Monte Carlo Rally
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Now looking a little further down the timing screen to see how Ostberg, Neuville and Evans are faring.
Mikkelsen finishes in 10m51.5s, so ends up losing time late on to both his VW team-mates.
Mikkelsen finishes in 10m51.5s, so ends up losing time late on to both his VW team-mates.
Ostberg's split times are: 2m33.7s; 5m54.3s; 8m21.1s.
Neuville is a fraction slower but the real intrigue is Evans in relation to the Citroen.
At the first split Evans, just 7s back from Ostberg remember, clocks in at 2m33.5s! The battle continues.
Neuville dropps 2s to Ostberg at split two.
Neuville is a fraction slower but the real intrigue is Evans in relation to the Citroen.
At the first split Evans, just 7s back from Ostberg remember, clocks in at 2m33.5s! The battle continues.
Neuville dropps 2s to Ostberg at split two.
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Ostberg, 10m50.0s - he took four softs and two studded tyres by the way.
Softs are popular so far on SS11. Ostberg says he had "no problem" and that he "enjoyed it".
"It's quite nice, quite dry," he finishes.
Softs are popular so far on SS11. Ostberg says he had "no problem" and that he "enjoyed it".
"It's quite nice, quite dry," he finishes.
Ostberg's going to enjoy that stage more when he sees Evans' time!
The Welshman has lost 10s in the second split...
The Welshman has lost 10s in the second split...
Neuville comes through in 10m59.4s as he bids to finish a Monte for the first time.
It's steady stuff so far on a rally Hyundai never expected big things on.
It's steady stuff so far on a rally Hyundai never expected big things on.
Little reminder of who took which tyre options onto the afternoon leg of the Michelin-shod teams.
VW: 4 soft + 2 snow
Tanak/Neuville: 4 Super soft + 2 studded
Sordo: 4 soft + 2 snow
Loeb: 4 soft + 2 snow
Evans/Meeke: 2 soft + 2 studded + 2 Super soft
Solberg/Ostberg: 4 soft + 2 studded
VW: 4 soft + 2 snow
Tanak/Neuville: 4 Super soft + 2 studded
Sordo: 4 soft + 2 snow
Loeb: 4 soft + 2 snow
Evans/Meeke: 2 soft + 2 studded + 2 Super soft
Solberg/Ostberg: 4 soft + 2 studded
Another loss for Evans at the final split, who stands to lose 15.6s to Ostberg at this stage.
Evans records an 11m14.6s, so it's a 24.6s loss to Ostberg. That takes quite a bit of sting out of that fight, with the gap now about half a minute.
Prokop's through, slowest so far, and we await Sordo, Solberg and Tanak - then we'll have a proper look at the order.
Prokop's through, slowest so far, and we await Sordo, Solberg and Tanak - then we'll have a proper look at the order.
Sordo goes eighth quickest on the stage, 9.6s slower than Loeb and 7.4s quicker than team-mate Neuville.
We've got 12 times on the board. Come on Solberg/Tanak!
We've got 12 times on the board. Come on Solberg/Tanak!
And there's Henning, in 11m34.3s - taking Prokop's place as slowest so far by 11.2s.
Here's Tanak, and I suppose we ought to wait for Yuriy Protasov as well.
The Estonian: 11m01.1s.
The Ukranian: slowest, 11m53s.
The Estonian: 11m01.1s.
The Ukranian: slowest, 11m53s.
Checkered flag
So, Loeb takes the win on SS11 as Latvala nibbles every so slightly away at Ogier's lead.
Leading SS11 times:
1 Loeb 10m42.4s
2 Kubica +1.8s
3 Latvala +5.3s
4 Meeke +5.6s
5 Ogier +7.4s
6 Ostberg +7.6s
Leading positions after SS11:
1 Ogier 2h35m28.6s
2 Latvala +1m02.8s
3 Mikkelsen +1m51.1s
4 Ostberg +2m28.3s
5 Evans +3m00.7s
6 Sordo +3m24.5s
1 Loeb 10m42.4s
2 Kubica +1.8s
3 Latvala +5.3s
4 Meeke +5.6s
5 Ogier +7.4s
6 Ostberg +7.6s
Leading positions after SS11:
1 Ogier 2h35m28.6s
2 Latvala +1m02.8s
3 Mikkelsen +1m51.1s
4 Ostberg +2m28.3s
5 Evans +3m00.7s
6 Sordo +3m24.5s
We'll wait for the WRC2 runners and then dip into limp mode until the start of SS12. But it won't be a long wait - that's due to kick off at 14.43 UK time.
Great effort from WRC2 leader Lefebvre, who is quicker than Solberg and Protasov and 42.5s slower than Loeb's stage best.
The challenge the Citroen protege faces from class rival Koci is not waning, though. He's 4.7s slower than the Frenchman, which means the gap remains just 11.4s between the two.
The challenge the Citroen protege faces from class rival Koci is not waning, though. He's 4.7s slower than the Frenchman, which means the gap remains just 11.4s between the two.
That run has indeed elevated Loeb into the points.
He's now ninth, ahead of Solberg - who retains the final points-paying position ahead of the WRC2 class leader.
Fine stuff.
He's now ninth, ahead of Solberg - who retains the final points-paying position ahead of the WRC2 class leader.
Fine stuff.
A look at the other recovering drivers.
Meeke is 13th, 1m29s behind Solberg, with Kubica two places and about a minute and a half back.
Meeke is 13th, 1m29s behind Solberg, with Kubica two places and about a minute and a half back.
Breaking news
So, a summary of SS11:
* Loeb goes quickest to launch himself back into the lower reaches of the points-paying positions
* Ogier takes it easy, dropping a couple of seconds to Latvala - but his lead is still over a minute
* Ostberg eases clear of Evans in the fight for fourth as the Welshman loses time
* Sordo and Neuville are sixth and seventh for Hyundai
* Lefebvre narrowly leads WRC2 after edging Koci again
* Loeb goes quickest to launch himself back into the lower reaches of the points-paying positions
* Ogier takes it easy, dropping a couple of seconds to Latvala - but his lead is still over a minute
* Ostberg eases clear of Evans in the fight for fourth as the Welshman loses time
* Sordo and Neuville are sixth and seventh for Hyundai
* Lefebvre narrowly leads WRC2 after edging Koci again
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A tip of the hat to Craig Breen, who sneaks in second quickest in WRC2 on SS11.
He's second quickest and 2.7s slower than Lefebvre.
"Finally! I have to take my hat off to my engineer, he's made a big, big, big improvement.
"After our test I thought I knew how to set the car up - but now we are on the correct set-up. My rally starts here..."
He's second quickest and 2.7s slower than Lefebvre.
"Finally! I have to take my hat off to my engineer, he's made a big, big, big improvement.
"After our test I thought I knew how to set the car up - but now we are on the correct set-up. My rally starts here..."
We've got about 45 minutes until the start of SS12, so we'll take a 30-minute breather now.
But don't go too far. It's just around the corner...
But don't go too far. It's just around the corner...
Hello again. How'd that breather sort you out?
We've got about 10 minutes before SS122 kicks off.
The report from the WRC is that the road is largely dry except a 4km section of ice and snow at the Col de Fontbelle - at 1300m, the stage's highest point - about 25km in.
We've got about 10 minutes before SS122 kicks off.
The report from the WRC is that the road is largely dry except a 4km section of ice and snow at the Col de Fontbelle - at 1300m, the stage's highest point - about 25km in.
DAVID EVANS - with a bit of help from Mads Ostberg - has a cracking guide to SS12 for you.
Here's our man first:
"Sisteron’s an absolute peach of a stage. It climbs and climbs for the first 12 miles up to the Col de Fontbelle, which remains closed when the snow comes – except in rally week.
"The ice up here has to be seen to be believed, it’s inches thick and near-guaranteed all winter long."
Here's our man first:
"Sisteron’s an absolute peach of a stage. It climbs and climbs for the first 12 miles up to the Col de Fontbelle, which remains closed when the snow comes – except in rally week.
"The ice up here has to be seen to be believed, it’s inches thick and near-guaranteed all winter long."
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We’ll now hand over to Citroen star Ostberg, who informed AUTOSPORT that this 23-mile stretch of stage from Sisteron to Thoard is one of his favourites of the season.
"It's a Tarmac stage, I don't know why I like it!
"It's not just one of the best on the Monte, it's one of the best of the year. It's fantastic, it's so quick and then at the top you get the chance to really drive the car sideways.
"You know I like to drive the car sideways… maybe this is why I like it so much."
"It's a Tarmac stage, I don't know why I like it!
"It's not just one of the best on the Monte, it's one of the best of the year. It's fantastic, it's so quick and then at the top you get the chance to really drive the car sideways.
"You know I like to drive the car sideways… maybe this is why I like it so much."
He’s not wrong about quick either; if you get the chance to watch any onboard, look out for the tree-lined run up to St Geniez.
Hello rev-limiter…
Hello rev-limiter…
The stage we're waiting for might well be a cracker, but DAVID EVANS hasn't been entirely satisfied by his Monte experience.
"France might well make the best rally drivers in the world, but it's rubbish at toilets. The absence of a seat in the media centre facilities caused much consternation among the Fourth Estate assembled in Gap..."
All glamour, Evans. All glamour...
Updates will not be as frenetic as they were on SS11, but that's about the only drawback to a long stage on the Monte.
Come on Jari-Matti - journalistic neutrality aside, we REALLY want a final-day thriller.
Come on Jari-Matti - journalistic neutrality aside, we REALLY want a final-day thriller.
Slight delay to the start of this one, which we expected to kick off at 14.43 UK time.
Twitter
Word from Elfyn Evans' Twitter account reveals his issue on SS11 that has potentially ruined his bid for fourth on this rally.
"We hit a wall and damaged the rear suspension on SS11. @danielbarritt and I made a temporary repair so let's hope it holds through SS12 #WRC"
"We hit a wall and damaged the rear suspension on SS11. @danielbarritt and I made a temporary repair so let's hope it holds through SS12 #WRC"
We have lift off on SS12!
Both Chardonnet and Kubica are on the stage. And so it begins...
Both Chardonnet and Kubica are on the stage. And so it begins...
Chardonnet started this stage at 14.49 UK time so we should have split times before too long.
Kubica's run kicked off a couple of minutes later.
Kubica's run kicked off a couple of minutes later.
We've got a split time for Kubica (3m56.2s), nothing for Chardonnet.
Could that be an early SS12 casualty?
Could that be an early SS12 casualty?
The maps suggest Chardonnet is still moving, just not logging split times.
Loeb has come through a fraction quicker than Kubica, but Meeke is about 16s slower than both of them.
Loeb has come through a fraction quicker than Kubica, but Meeke is about 16s slower than both of them.
Kubica clocks in at the second split at 7m31.9s, we'll focus on these guys before switching to the trio of Volkswagens.
News just quickly on the WRC2 lead battle - Koci dropped time to Lefebvre on the last stage, dropping to 11s behind the Frenchman, but that was not aided by what he thought was a puncture, but was a driveshaft problem.
Here's Ogier's first split - and it's nothing special. We're expecting the leader to take it easy on this tricky run but he's 11s slower than Loeb and Ogier at the first splt.
Further on the run and Meeke is 23s down on Kubica at the second split. We do now have some times for Chardonnet, but he's not our main focus (sorry!).
Latvala's not going to take a massive chunk out of Ogier at this rate but there's a long way to go on this run.
He's 0.8s quicker than the leader at the first split.
He's 0.8s quicker than the leader at the first split.
Loeb's definitely more comfortable than Meeke in the pursuit of the pace-setting Kubica.
The Pole's at 10m26.3s by the third split, with Meeke 28s slower at the same point.
Mikkelsen is the quickest VW at the first split.
The Pole's at 10m26.3s by the third split, with Meeke 28s slower at the same point.
Mikkelsen is the quickest VW at the first split.
We know that everyone down to Evans has started the stage, but we're lacking split times for the likes of Ostberg and Neuville.
It's very close between Kubica and Loeb at the moment, with just three seconds separating the ex-F1 man and the nine-time champion at the third split.
It's very close between Kubica and Loeb at the moment, with just three seconds separating the ex-F1 man and the nine-time champion at the third split.
Crash
Meeke has had a spin, 22km in. Not likely to ruin his rally but it'll delay his attempt to get into the points again.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Scott Mitchell
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