Monte Carlo Rally
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Good evening, welcome back to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for 2015, welcome back to the World Rally Championship - and welcome back to Sebastien Loeb!
Remember him?
Remember him?
Sebastien Loeb, Citroen, Monte Carlo WRC 2015
Here's the plan for this evening:
We've got the 13-mile Entrevaux to Rouaine stage starting at 7.21pm UK time, then the 12 miles of Norante to Digne-les-Bains at 8.29pm UK.
We've got the 13-mile Entrevaux to Rouaine stage starting at 7.21pm UK time, then the 12 miles of Norante to Digne-les-Bains at 8.29pm UK.
As per the new-for-2015 running order regulations, the field comes through in championship order, but for the Monte, that's last year's championship - so it's Sebastien Ogier first, and Loeb will be 14th onto the stage.
On gravel rallies, that slot could be a massive advantage for Loeb - if he does any gravel rallies - which is why Volkswagen hasn't been as overjoyed as everyone else about the nine-time champion popping back from the World Touring Car Championship:
VW sceptical over Loeb return motive
On gravel rallies, that slot could be a massive advantage for Loeb - if he does any gravel rallies - which is why Volkswagen hasn't been as overjoyed as everyone else about the nine-time champion popping back from the World Touring Car Championship:
VW sceptical over Loeb return motive
Rain
Snow
Running order could well play a role this weekend, but the key will be who gets the worst of the ice and snow, and that's completely unpredictable from stage to stage and minute to minute.
When our WRC expert and roving stage reporter DAVID EVANS was at the end of SS2 earlier, he found this picturesque snow. But what's going to await the crews there tonight?
Breaking news
Before he started climbing bits of France, DAVID EVANS penned some thoughts about Loeb's return, what comes next, whether VW is being paranoid, and a little on what makes the Monte quite so wonderful:
DAVID EVANS: Why Loeb can win the Monte
DAVID EVANS: Why Loeb can win the Monte
Rain
Pictures from the stages right now suggest there's a good covering of snow (on the spectator banks at least). That's a good start - it's always a bit disappointing when this rally turns into just an asphalt event with an even prettier than usual backdrop.
It's already been an interesting week for Loeb: yesterday he rolled his recce car, then went fastest of all on the shakedown stage.
Since that shakedown yesterday evening, the crews have been busy kicking off the season properly.
There's been a ceremonial launch of the 2015 WRC in Monte Carlo itself, and the top drivers have been giving a variety of celebrities - ranging from actor Idris Elba, ex-Formula 1 racers David Coulthard and Jacky Ickx, and motorcycle racing star Eugene Laverty to 2002 Song for Wales winner Elin Fflur - passenger rides around a stage set out on part of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit.
There's been a ceremonial launch of the 2015 WRC in Monte Carlo itself, and the top drivers have been giving a variety of celebrities - ranging from actor Idris Elba, ex-Formula 1 racers David Coulthard and Jacky Ickx, and motorcycle racing star Eugene Laverty to 2002 Song for Wales winner Elin Fflur - passenger rides around a stage set out on part of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit.
Here's a look at the WRC's factory class of 2015.
VW and Citroen have brought heavily upgraded cars (and a nifty new livery for the Polo too), but M-Sport and Hyundai's new machines won't be seen just yet. The Ford Fiesta is set to appear in Portugal, while it will be a longer wait for the i20.
VW and Citroen have brought heavily upgraded cars (and a nifty new livery for the Polo too), but M-Sport and Hyundai's new machines won't be seen just yet. The Ford Fiesta is set to appear in Portugal, while it will be a longer wait for the i20.
WRC 2015 launch
If you're just joining us - less than 10 minutes to go until Ogier heads onto a slightly snowy, very dark SS1 and begins the 2015 WRC season.
Lights out
Ogier is on the startline, let's get this season going.
Ogier won this event pretty smoothly last year, repeating his surprise 2009 triumph when it was part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and he was a relatively unknown Junior WRC (champion) graduate.
But in 2013, Ogier was happy to take second behind Loeb on the VW Polo's debut - pointing out that Loeb wasn't a title threat as he was only rallying part-time.
So far Ogier's rhetoric has been more combative this year, don't expect him to hand the 25 points to his old adversary too willingly.
But in 2013, Ogier was happy to take second behind Loeb on the VW Polo's debut - pointing out that Loeb wasn't a title threat as he was only rallying part-time.
So far Ogier's rhetoric has been more combative this year, don't expect him to hand the 25 points to his old adversary too willingly.
On-board shots are showing a decent amount of snow on the banks but a relatively clear road surface for much of the distance. There are clear patches of what looks like slush and ice, though.
Ogier is 2s faster than VW team-mate and second man on the road Jari-Matti Latvala at the first split.
Ogier is 2s faster than VW team-mate and second man on the road Jari-Matti Latvala at the first split.
Andreas Mikkelsen, Mads Ostberg and Thierry Neuville are on the stage now too.
Neuville's Monte record so far - in both the IRC and WRC - is mostly early crashes. Yesterday he described this event as "a black mark" on his career.
Neuville's Monte record so far - in both the IRC and WRC - is mostly early crashes. Yesterday he described this event as "a black mark" on his career.
Mikkelsen is second quickest at split one, 0.8s down on Ogier, and 1.8s faster than Latvala.
Kris Meeke in onto the stage now. He took a surprise third here last year on an event where he was mainly trying to take it easy and suss out the stages.
Kris Meeke in onto the stage now. He took a surprise third here last year on an event where he was mainly trying to take it easy and suss out the stages.
Stopwatch
Meeke is now the pacesetter at split one - he's 1.7s faster than Ogier.
Slight problem for Latvala possibly, he's lost 9s to Ogier as the stage goes on.
Stopwatch
Ogier is through, stopping the clocks at 16m24.4s
Quote
Ogier isn't exactly stressed in his tone, but he makes clear that was a tough start:
"There was ice everywhere, quite little grip, but we drove the car very carefully - not so much risk on this one. Not an easy one to start the rally."
"There was ice everywhere, quite little grip, but we drove the car very carefully - not so much risk on this one. Not an easy one to start the rally."
Latvala loses 12.1s to Ogier as he finishes the stage.
Stopwatch
And are conditions getting better for those further down the order? Czech privateer Martin Prokop has just set the fastest split one time so far.
Quote
No big drama for Latvala, he says he just took it easy in places in what he felt were very unpredictable conditions.
"That's not too bad," he says of the time loss. "The conditions are very demanding. In these conditions, you can lose minutes. It's so easy to lose confidence."
"That's not too bad," he says of the time loss. "The conditions are very demanding. In these conditions, you can lose minutes. It's so easy to lose confidence."
After promising first and second splits, Mikkelsen finishes the stage a full 23s down on Ogier.
Quote
Mikkelsen says he also just found it hard to judge how hard to push.
"I tried to just set a level pace, but it's really tricky, not easy at all."
He predicts that conditions are going to get "better and better" for those further down the order.
"I tried to just set a level pace, but it's really tricky, not easy at all."
He predicts that conditions are going to get "better and better" for those further down the order.
Not everyone is thriving further back, though - Dani Sordo in the Hyundai is half a minute down on Ogier in the early part of the stage.
Ostberg comes through second fastest, he's 5s slower than Ogier and 7s ahead of Latvala.
Quote
Ostberg on the icy stage conditions: "I don't think they have invented a word for these conditions yet.
"You don't feel like you are driving in the World Rally Championship, you can't believe you're one of the fastest drivers in the world when you're driving like this.
"I just tried to smile, relax and ignore the mistakes."
Well Mads, you articulate chap, that plan seemed to work rather well.
"You don't feel like you are driving in the World Rally Championship, you can't believe you're one of the fastest drivers in the world when you're driving like this.
"I just tried to smile, relax and ignore the mistakes."
Well Mads, you articulate chap, that plan seemed to work rather well.
Stopwatch
New pacesetter at split one - regular Monte hero Bryan Bouffier is 4s quicker than Ogier and 2s up on Prokop.
Neuville is third fastest, a second behind Ostberg.
"It was horrible!" says the Hyundai man. "I tried to not slide at all and be very smooth."
"It was horrible!" says the Hyundai man. "I tried to not slide at all and be very smooth."
Great time from Meeke - he's just 1.7s off Ogier and goes second fastest.
That startling early pace from Prokop has tailed off further onto the stage.
That startling early pace from Prokop has tailed off further onto the stage.
Breaking news
Hyundai reports that Sordo's time loss is due to one of the light pods coming off his i20.
This is definitely the kind of stage where you want to see where you're going.
This is definitely the kind of stage where you want to see where you're going.
Stopwatch
Ott Tanak is now the quickest man on the first part of the stage, a second quicker than Bouffier.
Stopwatch
Oh hello Sebastien Loeb - he is now fastest of all at split one, 7s up on Ogier and 2s quicker than Tanak.
Stopwatch
Tanak continues to set the pace at split two, it's looking very good for the cars further down the start order.
But is it going to be hard to sustain that pace later on the stage? Prokop is only seventh fastest when he reaches the flying finish.
Our order so far is: 1 Ogier, 2 Meeke, 3 Ostberg, 4 Neuville, 5 Latvala, 6 Evans, 7 Prokop, 8 Mikkelsen.
Crash
With that light missing, Sordo loses 40s to the leaders as he completes.
"I braked too late in a very slippery place and I stalled the engine," says Sordo, who had to get co-driver Marc Marti to jump out and push the car.
So the lightpod was a consequence, not a cause.
"I braked too late in a very slippery place and I stalled the engine," says Sordo, who had to get co-driver Marc Marti to jump out and push the car.
So the lightpod was a consequence, not a cause.
Stopwatch
Tanak comes through the final split 9s quicker than current rally leader Ogier.
Stopwatch
Wow - at split two, Loeb is an amazing 18s faster than leader Ogier and 11s up on previous pacesetter Tanak.
Bouffier, a winner here in the IRC, comes through fifth fastest, 10.8s behind Ogier.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Scott Mitchell
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