Monte Carlo Rally
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Sorry, let's correct that... we've got the drivers running under Rally2 up first, so we begin with Sebastien Chardonnet and Kubica.
Lights out
The cars are running in championship order again today, so Ogier has just kicked us off on SS3, and Loeb will be 13th onto the road (rather than 14th last night, thanks to Bouffier's departure).
Stopwatch
This is the order of the WRC pack starting SS3:
1 Loeb
2 Ogier +13.3s
3 Latvala +36.1s
4 Tanak +38.6s
5 Evans +47.4s
6 Meeke +59.8s
7 Mikkelsen +59.9s
8 Neuville +1m06.8s
9 Ostberg +1m08.7s
10 Solberg +1m17.6s
11 Prokop +1m18.9s
12 Sordo +1m24.9s
And Kubica is back in 66th, more about why he's there in a moment.
1 Loeb
2 Ogier +13.3s
3 Latvala +36.1s
4 Tanak +38.6s
5 Evans +47.4s
6 Meeke +59.8s
7 Mikkelsen +59.9s
8 Neuville +1m06.8s
9 Ostberg +1m08.7s
10 Solberg +1m17.6s
11 Prokop +1m18.9s
12 Sordo +1m24.9s
And Kubica is back in 66th, more about why he's there in a moment.
Today's schedule is two quick bursts - over the next two hours we have three stages in rapid succession, the first 10 miles long, the second both 16 miles.
Then the crews return to service before repeating those stages in the afternoon.
After last night's after-dark adventures, Friday's action should all be in daylight until perhaps a bit of dusk for the closing part of the Les Costes - St Julien en Champsaur finale.
Then the crews return to service before repeating those stages in the afternoon.
After last night's after-dark adventures, Friday's action should all be in daylight until perhaps a bit of dusk for the closing part of the Les Costes - St Julien en Champsaur finale.
Crash
We've already lost one Monte Carlo Rally winner from the start list today. M-Sport has confirmed that Bryan Bouffier's Ford Fiesta sustained too much damage when he went off on SS2 last night, so his WRC return is over.
Car
Friday morning weather update from DAVID EVANS:
The AUTOSPORT 308 offers proof of a frost-free night in Gap this morning...
Good morning from AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live, it's Friday morning, it's Monte Carlo Rally week and the World Rally Championship has a message for the World Touring Car Championship: You're not having him back...
Yes, Sebastien Loeb leads the Monte once again, by 13 seconds over arch-rival Sebastien Ogier, as the two Sebs renew the battle of titans that could have done so much for the WRC had it lasted more than half a season.
But what matters right now is that they are both here today, they're first and second and it's game on, and it's wide open behind them too.
And because this is the Monte, everything that's happened so far could prove totally irrelevant if some unexpected snow turns up.
Yes, Sebastien Loeb leads the Monte once again, by 13 seconds over arch-rival Sebastien Ogier, as the two Sebs renew the battle of titans that could have done so much for the WRC had it lasted more than half a season.
But what matters right now is that they are both here today, they're first and second and it's game on, and it's wide open behind them too.
And because this is the Monte, everything that's happened so far could prove totally irrelevant if some unexpected snow turns up.
Breaking news
Here's the full story of an amazing first night in Monte Carlo:
Monte Carlo Rally Thursday evening report
We'll be back from 8.45am UK time tomorrow morning to see if Loeb can keep this amazing performance up. There's an epic fight ahead...
Monte Carlo Rally Thursday evening report
We'll be back from 8.45am UK time tomorrow morning to see if Loeb can keep this amazing performance up. There's an epic fight ahead...
Checkered flag
SS2 results:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 13m57.1s
2 Latvala +10.7s
3 Loeb +17.6s
4 Evans +18.3s
5 Mikkelsen +23.6s
6 Sordo +31.1s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Loeb
2 Ogier +13.3s
3 Latvala +36.1s
4 Tanak +38.6s
5 Evans +47.4s
6 Meeke +59.8s
7 Mikkelsen +59.9s
8 Neuville +1m06.8s
9 Ostberg +1m08.7s
10 Solberg +1m17.6s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 13m57.1s
2 Latvala +10.7s
3 Loeb +17.6s
4 Evans +18.3s
5 Mikkelsen +23.6s
6 Sordo +31.1s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Loeb
2 Ogier +13.3s
3 Latvala +36.1s
4 Tanak +38.6s
5 Evans +47.4s
6 Meeke +59.8s
7 Mikkelsen +59.9s
8 Neuville +1m06.8s
9 Ostberg +1m08.7s
10 Solberg +1m17.6s
Kubica explains that it was a spin followed by an electrical problem on his RK Ford, with the car losing power and switching itself off. He's nearly five minutes down on the leaders.
Kubica has dropped over four minutes to the leaders, but he should make it to the stage finish. No sign of Bouffier yet.
Loeb is 17.6s slower than Ogier, so he holds the lead by 13s at the end of day one of his return to the WRC.
And that's ideal - the returning hero up front, but his arch-rival firmly fighting back. This is going to be fun...
And that's ideal - the returning hero up front, but his arch-rival firmly fighting back. This is going to be fun...
Quote
A huge, huge cheer greets Loeb as he completes this stage. That's going to be pretty standard this weekend isn't it.
"It was OK, but a lot of gravel at every corner - gravel and mud - so it's very difficult," Loeb confirms.
"It was OK, but a lot of gravel at every corner - gravel and mud - so it's very difficult," Loeb confirms.
Loeb is 15s slower than Ogier at split three, so the lead is shrinking fast, but at present, the returnee is set to cling on.
Breaking news
Potential problems for Kubica on this stage too, judging by his pace on the tracking system.
Still waiting for Tanak's actual stage time, he was fifth quickest at split three, 32s off Ogier's pace.
Tanak thinks Bouffier has been off the road. The Estonian is happy enough with his own performance, but is another to note that there's an increasing amount of gravel on the stage now.
Breaking news
Trouble for last year's runner-up Bouffier - he's running very slowly on the stage and has had to pull over for Tanak and Kubica.
Loeb is 9.2s down on Ogier at split two, so the time loss is a little less.
Some of the recent drivers through have reported that a bit of gravel is getting pulled onto the road as cars ahead cut corners on this one.
Some of the recent drivers through have reported that a bit of gravel is getting pulled onto the road as cars ahead cut corners on this one.
Sordo completes the stage fifth quickest behind Ogier, Latvala, Evans and Mikkelsen. That doesn't do the Hyundai too much good yet as Sordo lost a lot of time going off on SS1, but it at least closes him onto the tail of the pack.
Tanak passes split two and he's only fourth fastest, 17s off Ogier's pace. That puts Ogier on course to regain one place from the M-Sport Ford at least.
A muted first split for Loeb on this one, he's 7s slower than Ogier. He had a 30s cushion over the champion after SS1.
Evans's brilliant time is not only third-fastest on the stage, it's vaulted him to a provisional third overall so far behind Ogier and Latvala, ahead of Meeke and Mikkelsen.
After his poor SS1 (where he was only 13th), a stronger SS2 performance is going to do Mikkelsen a lot of good.
Hard to tell where things will shake out with so many cars to come through still, but he's already firmly back ahead of Neuville and Meeke and they were both top six runners at the end of SS1.
Hard to tell where things will shake out with so many cars to come through still, but he's already firmly back ahead of Neuville and Meeke and they were both top six runners at the end of SS1.
Evans comes through to the finish third quickest, 18s off Ogier's pace and over 20s clear of the likes of Meeke.
Meeke completes the stage fourth fastest. He's also massively off the VW pace, but a couple of seconds ahead of Neuville and Ostberg.
Evans has continued his decent pace - at split two he's third quickest still, only 1.3s behind Latvala and 7s off Ogier. Great stuff from the inexperienced Welshman.
Tanak starts SS2 well - fourth fastest behind Ogier, Latvala and Evans at split one. Loeb will be on the stage soon.
Neuville has been on a similar pace to Ostberg. He says he's content just to complete the opening day of a Monte Carlo Rally, as he's crashed by now on all previous attempts.
The fact that the first day is only two stages this year does help of course... but then Neuville has crashed out of this event after less than half a mile before, so he's allowed to feel relieved.
The Hyundai is a full 46s slower than Ogier on the stage, but that still puts him fourth behind the VWs and ahead of Ostberg.
The fact that the first day is only two stages this year does help of course... but then Neuville has crashed out of this event after less than half a mile before, so he's allowed to feel relieved.
The Hyundai is a full 46s slower than Ogier on the stage, but that still puts him fourth behind the VWs and ahead of Ostberg.
Sordo, who is back in 16th overall among the WRC2 cars after going off on SS1, is an encouraging fourth quickest at the first split of this one.
Quote
Ostberg completes the stage 50s slower than Ogier:
"So many surprises and so difficult to find a rhythm. Not a good stage."
"So many surprises and so difficult to find a rhythm. Not a good stage."
Major time loss continues for Ostberg - at split three he's 45s down on Ogier.
Quote
Mikkelsen is third quickest, some way off his team-mates:
"It was OK. I'm just playing it very, very easily. It's so tricky - just black ice."
"It was OK. I'm just playing it very, very easily. It's so tricky - just black ice."
Evans has come through split one third fastest behind Ogier and Latvala, quicker than Ostberg, Mikkelsen, Neuville and Meeke.
Latvala completes the stage. He's 7s slower than Ogier and fairly relieved: "Not so good, but we are here."
He reports that his VW's boot was coming open on the stage.
He reports that his VW's boot was coming open on the stage.
Early signs on this stage are that running first is good - Ogier is 14s faster than Mikkelsen and 27s up on Ostberg at the mid-stage split.
Ogier describes SS2 as another very difficult stage for ice patches, especially judging it when first on the road.
If you're just joining us... LOEB LEADS!
But bear with us if you want to find out if he can stay there, he's 14th in the running order so won't be onto SS2 for a while.
But bear with us if you want to find out if he can stay there, he's 14th in the running order so won't be onto SS2 for a while.
Ogier is at the stage finish. At the middle stage he'd increased the gap to Latvala to 6s.
Ostberg, fifth after SS1, is slowest so far at split one of SS2, 8s down on pacesetter Ogier.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Scott Mitchell
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