Monte Carlo Rally
Live Text
Sort by
Newest first
Mikkelsen continues to drop time, he's 6s off his team-mates at split one.
Stopwatch
The first two VWs are through the opening split, with Ogier three tenths quicker than Latvala.
Lights out
Ogier has headed onto SS2, which is the final part of tonight's scene-setting double-header.
Twitter
A man who spent his WRC driving career looking in awe at Loeb's stage times is now doing the same from a distance - it's Matthew Wilson:
"Sebastien Loeb, what a legend!!! Awesome!"
"Sebastien Loeb, what a legend!!! Awesome!"
The supporting cast are completing SS1 now too, and despite a wild run through the stage, Citroen's young protege Stephane Lefebvre leads WRC2 by 5.2s over fellow Frenchman Quentin Giordano.
Craig Breen had some excursions and is a minute off the pace in fifth in class.
Craig Breen had some excursions and is a minute off the pace in fifth in class.
Quote
Our rallying expert DAVID EVANS is live on WRC Live giving his verdict on Loeb's performance:
"Sublime. Incredible. Just fantastic to have the boy back. The ice will have broken a little bit in the braking areas, but still, this is Sebastien Loeb."
And in case you missed it, our man did declare earlier this week that Loeb could win this rally.
"Sublime. Incredible. Just fantastic to have the boy back. The ice will have broken a little bit in the braking areas, but still, this is Sebastien Loeb."
And in case you missed it, our man did declare earlier this week that Loeb could win this rally.
Meanwhile in Monte Carlo, we're seven minutes away from SS2 beginning and already these questions are burning:
* Can Loeb keep this extraordinary form up?
* Can Tanak keep his also quite extraordinary form up?
* Can (or will) Ogier fight back?
* Can Loeb keep this extraordinary form up?
* Can Tanak keep his also quite extraordinary form up?
* Can (or will) Ogier fight back?
But let's be honest, whatever happens at Daytona today isn't the biggest news in American motorsport right now.
That thunder has been firmly stolen by the announcement that NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon will step back from full-time racing after 2015.
He says he doesn't want to use the "R-word", but that this will be his last full-time campaign and right now although the door is open, he doesn't expect to do any part-time racing afterwards, though he'll stay firmly involved with Hendrick Motorsports.
So that does sound a little bit like retirement for the four-time Cup champion and American hero.
That thunder has been firmly stolen by the announcement that NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon will step back from full-time racing after 2015.
He says he doesn't want to use the "R-word", but that this will be his last full-time campaign and right now although the door is open, he doesn't expect to do any part-time racing afterwards, though he'll stay firmly involved with Hendrick Motorsports.
So that does sound a little bit like retirement for the four-time Cup champion and American hero.
MSR Ligier
USC - Daytona 24 Hours: There's another famous event happening this weekend too, with the United SportsCar season beginning with the Daytona 24 Hours.
Qualifying is coming up shortly, and both practice sessions have been topped by Oswaldo Negri Jr in Michael Shank Racing's new LMP2 Ligier-HPD.
Daytona practice two report
That bodes quite well for our sportscar guru GARY WATKINS' hope that an LMP2 car will beat the Daytona Prototypes this weekend. That's not just random bias, as he explains in his column:
Why I want an LMP2 to win Daytona
Twitter
Citroen is struggling to believe it:
"We double checked the classification, no mistakes with the times!"
"We double checked the classification, no mistakes with the times!"
Sorry WRC2 graduate Lorenzo Bertelli, you're not going to get a lot of attention coming in behind Loeb on these stages. Welcome to World Rally Car life, though.
Checkered flag
So, game on, here's the order after SS1:
1 Loeb 15m53.5s
2 Tanak +22.0s
3 Ogier +30.9s
4 Meeke +32.6s
5 Ostberg +36.1s
6 Neuville +37.6s
7 Bouffier +41.7s
8 Latvala +43.0s
9 Solberg +44.9s
10 Evans +44.7s
11 Kubica +47.9s
12 Prokop +53.4s
13 Mikkelsen +53.9s
14 Sordo +1m11.4s
15 Bertelli +1m14.1s
1 Loeb 15m53.5s
2 Tanak +22.0s
3 Ogier +30.9s
4 Meeke +32.6s
5 Ostberg +36.1s
6 Neuville +37.6s
7 Bouffier +41.7s
8 Latvala +43.0s
9 Solberg +44.9s
10 Evans +44.7s
11 Kubica +47.9s
12 Prokop +53.4s
13 Mikkelsen +53.9s
14 Sordo +1m11.4s
15 Bertelli +1m14.1s
Gosh. Fair to say we've missed that bloke.
Quote
He started his stage-end interviews looking stunned and ended them giggling. Loeb is firmly back in business.
"I'm happy with this time... I said to Daniel that in places it felt like we'd stopped, we were going so slowly!"
"I'm happy with this time... I said to Daniel that in places it felt like we'd stopped, we were going so slowly!"
Loeb looks like he cannot believe the time he has just set.
Stopwatch
And Loeb is through - he's 22s faster than anyone else!
Quote
Kubica explains that time loss: "We had one moment - under braking there was a lot of ice and I couldn't downshift the gear so I went straight, completely missed the braking.
"I have a lot of understeer, I don't know if we have a problem after that."
"I have a lot of understeer, I don't know if we have a problem after that."
Kubica has lost time in the final few miles, he's fallen to 10th fastest as he crosses the finish.
Quote
Tanak is slightly amazed by his position: "Lots of people must have had some moments. I'm just trying to stay relaxed and do my best."
He leads from Ogier, Meeke, Ostberg and Neuville.
He leads from Ogier, Meeke, Ostberg and Neuville.
Stopwatch
Tanak takes over the rally lead from Ogier, he's 8.9s faster at the finish.
Good job from Robert Kubica so far too, he's fourth fastest at the final split.
Bouffier, a winner here in the IRC, comes through fifth fastest, 10.8s behind Ogier.
Stopwatch
Wow - at split two, Loeb is an amazing 18s faster than leader Ogier and 11s up on previous pacesetter Tanak.
Stopwatch
Tanak comes through the final split 9s quicker than current rally leader Ogier.
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.
Our order so far is: 1 Ogier, 2 Meeke, 3 Ostberg, 4 Neuville, 5 Latvala, 6 Evans, 7 Prokop, 8 Mikkelsen.
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.
Stopwatch
Tanak continues to set the pace at split two, it's looking very good for the cars further down the start order.
Stopwatch
Oh hello Sebastien Loeb - he is now fastest of all at split one, 7s up on Ogier and 2s quicker than Tanak.
Stopwatch
Ott Tanak is now the quickest man on the first part of the stage, a second quicker than Bouffier.
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.
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.
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."
Stopwatch
New pacesetter at split one - regular Monte hero Bryan Bouffier is 4s quicker than Ogier and 2s up on Prokop.
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.
Ostberg comes through second fastest, he's 5s slower than Ogier and 7s ahead of Latvala.
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.
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.
After promising first and second splits, Mikkelsen finishes the stage a full 23s down on Ogier.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Scott Mitchell
Published:
Page:
