Rally Catalunya, Formula E opener, MotoGP Sepang
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Hello and welcome back to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live's coverage of Rally Catalunya.
If you haven't seen it, here's our report on the morning loop: 
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So, what a day. Here are the main talking points heading into the afternoon.
- Ogier extends his lead after Latvala suffered puncture on SS12
- M-Sport team-mates Tanak, who was third, and Evans both retired following accidents
- Sordo and Mikkelsen are separated by only 1.5s in their battle for second place, with Latvala a further 6s back.
- Paddon picks up puncture on SS10
- Lappi retires, giving Al-Attiyah the possibility to wrap up the WRC2 title.
- Ogier extends his lead after Latvala suffered puncture on SS12
- M-Sport team-mates Tanak, who was third, and Evans both retired following accidents
- Sordo and Mikkelsen are separated by only 1.5s in their battle for second place, with Latvala a further 6s back.
- Paddon picks up puncture on SS10
- Lappi retires, giving Al-Attiyah the possibility to wrap up the WRC2 title.
A full report from an incident filled morning loop will be online very shortly. Ogier still leads but the battle for second and the final podium place is hotting up!
In WRC2 Kopecky is currently fastest through SS13. Tidemand is still well clear overall.
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Overall standings after SS13:
1 Ogier 2h1m14.6s
2 Sordo +51.4s
3 Mikkelsen +52.9s
4 Latvala +58.9s
5 Ostberg +1m51.1s
6 Meeke +1m26.7s
7 Paddon +1m31.7s
8 Neuville +1m39.1s
9 Prokop +3m30.1s
10 Tidemand +5m25.2s
1 Ogier 2h1m14.6s
2 Sordo +51.4s
3 Mikkelsen +52.9s
4 Latvala +58.9s
5 Ostberg +1m51.1s
6 Meeke +1m26.7s
7 Paddon +1m31.7s
8 Neuville +1m39.1s
9 Prokop +3m30.1s
10 Tidemand +5m25.2s
Checkered flag
SS13 results:
1 Latvala 10m47.2s
2 Mikkelsen +5s
3 Sordo +5.2s
4 Ogier +5.4s
5 Paddon +6.9s
6 Meeke +7.5s
7 Ostberg +8.6s
8 Neuville +9.2s
1 Latvala 10m47.2s
2 Mikkelsen +5s
3 Sordo +5.2s
4 Ogier +5.4s
5 Paddon +6.9s
6 Meeke +7.5s
7 Ostberg +8.6s
8 Neuville +9.2s
We're used to seeing Kubica come through near the top of the stage times but the Pole is only ninth fastest, 12.1s off the pace of Latvala.
Prokop completes the stage ninth fastest and 23s off the pace.
Sordo is happy with his run. He is comfortable with the car and says he is going to have a "big push".
Sordo is in and he is third fastest, only 0.2s behind Mikkelsen. The overall gap now between the two is just 1.5s going into the afternoon loop.
Paddon is fourth fastest, 6.9s off Latvala. He is now only 5s behind Meeke overall though.
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The tarmac is catching out a lot of drivers this morning and Meeke knows why.
"These tarmac stages are so nice and so beautiful that its easy to get sucked in - you have to be on your game."
"These tarmac stages are so nice and so beautiful that its easy to get sucked in - you have to be on your game."
Meeke 7.5s down on Latvala, 1.1s up on his team-mate Ostberg.
Evans was in ninth but that looks likely to change. Starting to wonder if any driver is going to have a clean rally!
Crash
Evans has went off on SS13. He is apparently stuck in a ditch. More problems for M-Sport!
Ostberg and Neuville are through. Ostberg is 8.6s slower than Latvala, Neuville 9.2s down.
Mikkelsen is of course fighting with Sordo for second at the moment so we will watch the Spaniard's times in anticipation.
Mikkelsen is faster than Ogier by 0.4s.
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Latvala hasn't been happy all morning and he's not too happy now, despite setting the fastest time through the stage.
"We have to try to fight for second place. It's all we can do at the moment."
"We have to try to fight for second place. It's all we can do at the moment."
Ogier says he is "having fun". No need for the champion to push really, before the stage he was more than 50-seconds ahead of Sordo.
Stopwatch
Latvala is also through and he is 5.4s up on his team-mate.
Ogier is through in 10m52.6s
Mikkelsen is also 1.7s up on Ogier through the second split. Easy stroll for Ogier?
Splits are in and Latvala is 5.3s up on Ogier.
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Here's Chris Patterson's stage guide while we wait for Ogier's opening splits.
SS13/16 Capafonts 12.30 miles
This is a brand new stage and there are some big of cuts in this one, and cuts over grass, so it will pull stuff into the road. As well as that, when we were out on the recce, the maintenance guys were out working on the hedges and cutting the grass and that sort of thing, so they will have pulled some stones out into the road. This stage goes up over a hill and on the way down the other side, that’s where the big cuts are coming – but we will have to be careful as the regulation now states you must keep two wheels on the road. But once that cutting starts, you have no option but to follow the line.
SS13/16 Capafonts 12.30 miles
This is a brand new stage and there are some big of cuts in this one, and cuts over grass, so it will pull stuff into the road. As well as that, when we were out on the recce, the maintenance guys were out working on the hedges and cutting the grass and that sort of thing, so they will have pulled some stones out into the road. This stage goes up over a hill and on the way down the other side, that’s where the big cuts are coming – but we will have to be careful as the regulation now states you must keep two wheels on the road. But once that cutting starts, you have no option but to follow the line.
Green flag
SS13 is underway.
Personally, the Stratos is my absolute favourite piece of rally heaven. What about you guys? Any advance on the Stratos? Lets hear your suggestions on Twitter.
David Evans
Here is David Evans getting all feverish:
"The usual array of Group B and early Group A machinery will be out and running on the Catalunya stages between the first and second loop today. The only downside to this event is that we don’t get to see these things on the gravel on the opening day. But still, it’s never a bad Saturday when you hear an M3 being thrashed up the road. Especially not when it’s followed by a Stratos and five cylinders sent from heaven… the E2."
"The usual array of Group B and early Group A machinery will be out and running on the Catalunya stages between the first and second loop today. The only downside to this event is that we don’t get to see these things on the gravel on the opening day. But still, it’s never a bad Saturday when you hear an M3 being thrashed up the road. Especially not when it’s followed by a Stratos and five cylinders sent from heaven… the E2."
We have just over 15-minutes until SS13 gets underway, so who fancies some Group B and early Group A machinery to drool over?
In WRC2 Tidemand still leads by more than a minute from Kopecky. Of course in terms of the title fight Lappi's retirement has almost gift wrapped the championship to Al-Attiyah, should he finish cleanly.
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Overall standings after SS12:
1 Ogier 1h50m22s
2 Sordo +51.6s
3 Mikkelsen +53.3s
4 Latvala +1m04.3s
5 Ostberg +1m11.9s
6 Meeke +1m24.6s
7 Paddon +1m30.2s
8 Neuville +1m35.3s
9 Evans +1m39.3s
10 Prokop +3m12.5s
1 Ogier 1h50m22s
2 Sordo +51.6s
3 Mikkelsen +53.3s
4 Latvala +1m04.3s
5 Ostberg +1m11.9s
6 Meeke +1m24.6s
7 Paddon +1m30.2s
8 Neuville +1m35.3s
9 Evans +1m39.3s
10 Prokop +3m12.5s
Checkered flag
As you will notice Sordo, Evans and Paddon all set identical times, incredible! Anyway here are the SS12 results:
1 Ogier 5m36.3s
2 Kubica +2.4s
3 Mikkelsen +3.5s
4 Neuville +5.8s
5 Sordo +6.4s
6 Evans +6.4s
7 Paddon +6.4s
8 Meeke +6.5s
1 Ogier 5m36.3s
2 Kubica +2.4s
3 Mikkelsen +3.5s
4 Neuville +5.8s
5 Sordo +6.4s
6 Evans +6.4s
7 Paddon +6.4s
8 Meeke +6.5s
Would you believe it! Kubica is second fastest, again. He is just 2.4s adrift of Ogier.
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Is the pressure getting to Sordo? Possibly, he is not happy with the car at the moment.
"We tried to make some changes in the car but it’s came to nothing. It can’t stay like this."
"We tried to make some changes in the car but it’s came to nothing. It can’t stay like this."
Prokop comes through ninth fastest and 12s behind Ogier. He has also snuck into the top 10 overall.
Speaking of decent battle's shaping up we have a corker on our hands. Sordo completes the stage fourth fastest but crucially he is down on Mikkelsen, who is now just 1.7s behind the Spaniard overall. Game on.
Checkered flag
Di Grassi takes third and Heidfeld just hangs on for third.
Duval, d'Ambrosio, Turvey, Bird (who passed Berthon on the final lap), Berthon (obviously), Abt and Frijns complete the top 10.
That was entertaining.
Duval, d'Ambrosio, Turvey, Bird (who passed Berthon on the final lap), Berthon (obviously), Abt and Frijns complete the top 10.
That was entertaining.
By: Matt Beer
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