 28 years and Michele Mouton and Malcolm Wilson were seeded 10 and 11 respectively in their Peugeot 205 T16 and MG Metro 6R4.
Wonder if they were talking about the fact that they both retired on the third day in 1986? Probably not.
More likely they were wondering when it might stop raining. Exclusively, AUTOSPORT can answer that question: April.
Quote
Kris Meeke was talking to AUTOSPORT about the conditions on Sisteron during the recce earlier.
Asked if it was the least amount of ice he'd ever seen on the col, he said: "Well, given that it's the first time I've recced that stage I'd have to say yes.
"But, at the same time, it was also the most ice I've ever seen!"
Asked if it was the least amount of ice he'd ever seen on the col, he said: "Well, given that it's the first time I've recced that stage I'd have to say yes.
"But, at the same time, it was also the most ice I've ever seen!"
Elfyn Evans
But behind them, fifth to eighth place is looking pretty tasty:
Evans is 25.7s ahead of Mikkelsen, with Hirvonen and Latvala within the next 22s.
All three of those Scandinavians are under pressure after poor Thursdays, and they've made heavy weather of recovering so far.
Salvaging a potential top five from the weekend is a pretty important goal for Mikkelsen, Latvala or Hirvonen.
Evans is under strict instructions to finish and there was no expectation beyond that for this rally. But a top five or top six finish in a Monte Carlo debut... that would be pretty special... and must be a bit tempting...
Citroen boys Meeke and Ostberg are unlikely to be pushing in third and fourth places - they have big gaps either side of them now and are a minute apart.
The drama of the last stage has taken the sting out of some battles but also created some new ones.
Now that Ogier is in the rally lead, does Bouffier want to make certain of his second place or have a crack at getting first position back?
Fans around the world surely vote he goes for it... 11.2s is not that big a gap.
Now that Ogier is in the rally lead, does Bouffier want to make certain of his second place or have a crack at getting first position back?
Fans around the world surely vote he goes for it... 11.2s is not that big a gap.
Next up is Sisteron, one of the most famous and feared Monte stages. It starts in 20 minutes.
Quote
Meeke said Kubica went off on a bad bit of 'black top'.
That's a phrase we're hearing a lot this morning, so at service AUTOSPORT asked Meeke to explain it for readers of Race Centre Live:
"It's pure... bitumen," he said. "It's really, really shiny asphalt that's black and offers absolutely no grip.
"It's worse than anything I've driven on at home or anywhere else."
The general view is that it offers zero grip, but the big problem is that, every now and then, there is a little bit of grip and that lulls the drivers into a false sense of security.
That's a phrase we're hearing a lot this morning, so at service AUTOSPORT asked Meeke to explain it for readers of Race Centre Live:
"It's pure... bitumen," he said. "It's really, really shiny asphalt that's black and offers absolutely no grip.
"It's worse than anything I've driven on at home or anywhere else."
The general view is that it offers zero grip, but the big problem is that, every now and then, there is a little bit of grip and that lulls the drivers into a false sense of security.
Twitter
Oh and Mads Ostberg is happy:
"2nd fastest! Much better performance this run, I've learned a lot from this morning!"
"2nd fastest! Much better performance this run, I've learned a lot from this morning!"
Breaking news
Andreas Mikkelsen
And the headlines from that stage:
* Kubica crashes out when poised to take third back from Meeke.
* Bouffier spins and Ogier sets the fastest time, putting Ogier into the rally lead by 11.2s over Bouffier.
* Latvala gets a puncture and drops behind Evans, Mikkelsen and Hirvonen, and his problem, Kubica's exit plus a great time for Mikkelsen (pictured) means the Norwegian jumps from ninth to sixth in the space of one stage.
Checkered flag
Deep breath, let's catch up on the rally order after that wild stage.
SS9 times: 1 Ogier 29m14.1s; 2 Ostberg +22.8s; 3 Mikkelsen +31.3s; 4 Meeke +40.9s; 5 Bouffier +47.0s; 6 Hirvonen +58.0s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier +11.2s; 3 Meeke +1m04.7s; 4 Ostberg +2m04.1s; 5 Evans +4m36.0s; 6 Mikkelsen +5m01.7s; 7 Hirvonen +5m13.0s; 8 Latvala +5m24.5s.
SS9 times: 1 Ogier 29m14.1s; 2 Ostberg +22.8s; 3 Mikkelsen +31.3s; 4 Meeke +40.9s; 5 Bouffier +47.0s; 6 Hirvonen +58.0s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Bouffier +11.2s; 3 Meeke +1m04.7s; 4 Ostberg +2m04.1s; 5 Evans +4m36.0s; 6 Mikkelsen +5m01.7s; 7 Hirvonen +5m13.0s; 8 Latvala +5m24.5s.
Crash
Bouffier completes the stage and explains that he spun off the road and needed some help from spectators to get going.
That drops him to second, 11.2s behind new leader Ogier.
That drops him to second, 11.2s behind new leader Ogier.
Quote
Kubica obviously went far enough off the road to disappear from following crews' sight, as Meeke's first question at the stage end is "where's Robert?"
"I saw a car off but it was down just before a bridge, I didn't know who it was," said Meeke.
"When I saw the car off, I knew it was one of the frontrunners because the steam was still rising, so I said 'OK, back off'. We're still here."
"I saw a car off but it was down just before a bridge, I didn't know who it was," said Meeke.
"When I saw the car off, I knew it was one of the frontrunners because the steam was still rising, so I said 'OK, back off'. We're still here."
Until that incident, Kubica was the only man on Ogier's pace on the stage, and was 11s faster than Meeke, his rival for third.
Crash
Confirmation from the M-Sport team that Kubica has crashed out.
Both crew are unhurt but their rally is over.
Both crew are unhurt but their rally is over.
Kubica is confirmed as having stopped on the stage.
No information on why yet, but it seems his rally was over, just as he was poised to take third place back from Meeke.
No information on why yet, but it seems his rally was over, just as he was poised to take third place back from Meeke.
Ogier completes the stage and gets out to check his VW as he's concerned about an impact he had while cutting a ditch.
Looks like all is OK, and he is set to take the rally lead.
Looks like all is OK, and he is set to take the rally lead.
Evans slowed to let Latvala past on the M-Sport team's instructions, but was frustrated by the process.
"It definitely upset my rhythm," says the Welshman. "I slowed a couple of times and he wasn't there."
"It definitely upset my rhythm," says the Welshman. "I slowed a couple of times and he wasn't there."
Crash
Latvala confirms he had to change a puncture and admits it was his own mistake.
"At the beginning of the stage I just came around a right-hander and I don't know why I didn't pay attention," said Latvala.
"On the corner exit there was a kind of access road and at the end of the corner I touched a sharp edge and damaged a wheel and got a puncture. We lost maybe two minutes.
"Evans went ahead of us, we caught him and it was quite a long time before we managed to overtake him because there was a lot of mud so it was very tricky to see."
"At the beginning of the stage I just came around a right-hander and I don't know why I didn't pay attention," said Latvala.
"On the corner exit there was a kind of access road and at the end of the corner I touched a sharp edge and damaged a wheel and got a puncture. We lost maybe two minutes.
"Evans went ahead of us, we caught him and it was quite a long time before we managed to overtake him because there was a lot of mud so it was very tricky to see."
Breaking news
Kubica has stopped on the stage!
He had been right on Ogier's pace, only 1.8s down two thirds of the way through.
He had been right on Ogier's pace, only 1.8s down two thirds of the way through.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell
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