Monte Carlo Rally 2016
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Ostberg unusually unhappy at the stage end and wants some changes to the setup of his car.
Meeke explains his time:
"Quite a lot of debris on the road," explains Meeke. "I did the best job I could with where I was. If I want to be first on the road, I need to be world champion."
Meeke explains his time:
"Quite a lot of debris on the road," explains Meeke. "I did the best job I could with where I was. If I want to be first on the road, I need to be world champion."
Ostberg is in, 1m13.9s down on Ogier.
Here's Meeke. He's pulled back some time in the final split but still drops 10.6s to Ogier. That leaves the rally lead at 20.1s.
Here's Meeke. He's pulled back some time in the final split but still drops 10.6s to Ogier. That leaves the rally lead at 20.1s.
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Reports are Sordo is moving in the stage. Here's Mikkelsen to explain the situation.
"I was hoping for, I think it's dried up a bit. We tried something different, hopefully it is better for the next one."
Hopefully Mikkelsen hasn't lost to many studs in the tyres. Is he playing coy or is that an incredible error? Only the next stage will tell.
"I was hoping for, I think it's dried up a bit. We tried something different, hopefully it is better for the next one."
Hopefully Mikkelsen hasn't lost to many studs in the tyres. Is he playing coy or is that an incredible error? Only the next stage will tell.
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen is in and drops 1m13s on this stage alone.
Lets hope that tyre gamble will reward him through the next test.
Lets hope that tyre gamble will reward him through the next test.
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Latvala is completely happy with his time and credits his team-mate for an amazing drive. And rightly so.
Latvala completes and he's 31.3s down on Ogier.
Kris Meeke is 14.8s down at the final split. This is like GB all over again, Ogier asserting his dominance as the rally goes on and Meeke not quite able to stay in touch.
Kris Meeke is 14.8s down at the final split. This is like GB all over again, Ogier asserting his dominance as the rally goes on and Meeke not quite able to stay in touch.
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Sordo is stopped in the stage, he was shaping up to be best of the rest behind Meeke and Ogier.
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Ogier is in, 30m47.8s.
"That's good news because I have no idea what was going on," says Ogier when he's told he's leading. "It was more slippery than I expected, more Ice.
The Frenchman clearly unsure of where he's at, he's told of the deficit between himself and Meeke at the third split.
"Oh yes. Not bad, not bad."
"That's good news because I have no idea what was going on," says Ogier when he's told he's leading. "It was more slippery than I expected, more Ice.
The Frenchman clearly unsure of where he's at, he's told of the deficit between himself and Meeke at the third split.
"Oh yes. Not bad, not bad."
Stopwatch
Fourth split for Meeke and he's 12.9s down with two splits still left. Case and point that Ogier is on another level on this stage.
Stopwatch
Latvala is 32.3s down on Ogier at the final split. This time from Ogier could well be incomprehensible.
Stopwatch
At the third split, Neuville and Sordo are the quickest aside from Ogier we've seen so far.
Hopefully the new i20 can push on and set some quick times through the weekend.
There's a good chance Meeke is ahead of the Hyundais but we don't have a third split for the Northern Irishman just yet.
Hopefully the new i20 can push on and set some quick times through the weekend.
There's a good chance Meeke is ahead of the Hyundais but we don't have a third split for the Northern Irishman just yet.
Stopwatch
Ogier is through the final slit so he'll be at the stage end soon. Looking at the time, this maybe a stage we look back on and admire Ogier as a true legend.
Anyway, no fourth split for Latvala, but Mikkelsen has dropped another chunk and he's 47.7s down on Ogier.
Anyway, no fourth split for Latvala, but Mikkelsen has dropped another chunk and he's 47.7s down on Ogier.
Sordo is 6.2s down at the second split, only Meeke has got closer to Ogier so far.
Stopwatch
Ostberg and Latvala both lost 20s and 10s respectively from split 3 to 4. Whereas Mikkelsen maintained a similar pace.
Does that mean Mikkelsen's tyres have paid off in a section of the stage? No reports of snow, but there is some black ice,
Does that mean Mikkelsen's tyres have paid off in a section of the stage? No reports of snow, but there is some black ice,
Stopwatch
Ogier is through the fourth split at 20 miles, only one more split to go.
Ostberg has lost a handful through the fourth split, 43.2s down on Ogier.
Ostberg has lost a handful through the fourth split, 43.2s down on Ogier.
Stopwatch
Great damage limitation from Mikkelsen, he's held the deficit to Ogier at the third split to 28.9s. He's only lost a couple of seconds from the last split, maybe he found some snow for those spikey tyres...
Stopwatch
Neuville's second split is in and he's made 16s on Mikkelsen at this point. The gap between the two overall is 14s...
Remember though, Mikkelsen has gambled for snow in a later stage, so could well make all the time he's lost back.
Remember though, Mikkelsen has gambled for snow in a later stage, so could well make all the time he's lost back.
Latvala has gone from 8.2s down at the second split to 18.5s down in the third. Has he had an issue?
Meeke has reached the second split, 4.3s down on Ogier and even if he can limit that to the end of the stage, a 15s gap would be difficult to erase from the rapid Ogier.
Stopwatch
Sordo is just 0.9s down on Ogier, is there an improvement in store for the traction-less 2016 i20?
Stopwatch
Ogier's time drops so here's where the drivers that are through the second split stand:
Ogier 8m17.4s
Latvala +8.2s
Mikkelsen +26.1s
Ostberg +20.3s
Ogier 8m17.4s
Latvala +8.2s
Mikkelsen +26.1s
Ostberg +20.3s
Stopwatch
Right, let's catch up with the splits.
Meeke's first split is in and he's closest so far. He's 1.5s down.
At the second split, we don't have a time for Ogier just yet so we have no comparison in terms of where drivers are. So instead of giving you a list of seemingly irrelevant times, we'll hang on for Ogier.
Meeke's first split is in and he's closest so far. He's 1.5s down.
At the second split, we don't have a time for Ogier just yet so we have no comparison in terms of where drivers are. So instead of giving you a list of seemingly irrelevant times, we'll hang on for Ogier.
David Evans
Here's a quick reminder why not to write off Mikkelsen just yet from DAVID EVANS:
Mikkelsen only driver to gamble with four studded tyres for SS10. The Norwegian has left service with mixed stud and supersoft for the long and largely dry SS9 - but his Polo could make up a huge amount of time on the road up through the ski slope in St Leger les Melezes.
The other crews have four supersofts and a couple of studded tyres in the boot.
Mikkelsen only driver to gamble with four studded tyres for SS10. The Norwegian has left service with mixed stud and supersoft for the long and largely dry SS9 - but his Polo could make up a huge amount of time on the road up through the ski slope in St Leger les Melezes.
The other crews have four supersofts and a couple of studded tyres in the boot.
Stopwatch
Ostberg has crossed the first split now and he's 7.2s down on Ogier, Ostberg was sixth overall at the start of the stage.
Neuville is 14s down on Mikkelsen in fifth overall, so we'll keep a close eye on his splits.
Neuville is 14s down on Mikkelsen in fifth overall, so we'll keep a close eye on his splits.
Stopwatch
And indeed, Mikkelsen is 14.9s down on Ogier IN THE FIRST SPLIT ALONE!
We look forward to hearing his thoughts at the end of the stage as we never know, he may make the time up with that choice later. Don't write him off just yet.
We look forward to hearing his thoughts at the end of the stage as we never know, he may make the time up with that choice later. Don't write him off just yet.
In reply to the previous post, the roads have been reported mostly dry so the decision to take studs is a strange one from Mikkelsen. But it may turn out to be a stroke of genius, you never know.
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Stopwatch
The second split is in, and at just under four miles, Latvala is already 6.2s down. Brutal.
Stopwatch
BAck to our current stage, Mikkelsen and Latvala have joined us.
Ogier's first split is in and it's a 3m44.7s.
We'll be watching closely for Meeke, who's the only driver within a century of Ogier and started the stage 9.5s down.
Ogier's first split is in and it's a 3m44.7s.
We'll be watching closely for Meeke, who's the only driver within a century of Ogier and started the stage 9.5s down.
There's going to be plenty of gaps in this stage with a total of five splits.
So, if you've joined us over the weekend you'll know we've been keeping a close eye on ex-Monte winner Francois Delecour with 'Delecour watch'.
He's hovered around 17th or 18th mark for most of the rally and finished yesterday 18th in his Peugeot 207 S2000. He only has seven modern WRC2 cars in front of him.
So, if you've joined us over the weekend you'll know we've been keeping a close eye on ex-Monte winner Francois Delecour with 'Delecour watch'.
He's hovered around 17th or 18th mark for most of the rally and finished yesterday 18th in his Peugeot 207 S2000. He only has seven modern WRC2 cars in front of him.
Twitter
The longest day of the Monte is officially underway, thanks to Sebastien Ogier.
Just a few minutes before the first stage begins, just chance to read last last night's comprehensive report from Autosport...
Here's what to expect from our first stage of the day courtesy of British co-driver Seb Marshall.
SS9 Lardier et Valenca-Faye
"This stage is identical to the last couple of years, but it is running earlier in the morning which might have an impact if the sun hasn’t melted as much of the ice.
"The first part of the stage is quite twisty and technical coming up and over the col. It gets faster and faster. It’s a bit of a beast this one, it took Kevin [Abbring] and I an hour to recce it. Having said that, it’s reasonably straightforward stage for the Monte. Did I just say that? I’ll say that tentatively…"
SS9 Lardier et Valenca-Faye
"This stage is identical to the last couple of years, but it is running earlier in the morning which might have an impact if the sun hasn’t melted as much of the ice.
"The first part of the stage is quite twisty and technical coming up and over the col. It gets faster and faster. It’s a bit of a beast this one, it took Kevin [Abbring] and I an hour to recce it. Having said that, it’s reasonably straightforward stage for the Monte. Did I just say that? I’ll say that tentatively…"
Today is the longest and heaviest day of the rally, with the opening stage alone over 32 miles.
Here's the running order:
Ogier
Latvala
Mikkelsen
Ostberg
Meeke
Neuville
Sordo
Tanak
Lefebvre
Bouffier
Paddon
Here's the running order:
Ogier
Latvala
Mikkelsen
Ostberg
Meeke
Neuville
Sordo
Tanak
Lefebvre
Bouffier
Paddon
Good morning and welcome back to Autosport Live's coverage of the Monte Carlo Rally.
We'll be back bright and early at 7am UK time tomorrow to kick off with a mighty 32-mile stage. See you then.
That brings today's action to a close - and what a brilliant way to start the 2016 WRC season. For the second year in a row we've had a thrilling seesaw battle between Ogier and a man in a Citroen who won't be around all year. And as that man was Loeb 12 months ago, it shows just how well Meeke is doing.
Checkered flag
SS8 results:
Leading stage times:
1 Ogier 9m31.3s
2 Latvala +9.1s
3 Meeke +10.3s
4 Mikkelsen +17.7s
5 Ostberg +24.4s
6 Neuville +25.9s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Meeke +9.5s
3 Latvala +1m08.1s
4 Mikkelsen +1m33.8s
5 Neuville +1m47.8s
6 Ostberg +2m18.5s
7 Sordo +3m07.8s
8 Lefebvre +3m32.0s
9 Boullier +4m18.6s
10 Tanak +5m25.8s
Leading stage times:
1 Ogier 9m31.3s
2 Latvala +9.1s
3 Meeke +10.3s
4 Mikkelsen +17.7s
5 Ostberg +24.4s
6 Neuville +25.9s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Meeke +9.5s
3 Latvala +1m08.1s
4 Mikkelsen +1m33.8s
5 Neuville +1m47.8s
6 Ostberg +2m18.5s
7 Sordo +3m07.8s
8 Lefebvre +3m32.0s
9 Boullier +4m18.6s
10 Tanak +5m25.8s
By: Matt Beer
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