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Monte Carlo Rally 2019
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And, below, a pictorial glimpse at the damage Mikkelsen did by running wide at the flying finish.
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Firstly, in Valtteri Bottas goes rallying news, he's just gone sixth fastest on stage seven of 10 on the Arctic Lapland Rally, 22.3s off stage winner and 2017 Finnish rally champion Teemu Asunmaa.
He's still fifth overall, 1m48.7s off leader Emil Lindholm.
He's still fifth overall, 1m48.7s off leader Emil Lindholm.
It's a little under 10 minutes until Tidemand sets off, so time for a quick update on both the Monte service park and also what's happening in Finland with the Arctic Lapland Rally.
Hyundai Motorsport has already confirmed Mikkelsen's retirement. No surprise, really, given even the wheel hub assembly was completely mangled. And his errant left-rear wheel was about a kilometre behind him, in the middle of the flying finish.
With 20 minutes until the next stage kicks off, we'll take a very brief pause and be back shortly.
With 20 minutes until the next stage kicks off, we'll take a very brief pause and be back shortly.
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With Bonato and Sarrazin now in, we have our overall top 10 locked in. Though remember that Mikkelsen's left-rear corner looks like it was assaulted with a sledgehammer and may not go any further.
1. Ogier 1h58m14.1s
2. Neuville +5.6s
3. Loeb +1m41.6s
4. Mikkelsen +1m44.9s
5. Latvala +1m46.6s
6. Tanak +2m32.1s
7. Evans +3m01.7s
8. Meeke +5m30.6s
9. Greensmith +7m59.4s
10. Bonato +8m14.7s
We've lost Lappi (again) to an unspecified technical failure too, don't forget. Not that he'll be too heartbroken over losing 23rd position.
1. Ogier 1h58m14.1s
2. Neuville +5.6s
3. Loeb +1m41.6s
4. Mikkelsen +1m44.9s
5. Latvala +1m46.6s
6. Tanak +2m32.1s
7. Evans +3m01.7s
8. Meeke +5m30.6s
9. Greensmith +7m59.4s
10. Bonato +8m14.7s
We've lost Lappi (again) to an unspecified technical failure too, don't forget. Not that he'll be too heartbroken over losing 23rd position.
Ah, it's not Bonato! Rather a different French tarmac ace, Stephane Sarrazin in his privateer Hyundai i20.
In WRC2 Pro news, Kalle Rovanpera's nightmare rally continues. He's stopped for around two minutes – we're not sure why but, given the duration, most likely to change a puncture – and is now running right behind Citroen's French championship ace Yoann Bonato, who's running in the regular WRC2 category this weekend.
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That was typical Monte fare. But in a good way. Plenty of midfield position jockeying and a front-runner potentially eliminated. Here's how that looks on the timesheets.
SS9 Stage Classification
1. Tanak 20m54.0s
2. Meeke +0.4
3. Ogier +2.8s
4. Neuville +6.4s
5. Suninen +17.6s
6. Loeb +18.5s
7. Latvala +24.3s
8. Mikkelsen +30.0s
9. Greensmith +1m02.1s
10. Evans +1m17.0s
SS9 Stage Classification
1. Tanak 20m54.0s
2. Meeke +0.4
3. Ogier +2.8s
4. Neuville +6.4s
5. Suninen +17.6s
6. Loeb +18.5s
7. Latvala +24.3s
8. Mikkelsen +30.0s
9. Greensmith +1m02.1s
10. Evans +1m17.0s
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Ogier is informed he's gained some time over Neuville.
"Then I'm happy because you have no idea what rhythm you are in there, very low grip, so I can be happy."
"Then I'm happy because you have no idea what rhythm you are in there, very low grip, so I can be happy."
Stopwatch
Ogier has turned the tide in the second half of this stage. He was on the limit and a little bit over earlier – but it's paid off. He's third fastest but crucially takes 3.6s out of Neuville.
So that's Loeb up to third place, 5.0s AHEAD of Latvala (not behind, apologies again) and while Mikkelsen is currently in between said pair, his chances of continuing look very slim.
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"Last corner I had it flat in my notes to get it perfect for the straight. I touched the outside corner. Let's see."
Crash
Mikkelsen drops half a minute but smashes into the wall going across the flying finish and has ripped off the left-rear wheel completely! Sheared off!
Apologies - my maths was wrong there. Loeb isn't still fifth - he's up to third!
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"Feeling was pretty good, I must say. There was lots of changes with the grip level. But the feeling was good."
Latvala seems content despite falling into Loeb's clutches here.
Latvala seems content despite falling into Loeb's clutches here.
Latvala meanwhile comes in 24.5s off team-mate Tanak, who drops time to Loeb and now only holds a 5.0s advantage of the nine-time world champion.
Sebastien Loeb is in, 18.5s off Tanak. That puncture for Evans means he's safe in fifth still, as the Welshman was his nearest rival.
Evans remarks he's been running on a flat for 16 kilometres and it really disintegrated in the final kilometre or two. He can't explain how it happened.
And the left-rear corner of Evans' Fiesta is wrecked. A catastrophic tyre failure has ripped off some of the bodywork.
He comes in 1m17s behind Evans. It was a puncture but they elected to press on rather than stop. The right call, given the limited time loss.
Crash
Evans is nearly a minute off the Toyota's pace and doesn't seem to be at full speed. Something appears amiss aboard his Fiesta.
"We're OK behind," says co-driver Scott Martin. Something's definitely off here.
"We're OK behind," says co-driver Scott Martin. Something's definitely off here.
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Tanak is in and says it's quite hard to push. He's 0.4s faster than Meeke though.
"The target is just to do the best. There is a big gap in front. If everyone's on the same strategy it's difficult to fight back."
"The target is just to do the best. There is a big gap in front. If everyone's on the same strategy it's difficult to fight back."
If Neuville takes the lead, you can't say it wasn't for a lack of trying from the reigning world champion!
Crash
Oooooooooh! Ogier comes very close to dropping it off the road completely! He runs wide on a fast tarmac section and dips two wheels off the edge of a steep-looking ditch with trees on the inside.
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"I really enjoyed it. Nothing to fight for but I took pleasure in driving the car," says Meeke.
"I'm already thinking of the powerstage tomorrow."
"I'm already thinking of the powerstage tomorrow."
Meeke is in, setting a 20m54.4s to go fastest thus far.
And because of Tidemand's stoppage, his M-Sport team-mate Suninen has already finished too.
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Tidemand has arrived at stage end.
"It's very mixed. We had a slow puncture after six kilometres which we had to stop and change."
He points out that with only one spare, he had to take it easy thereafter.
"It's very mixed. We had a slow puncture after six kilometres which we had to stop and change."
He points out that with only one spare, he had to take it easy thereafter.
It's not like yesterday where Neuville and Ogier went on split tyre strategies. Both have four studded tyres and two super softs with them this morning and, given conditions across the two stages, all four sets of studs will likely be on both drivers' cars right now. It's all down to the drivers now.
Stopwatch
Rally leader Ogier and his arch-rival Neuville are on their way now. And Ogier's 3.2s down on Neuville after the first split, which would put the Hyundai driver up to first place!
There's some clear lines and completely exposed asphalt in some places on this stage. But where the trees overhang drivers are still having to tip-toe around somewhat. Tidemand's puncture aside, no-one's been caught out yet; will that change as our later runners come through?
Ott Tanak is setting the pace so far, 1.8s up on team-mate Meeke after the third split. But no sign of our front-runners yet, who are still to start.
He coasted to a halt and parked up into a side road. Suninen can breathe easy now, Lappi's definitely not going anywhere soon.
Lappi's out of the car, the engine is off and there's no rush. His Rally2 return has lasted less than 10 minutes, it appears.
Crash
Back to the Monte action and Esapekka Lappi has pulled over!
While we have a bit of a lull as we wait for the frontrunners to set off, a quick diversion to Rovaniemi, where Mercedes F1 driver Valtteri Bottas is racing a Fiesta identical in spec to that of Evans, Suninen and Tidemand.
His inexperience is showing a little, running in fifth place amongst local drivers running in lower power R5-specification cars. He's fifth, 1m34.6s off rally leader Emil Lindholm. And for those of you with a depth of WRC knowledge, yes, that's Sebastian Lindholm's son, Emil.
His inexperience is showing a little, running in fifth place amongst local drivers running in lower power R5-specification cars. He's fifth, 1m34.6s off rally leader Emil Lindholm. And for those of you with a depth of WRC knowledge, yes, that's Sebastian Lindholm's son, Emil.
They've now strapped back in. Lappi has flown past their stopped car in the meanwhile, so he's lost over two minutes here.
It's doubly painful as Tidemand was the only driver to take one spare instead of two. Though his spare was also a studded tyre, at least.
It's doubly painful as Tidemand was the only driver to take one spare instead of two. Though his spare was also a studded tyre, at least.
Crash
Pontus Tidemand has pulled over 11 kilometres into the stage. Both he and co-driver are out of the car. Looks like a puncture.
Speaking of that battle, Suninen has now set off. He might want to take it somewhat easy still as, despite making his WRC debut back in 2017, this is his first time on the Monte with WRC-spec machinery.
By: Matt Beer
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