Rally GB 2017
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Meanwhile Evans is in and a safe fourth fastest. He leads by 52.4s over Neuville with four stages to go.
Neuville needs to outscore Ogier by eight points here. Neuville second and Ogier third is just a three-point swing, though if Neuville gets all five bonus points on the powerstage and Ogier doesn't score there that would make it an eight-point turnaround.
If it unfolds that way, all ('all') Neuville has to do is win Australia and take maximum powerstage points and hope Ogier scores zero there.
If it unfolds that way, all ('all') Neuville has to do is win Australia and take maximum powerstage points and hope Ogier scores zero there.
It's getting even closer!
So that tight little battle now looks like this:
2 Neuville
3 Ogier +2.5s
4 Latvala +5.8s
5 Mikkelsen +9.6s
6 Tanak +11.8s
2 Neuville
3 Ogier +2.5s
4 Latvala +5.8s
5 Mikkelsen +9.6s
6 Tanak +11.8s
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"Everything went well," says Neuville. "[Ogier] won't give up."
Only sixth fastest for Ogier, 3.7s off the pace. That drops him behind Neuville into third, 2.5s behind his title rival.
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And it could be second for Neuville - Ogier is eight tenths slower than him at the split and they began the stage only half a second apart.
So he's now 5.8s ahead of Latvala in a provisional third place.
Neuville comes in third quickest behind Tanak and Mikkelsen, only 0.7s off the pace.
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"I don't know exactly [what happened], there's one left hander I didn't expect to be slippy and we ran quite a lot wide and the speed died," says Latvala.
Told he only lost a couple of seconds, he replies "that's quite good information. That gives me confidence".
And heads off.
Told he only lost a couple of seconds, he replies "that's quite good information. That gives me confidence".
And heads off.
TV crews say Latvala picked up slight damage on that stage.
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And it's not a great start for Neuville, he's 2s off the pace set by the likes of Meeke, Mikkelsen and Tanak at the split.
Latvala comes in only fourth fastest - he pulled a bit back but he lost 2.4s to Tanak and 2.1s to Mikkelsen.
And big changes may be possible even on these short stages - Latvala is a full 3s down at the split. He was 5.9s ahead of Mikkelsen and 8.4s ahead of Tanak in fourth going into this morning.
Well, you have made a bit of forward progress already, Ott.
Tanak is 0.3s faster than Mikkelsen, which trims that gap down from 2.5s to 2.2s in the battle for what is currently fifth.
Tanak is 0.3s faster than Mikkelsen, which trims that gap down from 2.5s to 2.2s in the battle for what is currently fifth.
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"Obviously a podium position is very far now and these are very short stage so realistically it's not possible," says Tanak. "We'll try our best but it's difficult to do."
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Tanak comes in fastest so far, 2s up on Meeke.
And at the split, Tanak has taken 0.5s out of the 2.5s gap to Mikkelsen in fifth.
And at the split, Tanak has taken 0.5s out of the 2.5s gap to Mikkelsen in fifth.
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Though Meeke really needs trouble ahead to advance from seventh, he's pretty chipper this morning.
"It's a bit difficult. Strange. I've enjoyed the weekend, I've enjoyed driving the car. To be seventh place, with only 35s off the top Michelin guy - because Elfyn's in a different rally - I feel good. I think it's one of our best rallies of the year in terms of how it's best on gravel."
"It's a bit difficult. Strange. I've enjoyed the weekend, I've enjoyed driving the car. To be seventh place, with only 35s off the top Michelin guy - because Elfyn's in a different rally - I feel good. I think it's one of our best rallies of the year in terms of how it's best on gravel."
Another case of a door to the championship being held open in 1987, as Juha Kankkunen benefited from Miki Biasion not attending the season finale. Lancia driver Kankkunen won anyway.
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Stopwatch
Now for the meaty bit. Ott Tanak has ground to make up and is fastest so far at the split, albeit by only two tenths over Meeke.
Stopwatch
Meeke is fastest of the first few cars through, 2.5s up on Paddon and 2.7s ahead of Lappi.
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In 1983 the title was technically decided in Britain - in favour of Audi's Hannu Mikkola (pictured earlier that season) - but in reality that result was secured as soon as Lancia decided it wasn't going to enter his rivals Walter Rohrl and Markku Alen in the last round.
Stopwatch
Sordo is through and sets a benchmark of 5m37.1s.
First up is Ford Escort RS1800 driver Ari Vatanen in 1981, pictured on a British round earlier that year. Guy Frequelin crashing out in the finale aided Vatanen's path to the title.
In anticipation of Ogier potentially becoming champion for the first time today, we're taking a look back at other occasions when the WRC crown has been clinched in Britain. Thanks to the Autosport Academy rallying group, and Alasdair Lindsay and Josh Suttill in particular, for their help with the retro research.
Khalid Al-Qassimi, currently running 23rd in the third Citroen, is first through. Dani Sordo, Esapekka Lappi and Hayden Paddon will be next in, none of them really in a battle right now.
Then it gets tense: Kris Meeke is seventh at home but close enough to capitalise if anything goes wrong ahead.
And with just 13s covering second to sixth places, there's plenty of scope for a shake up in front of him, especially as three of the drivers in that quintet are championship contenders.
Then it gets tense: Kris Meeke is seventh at home but close enough to capitalise if anything goes wrong ahead.
And with just 13s covering second to sixth places, there's plenty of scope for a shake up in front of him, especially as three of the drivers in that quintet are championship contenders.
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And here's what Alwen holds for the WRC contenders:
SS17 Alwen (6.46 miles)
This is the first of the north Wales forests and it's more like the Clocaenog stage used as shakedown.
There are a few more junctions in here and the grip's not always the best – especially when it's been raining and you can get this kind of black mud, which has no grip at all.
It's a great challenge and nice and quick in places. And, like Brenig, there's plenty of spectating off the B4501.
SS17 Alwen (6.46 miles)
This is the first of the north Wales forests and it's more like the Clocaenog stage used as shakedown.
There are a few more junctions in here and the grip's not always the best – especially when it's been raining and you can get this kind of black mud, which has no grip at all.
It's a great challenge and nice and quick in places. And, like Brenig, there's plenty of spectating off the B4501.
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This is the order coming into the Alwen stage that kicks the morning off:
1 Evans
2 Ogier +53.1s
3 Neuville +53.6s
4 Latvala +57.7s
5 Mikkelsen +1m03.6s
6 Tanak +1m06.1s
7 Meeke +1m27.6s
8 Paddon +2m04.0s
9 Lappi +2m41.0s
10 Sordo +3m35.8s
1 Evans
2 Ogier +53.1s
3 Neuville +53.6s
4 Latvala +57.7s
5 Mikkelsen +1m03.6s
6 Tanak +1m06.1s
7 Meeke +1m27.6s
8 Paddon +2m04.0s
9 Lappi +2m41.0s
10 Sordo +3m35.8s
David Evans
Elfyn is completely relaxed, he slept well and his only concern is the Gwydir stage. He says that's quite different to anything else, lots of surface and grip changes and with some overnight rain quite slippery. Tyre life today should be absolutely fine, it's not a long loop.
He just wants to get on with the job, which has been his attitude the whole time. He knew there was a chance here and he's taking it.
Across the board at M-Sport there's this massive sense of standing on the verge of something amazing with Sebastien Ogier about to win another world championship, M-Sport on the brink of winning the manufacturers' without a manufacturer backing it, and Evans and DMACK on the cusp of maiden WRC wins on home ground.
He just wants to get on with the job, which has been his attitude the whole time. He knew there was a chance here and he's taking it.
Across the board at M-Sport there's this massive sense of standing on the verge of something amazing with Sebastien Ogier about to win another world championship, M-Sport on the brink of winning the manufacturers' without a manufacturer backing it, and Evans and DMACK on the cusp of maiden WRC wins on home ground.
Welcome back to Autosport Live for the final morning of Rally GB. Five stages stand between Elfyn Evans and a first World Rally Championship win, and there could be a title settled in Wales today too.
Autosport
Here's the full report from tonight's foggy mayhem. See you back here at 8.30am tomorrow for the denouement: 
Evans is getting closer. He’s looking to join Colin McRae as a British winner of this event. McRae last won in 1997, two years after he became Britain’s first World Rally champion. The Subaru he won the 1997 event in is sat proudly outside the event’s Rally Office for this event. No surprise, it’s a fan favourite. For more on the 1997 event, pick up a copy of this week’s Autosport for a feature by our rallies editor David Evans. -JACK BENYON
And at the front, no matter what the weather or his rivals throw at him, Evans is supreme.
Last year he wasn't even competing on his home WRC round. This year only a cruel late heartbreak can prevent it being the scene of his and DMACK's first WRC win.
Last year he wasn't even competing on his home WRC round. This year only a cruel late heartbreak can prevent it being the scene of his and DMACK's first WRC win.
So, five stages to go tomorrow. Earlier tonight Ogier looked quite likely to clinch the title tomorrow but far from certain to, with powerstage bonus scores potentially having a huge say on whether the championship fight remained open until Australia.
That "miracle" turnaround in the fog means it's back in Ogier's hands again. Neuville has nothing to lose tomorrow.
That "miracle" turnaround in the fog means it's back in Ogier's hands again. Neuville has nothing to lose tomorrow.
By: Matt Beer
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