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Monte Carlo Rally 2018
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Meeke is now a minute and a half behind Latvala ahead, will have Bouffier fairly close behind but he's unlikely to be a threat, and then has a 1m15s cushion back to the flying Evans.
"I didn't want to do anything stupid," says Meeke. "I'm sort of in a position where we need the others to make mistakes as we can't catch anyone on pace. So it was a steady run."
"I didn't want to do anything stupid," says Meeke. "I'm sort of in a position where we need the others to make mistakes as we can't catch anyone on pace. So it was a steady run."
Sordo is fourth fastest and says he was really struggling for visibility as his windscreen fogged up.
"At one point on the beginning of the stage it was really difficult to see the inside of the corner," he explains.
Sordo is now 41s off Tanak ahead in second, but he's bolstered his cushion over the chasing Latvala, and will do the same to Lappi based on the splits so far.
"At one point on the beginning of the stage it was really difficult to see the inside of the corner," he explains.
Sordo is now 41s off Tanak ahead in second, but he's bolstered his cushion over the chasing Latvala, and will do the same to Lappi based on the splits so far.
Meeke is slowest so far at the final split (that's before Ogier's ditch) so will be falling further away from Latvala ahead. He's got a comfortable margin before Evans and Neuville catch him, but they're both half a minute faster than the Citroen on this stage at the moment so that cushion won't last long.
Stopwatch
Meanwhile, Evans is flying - he's grabbed the provisional stage win from Neuville by a second.
Those two are hacking their way up the leaderboard together after incidents last night. Neuville had closed on Evans on the previous stage in their battle for eighth but that'll help the Welshman.
"The feeling was really good inside the car," says Evans. "I was able to get a lot of confidence."
Those two are hacking their way up the leaderboard together after incidents last night. Neuville had closed on Evans on the previous stage in their battle for eighth but that'll help the Welshman.
"The feeling was really good inside the car," says Evans. "I was able to get a lot of confidence."
Latvala has completed the stage fourth fastest so far, 32s off the flying Neuville.
"On Tarmac it's good grip, on 'black top' no grip, on standing water no grip - so I'm trying to find a balance between those three," says Latvala.
He's likely to get ahead of team-mate Lappi here but isn't catching Sordo for third at present.
"On Tarmac it's good grip, on 'black top' no grip, on standing water no grip - so I'm trying to find a balance between those three," says Latvala.
He's likely to get ahead of team-mate Lappi here but isn't catching Sordo for third at present.
At this rate, rather than taking third from Sordo, Lappi will be losing fourth to team-mate Latvala.
Speaking of Toyotas struggling in the wet, we were expecting Lappi to grab third from Sordo here, but Lappi's substantially slower than the Hyundai on the early splits.
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Tanak says these now very wet conditions aren't great for the Toyota.
"It was very tricky, a lot of mud," says Tanak. "In these kind of conditions we have a lot to improve and get better. Let's say I didn't have full confidence."
"It was very tricky, a lot of mud," says Tanak. "In these kind of conditions we have a lot to improve and get better. Let's say I didn't have full confidence."
That means Ogier's lead is down to 19.3s over Tanak, who looked like he was about to lose ground to Ogier but actually gains a bucketful.
Tanak comes in 19.3s off Neuville's rapid pace, but 14.6s faster than Ogier!
Stopwatch
Ogier is in and he's lost 33.9s to Neuville through the stage.
"I spun again in a hairpin and got stuck in a ditch," Ogier admits. "I lost close to 30s maybe, I don't know."
Anxiously awaiting Tanak's time now to see what Ogier's lead is down to...
"I spun again in a hairpin and got stuck in a ditch," Ogier admits. "I lost close to 30s maybe, I don't know."
Anxiously awaiting Tanak's time now to see what Ogier's lead is down to...
So Ogier's lead was getting up to about 47s before he went off. How much has it cost him?
Just before that incident, Ogier had put 13s onto his advantage over Tanak at the latest split.
That was a very, very quick recovery - he may well hang onto his lead.
Ogier has slid into a ditch and is getting spectators to help push him out.
Crash
Ogier goes off!
At the next split, Ogier is 5.9s faster than Tanak - he's nearly rebuilt all the lead he lost on the last stage.
Right, Ogier's split time has corrected itself - he's 3.2s slower than pacesetter Neuville at split one, but 3.4s faster than his nearest lead rival Tanak.
Rain
There's plenty of spray coming up from the cars as the stage goes on - this won't be as tricky a stage as one covered in surprise black ice patches, but it's not going to be especially grippy either.
Latvala is the next split time in and he's 8.2s off Neuville's pace and 1.6s from Tanak. Latvala's battle right now is with Sordo and Lappi, who he's chasing for third/fourth.
The split times are tormenting us - they're suggesting Ogier has lost three and a half minutes. He hasn't, that's clear from the onboard footage and the tracking system.
So let's ignore Ogier's times till he reaches the stage finish. But one thing we can tell - Neuville is 6s faster than Tanak. If that's Tanak being a bit off the pace rather than Neuville being very, very quick then that doesn't bode well for Tanak chasing down Ogier.
So let's ignore Ogier's times till he reaches the stage finish. But one thing we can tell - Neuville is 6s faster than Tanak. If that's Tanak being a bit off the pace rather than Neuville being very, very quick then that doesn't bode well for Tanak chasing down Ogier.
Neuville and Tanak are now also onto this murky stage.
Main point to watch here is whether Tanak can make any further inroads into Ogier's advantage.
Then there has to be a fair chance of Sordo losing third given the way his pace has been wilting - he's now just 1.6s ahead of Lappi and 10.2s ahead of Latvala.
Further back, Neuville's now within 12.5s of Evans for eighth.
Then there has to be a fair chance of Sordo losing third given the way his pace has been wilting - he's now just 1.6s ahead of Lappi and 10.2s ahead of Latvala.
Further back, Neuville's now within 12.5s of Evans for eighth.
Rain
Ogier is on the startline of the next stage and his windscreen wipers are working hard. This one looks misty, rainy and miserable. And therefore also slippery.
So this is where any pain from not having looked after the tyres well enough on the previous stage is likely to be felt.
This morning Tanak won the opener, then Ogier struck back here. Will we see the same again with Ogier having taken it a bit easier on SS6? We'll find out in five minutes.
This morning Tanak won the opener, then Ogier struck back here. Will we see the same again with Ogier having taken it a bit easier on SS6? We'll find out in five minutes.
Information
Next up, SS7 - described for us by Meeke's co-driver Nagle:
SS7 Roussieux-Eygalayes (18.97 miles)
This stage was around in the late 80s, when it was known as Col Saint-Jean, but it's a new one for all of us. It's a really tricky stage, I would say it's going to be the most difficult one of the whole rally. It's so different in character to the others – it's more like a Corsican road than one you'd normally find here.
It's corner, corner, corner all the time and the surface is really quite abrasive, this one will be very hard on the tyres. I don't think we're going to expect snow and ice here – like the first stage of the morning there are three passes to go over but they're only just over 1000 metres.
SS7 Roussieux-Eygalayes (18.97 miles)
This stage was around in the late 80s, when it was known as Col Saint-Jean, but it's a new one for all of us. It's a really tricky stage, I would say it's going to be the most difficult one of the whole rally. It's so different in character to the others – it's more like a Corsican road than one you'd normally find here.
It's corner, corner, corner all the time and the surface is really quite abrasive, this one will be very hard on the tyres. I don't think we're going to expect snow and ice here – like the first stage of the morning there are three passes to go over but they're only just over 1000 metres.
David Evans
Kalle Rovanpera is now fourth in WRC2 after Camilli's shunt, albeit some way off Veiby ahead.
At service Rovanpera was forced to explain a sizeable moment on a left-hander on the first stage after he was pictured on the sill and apparently on the verge of heading into a ditch.
In brilliant deadpan Finnish he said: "That wasn't the moment, the biggest moment was the one we had 100 metres before that when we were flat out – that one we were really lucky to get away with. This one was just lucky!
"The second moment came because I was telling the co-driver to change the note and then he came late with the next note!
"OK, we are here and I'm happy. It took me a little while to get the feeling back on the next stage, it was really slippery in there, but on the last stage everything was back to normal."
At service Rovanpera was forced to explain a sizeable moment on a left-hander on the first stage after he was pictured on the sill and apparently on the verge of heading into a ditch.
In brilliant deadpan Finnish he said: "That wasn't the moment, the biggest moment was the one we had 100 metres before that when we were flat out – that one we were really lucky to get away with. This one was just lucky!
"The second moment came because I was telling the co-driver to change the note and then he came late with the next note!
"OK, we are here and I'm happy. It took me a little while to get the feeling back on the next stage, it was really slippery in there, but on the last stage everything was back to normal."
David Evans
Tanak has started the afternoon at a very rapid pace.
At lunchtime, he'd suggested there was more to come from him and the Yaris WRC.
He told Autosport: "I'm pushing where I feel comfortable and I can have no complaints about the car at all, it's working very nicely. We have made some small changes, but nothing major.
"There are still areas where I feel we can improve and there are places where I'm not used to the car, but this will come with development and time in the car.
"Getting used to this one's not been so bad – the pedals are in the same place as the old one!"
At lunchtime, he'd suggested there was more to come from him and the Yaris WRC.
He told Autosport: "I'm pushing where I feel comfortable and I can have no complaints about the car at all, it's working very nicely. We have made some small changes, but nothing major.
"There are still areas where I feel we can improve and there are places where I'm not used to the car, but this will come with development and time in the car.
"Getting used to this one's not been so bad – the pedals are in the same place as the old one!"
The next stage is in half an hour. We'll bring you a couple of other updates from around the rally in that time.
Crash
Kopecky reckons Camilli ran wide and had a fairly minor crash. The Skoda now leads WRC2 by a slender 5.6s over Sarrazin's Hyundai.
Information
SS6 summary:
* Tanak wins the stage and cuts 6.5s from Ogier's lead
* But Ogier is still 33.9s ahead
* Sordo struggles in rain and is now only 1.6s ahead of Lappi in third-place battle, with Latvala closing too
* Neuville closes in on Evans for eighth
* Tanak wins the stage and cuts 6.5s from Ogier's lead
* But Ogier is still 33.9s ahead
* Sordo struggles in rain and is now only 1.6s ahead of Lappi in third-place battle, with Latvala closing too
* Neuville closes in on Evans for eighth
Kopecky will be next in, and his WRC2 lead is set to grow as Camilli has stopped on the stage. But he still has Sarrazin hounding him.
Information
SS6 results:
Leading stage times:
1 Tanak 16m45.5s
2 Ogier +6.5s
3 Neuville +6.7s
4 Latvala +7.3s
5 Meeke +8.2s
6 Lappi +11.4s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Tanak +33.9s
3 Sordo +1m07.9s
4 Lappi +1m09.5s
5 Latvala +1m18.1s
6 Meeke +2m46.8s
7 Bouffier +3m20.4s
8 Evans +4m38.0s
9 Neuville +4m50.5s
10 Breen +5m17.0s
Leading stage times:
1 Tanak 16m45.5s
2 Ogier +6.5s
3 Neuville +6.7s
4 Latvala +7.3s
5 Meeke +8.2s
6 Lappi +11.4s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Tanak +33.9s
3 Sordo +1m07.9s
4 Lappi +1m09.5s
5 Latvala +1m18.1s
6 Meeke +2m46.8s
7 Bouffier +3m20.4s
8 Evans +4m38.0s
9 Neuville +4m50.5s
10 Breen +5m17.0s
Bouffier completes the WRC field. He's still seventh for now, but at his steady learning-the-car pace he'll have to watch out for Evans and Neuville later in the event.
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Lappi is a bit more comfortable with how dirty the road is now, saying he "got the taste of it" in the morning.
On the brink of the podium in his first attempt at the Monte in a World Rally Car. That's pretty ace.
"It's really nice to see that we can be safe and still have some speed," he says. "But there's a very long way to go."
On the brink of the podium in his first attempt at the Monte in a World Rally Car. That's pretty ace.
"It's really nice to see that we can be safe and still have some speed," he says. "But there's a very long way to go."
Lappi comes in sixth fastest - that's not quite enough to grab third from Sordo but it's not far off. He's just 1.6s off the Hyundai now.
Breen is 7s off Meeke's pace, and says the amount of dirt on the stage now is problematic, and he agrees with Meeke's assessment that the rain that's falling so far is just making things muckier still. That time drops Breen a bit further away from Neuville and leaves him 10th.
Next through is Meeke, admitting he's in an underwhelming "no man's land" already after yesterday's incident.
He's fifth fastest on the stage and likely to stay sixth overall, but he's a minute and a half behind Latvala ahead.
He's fifth fastest on the stage and likely to stay sixth overall, but he's a minute and a half behind Latvala ahead.
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Sordo is a fairly ample 26.9s off Tanak's pace and tumbles well away from challenging the Toyota for second.
He blames conditions and his tyre choice - he's carrying four super-softs and two softs but it sounds like he was using both softs on that stage and now regrets it.
"Now it's raining in the stage and with the soft tyres it's difficult," says Sordo. "We didn't expect that rain in the stage."
Sordo's going to be vulnerable to losing third to Lappi here based on the splits.
He blames conditions and his tyre choice - he's carrying four super-softs and two softs but it sounds like he was using both softs on that stage and now regrets it.
"Now it's raining in the stage and with the soft tyres it's difficult," says Sordo. "We didn't expect that rain in the stage."
Sordo's going to be vulnerable to losing third to Lappi here based on the splits.
David Evans
Elfyn Evans had enjoyed a strong morning, with third, fifth and first fastest times – rain in the middle stage cost him time. Praised by Autosport for his stage win earlier, he said: “You sound surprised, weren’t you expecting that…” We were, of course.
“It’s been good. When the rain came in [stage] four the tar was a bit shiny and there were a few bits where we were on the edge, we had to be careful. Otherwise, the feeling is coming with the tyres and I’m happy.”
“It’s been good. When the rain came in [stage] four the tar was a bit shiny and there were a few bits where we were on the edge, we had to be careful. Otherwise, the feeling is coming with the tyres and I’m happy.”
By: Matt Beer
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