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Rally Catalunya, Formula E opener, MotoGP Sepang
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Ogier is through, and his time is a 5m51.2s - that's seven seconds quicker than his run on the stage this morning.
Latvala is on the stage, too, and is up on Ogier by over a second on the first split. That's enough for him to take the overall lead.
Green flag
Right on cue, Ogier kicks things off as he heads out onto the 9.62 km SS6.
But don't expect Ogier to run away with this - a monster run on the final stage from Volkswagen team-mate Jari Matti Latvala saw the gap between the two reduced to just 0.8s, as we prepare for the start of the afternoon's stages.
If you weren't with us earlier on, you might not have seen that Sebastien Ogier reclaimed the overall lead of the rally after Robert Kubica and Mads Ostberg hit trouble on SS5.
We've another four stages ahead of us this afternoon, in a re-run of the legs we witnessed earlier today. The first of those, Mora d'Ebre - Asco, gets underway in a bit over five minutes' time.
Hello and welcome back (or just welcome if you're not returning) to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live's coverage of Rally Catalunya.
We're off for a quick break, but be sure to check back at 1:30pm UK time for the day's remaining four stages.
A bit less than three-quarters of an hour now until SS6 - which is a re-run of the day's earlier Mora d'Ebre - Asco stage - when we start the afternoon loop.
We're into the afternoon break, which is a bit different from usual as there's no mid-point service for the teams or drivers. Crucially though, for Kubica and Ostberg, there is a tyre fitting zone.
Still a number of WRC2 cars to come in, but here's how things stand overall after that run from Tidemand:
1 Tidemand2 Kopecky +30.9s3 Suninen +51.3s4 Al-Attiyah +52.1s5 Lappi +52.4s
1 Tidemand2 Kopecky +30.9s3 Suninen +51.3s4 Al-Attiyah +52.1s5 Lappi +52.4s
Nasser Al-Attiyah was the leader overnight, but Pontus Tidemand has been on a charge so far today and has extended his lead to 52.1s over Al-Attiyah after a storming effort on SS5.
We're waiting now for most of the WRC2 field to come in.
While at the end of SS4 the overall order remained pretty static, it's all change as we head to lunch with Ogier now back in the lead following those problems for Ostberg and Kubica:
1 Ogier2 Latvala +0.8s3 Tanak +2.5s4 Sordo +9.7s5 Ostberg +17.3s6 Paddon +18.8s7 Mikkelsen +19.5s8 Evans +32.0s9 Meeke +33.4s10 Neuville +42.0s
1 Ogier2 Latvala +0.8s3 Tanak +2.5s4 Sordo +9.7s5 Ostberg +17.3s6 Paddon +18.8s7 Mikkelsen +19.5s8 Evans +32.0s9 Meeke +33.4s10 Neuville +42.0s
Before we take a look at the overall leaderboard, we've briefly heard from Kubica.
The erstwhile leader suffered TWO punctures on that stage, and said his problems were pretty typical of his season.
"I had speed but we cannot get it all right. I'm happy because I won a stage on gravel, I was looking forward, but that's how it is. It's a shame because on tarmac I think we could have done well as well."
A real shame, that. He's dropped to last, as you may have expected, nearly five minutes behind leader Ogier.
The erstwhile leader suffered TWO punctures on that stage, and said his problems were pretty typical of his season.
"I had speed but we cannot get it all right. I'm happy because I won a stage on gravel, I was looking forward, but that's how it is. It's a shame because on tarmac I think we could have done well as well."
A real shame, that. He's dropped to last, as you may have expected, nearly five minutes behind leader Ogier.
Checkered flag
They're unlikely to challenge anyone in the top ten, so here's a run down of the leading SS5 times:
1 Latvala2 Ogier +4.1s3 Tanak +9.9s4 Sordo +14.3s5 Mikkelsen +16.3s6 Paddon +26.6s7 Evans +26.8s8 Ostberg +28.4s9 Meeke +29.3s10 Neuville +38.6s
1 Latvala2 Ogier +4.1s3 Tanak +9.9s4 Sordo +14.3s5 Mikkelsen +16.3s6 Paddon +26.6s7 Evans +26.8s8 Ostberg +28.4s9 Meeke +29.3s10 Neuville +38.6s
Khalid Al Qassimi will be next through, but after that we'll have a bit of break before Lefebvre comes through - with the luckless Kubica having initially started between the pair.
Sordo is also through, and moves up to fourth overall having avoided any trouble like Tanak.
One man who has kept it together is Ott Tanak. OK, it's not the headline pace he showed on the previous stage, but the 9.9s he dropped to Latvala is the least of all except Ogier, and moves him into third overall ahead of the afternoon break.
Paddon is through, 26.6s down on Latvala's time. That's still one of the better efforts - certainly compared to the Volkswagens who have really turned up the pace on this stage - but he does drop to fourth overall.
Massive disappointment for Kubica, who of course was leading overall into SS5.
He appears to have got going again, but he's the second of today's early leaders to hit trouble.
He appears to have got going again, but he's the second of today's early leaders to hit trouble.
Crash
Oh no. It was almost inevitable, wasn't it?
Kubica has stopped out on stage.
Kubica has stopped out on stage.
Meeke is the next man through, marginally slower than team-mate Ostberg. He's happy with his performance relative to Ostberg, until he's informed of the Norwegian's puncture. 'OK,' he says.
Neuville is also in, with a bit of damage for his troubles, and is the best part of 40s slower than Latvala - who remains the quickest so far.
"I'm disappointed," admits Neuville. "I was far too low in my ride height - I [want to] change everything on the car."
"I'm disappointed," admits Neuville. "I was far too low in my ride height - I [want to] change everything on the car."
Ostberg is home, but ends up dropping 28.4s slower than Latvala, completely wiping out his advantage over the Volkswagen drivers.
He's uncertain as to what his issue was as he pulls up, but a slow puncture on the right-rear is what appears to have cost him dearly.
He's uncertain as to what his issue was as he pulls up, but a slow puncture on the right-rear is what appears to have cost him dearly.
Ostberg has dropped a significant chunk of time and looks as though he will drop down the order as a result.
We don't know yet if he has a problem, but what we can say is that having been fastest of all through the third split, he's dropped 12.3s on Latvala in the two splits since then.
We don't know yet if he has a problem, but what we can say is that having been fastest of all through the third split, he's dropped 12.3s on Latvala in the two splits since then.
A good run from Latvala, who goes 4.1s quicker than Ogier.
"Towards the end it was starting to get quite difficult, but I think we managed it quite well. I was at a completely different level to last year on this stage," says the Finn.
"Towards the end it was starting to get quite difficult, but I think we managed it quite well. I was at a completely different level to last year on this stage," says the Finn.
Stopwatch
Speaking of the devil (sorry, Seb), Ogier is through as expected, in a time of 23m25.0s.
Things are a bit calmer now, with drivers now spread a bit further out on the stage. We're expecting Ogier in shortly, who is well into the final five kilometres of SS5.
Ogier is a bit more than halfway through SS5, but it's Latvala through split three who is marginally quicker than his team-mate by 2.6s
And here's what that's done to the overall leaderboard - things are pretty static compared to SS3, Tanak and Sordo's jumping of Ogier aside:
1 Kubica2 Ostberg +3.2s3 Paddon +6.5s4 Tanak +6.9s5 Sordo +9.7s6 Ogier +10.2s7 Latvala +15.1s8 Mikkelsen +17.5s9 Neuville +17.7s10 Meeke +18.4s
1 Kubica2 Ostberg +3.2s3 Paddon +6.5s4 Tanak +6.9s5 Sordo +9.7s6 Ogier +10.2s7 Latvala +15.1s8 Mikkelsen +17.5s9 Neuville +17.7s10 Meeke +18.4s
Checkered flag
With the Pole through, here's a look at the leading SS4 times:
1 Tanak2 Ostberg +1.7s3 Sordo +2.0s4 Kubica +2.1s5 Paddon +2.7s6 Ogier +5.0s7 Latvala +5.2s8 Neuville +5.3s9 Meeke +5.3s10 Evans +6.0s
1 Tanak2 Ostberg +1.7s3 Sordo +2.0s4 Kubica +2.1s5 Paddon +2.7s6 Ogier +5.0s7 Latvala +5.2s8 Neuville +5.3s9 Meeke +5.3s10 Evans +6.0s
Kubica can't quite match Tanak on SS4, but with the fourth quickest time he still hangs on to his overall lead by 3.2s.
At 35.68km, Terra Alta is the longest Rally Catalunya stage by quite some distance, and comprises a mix of gravel and tarmac running.It's also where tyre choices will start to come into play, as Dan Barritt explains:SS5/9
Terra Alta (22.17 miles)This is the long one of the loop. It’s been used in this configuration before, about five years ago. There are five surface changes in here from gravel to Tarmac, but the big thing about this stage is the 10 kilometres (6.21 miles) of Tar in the middle. It’s really important that you look after the tyre in this section because you need them for there’s about six miles down to the finish. And that final section to the finish is pretty tricky again, with lots of rocks at the side of the road – there are a lot of “don’t cuts” in our notes in this section.
Terra Alta (22.17 miles)This is the long one of the loop. It’s been used in this configuration before, about five years ago. There are five surface changes in here from gravel to Tarmac, but the big thing about this stage is the 10 kilometres (6.21 miles) of Tar in the middle. It’s really important that you look after the tyre in this section because you need them for there’s about six miles down to the finish. And that final section to the finish is pretty tricky again, with lots of rocks at the side of the road – there are a lot of “don’t cuts” in our notes in this section.
Things are pretty frenetic out there, as Ogier is already onto Terra Alta - the fourth and final stage this morning.
Just before the start of SS5, there's a quick chance to delve into Paddon's performance.
The Kiwi has been flying so far today and wasn't too shabby yesterday either, in the week where he signed a contract extension with Hyundai.
David Evans:"Kiwi Hayden Paddon celebrated his new three-year deal with Hyundai with fastest time at yesterday’s shakedown stage. The South Islander was on good form following his benchmark time aboard the i20 WRC – he was also kind enough not to mention the words “Black, All and rugby."Thanks for avoiding that, Hayden.
The Kiwi has been flying so far today and wasn't too shabby yesterday either, in the week where he signed a contract extension with Hyundai.
David Evans:"Kiwi Hayden Paddon celebrated his new three-year deal with Hyundai with fastest time at yesterday’s shakedown stage. The South Islander was on good form following his benchmark time aboard the i20 WRC – he was also kind enough not to mention the words “Black, All and rugby."Thanks for avoiding that, Hayden.
Tanak to the fore!
Another blistering effort from the M-Sport man, who goes 1.7s faster than anyone else on SS4 - leapfrogging him in front of Ogier overall in the process.
"I'm just pushing quite hard - that's what we have to do," he quips, calmly.
Another blistering effort from the M-Sport man, who goes 1.7s faster than anyone else on SS4 - leapfrogging him in front of Ogier overall in the process.
"I'm just pushing quite hard - that's what we have to do," he quips, calmly.
Back on SS4, Ostberg still has the fastest time, with Paddon slotting into second.
And here's what that's done to the overall leaderboard:
1 Kubica2 Ostberg +3.6s3 Paddon +5.9s4 Ogier +7.3s5 Tanak +9.0s6 Sordo +9.8s7 Latvala +12.0s8 Mikkelsen +13.5s9 Neuville +14.5s10 Meeke +15.2s
1 Kubica2 Ostberg +3.6s3 Paddon +5.9s4 Ogier +7.3s5 Tanak +9.0s6 Sordo +9.8s7 Latvala +12.0s8 Mikkelsen +13.5s9 Neuville +14.5s10 Meeke +15.2s
Lefebvre is through SS3, so now's probably a decent time to get a run down on those leading stage times:
1 Kubica2 Ostberg +3.0s3 Paddon +4.6s4 Tanak +4.7s5 Sordo +5.3s6 Latvala +5.4s7 Evans +7.6s8 Ogier +8.4s9 Mikkelsen +9.5s10 Neuville +9.8s
1 Kubica2 Ostberg +3.0s3 Paddon +4.6s4 Tanak +4.7s5 Sordo +5.3s6 Latvala +5.4s7 Evans +7.6s8 Ogier +8.4s9 Mikkelsen +9.5s10 Neuville +9.8s
By: Matt Beer
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