Live text
Rally GB
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
Live Text
Sort by
Quote
We're going to pause for an hour now before the season-concluding powerstage, and we'll leave you with the thoughts of Sebastien Ogier on leading the rally in the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks in his native France on Friday night:
"We decided to continue the rally, and from that moment you either do it completely or not. You can't half do it.
"It will be a great end of the season to finish with a victory, but there will definitely be no celebration today."
"We decided to continue the rally, and from that moment you either do it completely or not. You can't half do it.
"It will be a great end of the season to finish with a victory, but there will definitely be no celebration today."
Potential late drama in WRC2 - long-time leader Eric Camilli has just lost a of time with what he thinks might be a turbo problem, cutting his advantage over Teemu Suninen to 21s.
The pair are both Toyota proteges, but with that programme stuck being created, they're in a Ford and Skoda respectively for now.
Craig Breen was fastest in class on the stage and runs third, but is on a comeback mission following a Friday puncture.
The pair are both Toyota proteges, but with that programme stuck being created, they're in a Ford and Skoda respectively for now.
Craig Breen was fastest in class on the stage and runs third, but is on a comeback mission following a Friday puncture.
Checkered flag
SS18 results:
Stage times:1 Latvala 2m38.8s2 Kubica +1.4s3 Paddon +2.7s4 Evans +3.3s5 Ogier +4.5s6 Lefebvre +4.9s
Overall leaderboard:1 Ogier2 Meeke +29.8s3 Mikkelsen +46.0s4 Sordo +2m49.2s5 Paddon +3m04.0s6 Evans +3m11.7s
Stage times:1 Latvala 2m38.8s2 Kubica +1.4s3 Paddon +2.7s4 Evans +3.3s5 Ogier +4.5s6 Lefebvre +4.9s
Overall leaderboard:1 Ogier2 Meeke +29.8s3 Mikkelsen +46.0s4 Sordo +2m49.2s5 Paddon +3m04.0s6 Evans +3m11.7s
The last time a Brit was on the Rally GB podium - Richard Burns seals the 2001 title with a third-place finish
Quote
"It's obvious what we have to do. No big commitment on the powerstage, we just have to get through," declares Meeke.
"A strong weekend. We just can't do anything stupid now."
"A strong weekend. We just can't do anything stupid now."
And Ogier is through Great Orme, fifth fastest and secure in a 29.8s lead with one stage left.
Twitter
Quote
Mikkelsen declares that basically battle over.
"We are third in the championship anyway, the only thing I could do by pushing is lose my podium... We'll see, but there's no chance for me to take it unless he does something [wrong]," he says of the gap to Meeke.
"We are third in the championship anyway, the only thing I could do by pushing is lose my podium... We'll see, but there's no chance for me to take it unless he does something [wrong]," he says of the gap to Meeke.
Mikkelsen nibbles another 1.2s out of Meeke. They're 16.2s apart with one stage to go. Meeke won't really be caring about powerstage points, he doesn't have to take any risks, it should be fine for a home runner-up finish but it's still just that little bit nerve-wracking.
Twitter
Now can Mikkelsen achieve any more in his ongoing mission to unnerve Meeke?
Paddon is quicker than Evans again, adding another 0.6s to his advantage.
That means the Welshman trails the Kiwi by 7.7s going into the final stage in just over an hour. Evans looks very likely to have to settle for sixth.
That means the Welshman trails the Kiwi by 7.7s going into the final stage in just over an hour. Evans looks very likely to have to settle for sixth.
That second-fastest time for Kubica is holding up so far, both Ostberg and Evans are slower.
Kubica is closest to Latvala so far, just 1.4s off the Finn. Everyone else a long way off.
Twitter
It'll be a while before anyone else likely to be doing that sort of pace turns up. Latvala's fellow Rally2 man Prokop is next, then battling Irish brothers the Moffetts (Josh now 21s ahead of Sam for 15th overall), then we'll be into the WRC top 10, starting with Bertelli and Kubica.
Stopwatch
Latvala is through, his benchmark time a 2m38.8s.
Green flag
Latvala is first onto the stage - and that's a milestone for him this weekend as he's retired on the second stage of both legs so far (once his fault, the second time not).
He's now 52nd overall, but you'd put sensible money on him winning every stage today, which would be a bit of a morale boost going into the WRC's very short winter.
He's now 52nd overall, but you'd put sensible money on him winning every stage today, which would be a bit of a morale boost going into the WRC's very short winter.
Here is Elfyn Evans on the Orme:
SS18 Great Orme (2.94 miles)
The Orme is back this year and there’s so much history in this stretch of road. Obviously the cars are on a Tarmac surface with a gravel set-up, making things difficult. It is, however, a massively scenic stage running along the coast and always a big challenge.
SS18 Great Orme (2.94 miles)
The Orme is back this year and there’s so much history in this stretch of road. Obviously the cars are on a Tarmac surface with a gravel set-up, making things difficult. It is, however, a massively scenic stage running along the coast and always a big challenge.
The field is lining up at a windswept Great Orme - so windswept spectators have been asked to stay away.
Right, back in business for two more stages.
Quick pause now as the crews head to the extremely windy, spectator-free Great Orme stage. We'll resume full coverage in around half an hour.
Information
SS17 summary:
* Ogier keeps it steady in the lead
* Mikkelsen is keeping the pressure on Meeke for second but they remain 17.4s apart
* Paddon adds another couple of tenths to the gap to Evans in the fifth-place fight
* Ogier keeps it steady in the lead
* Mikkelsen is keeping the pressure on Meeke for second but they remain 17.4s apart
* Paddon adds another couple of tenths to the gap to Evans in the fifth-place fight
Checkered flag
SS17 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 5m44.0s
2 Mikkelsen +1.8s
3 Meeke +3.4s
4 Paddon +5.1s
5 Evans +5.3s
6 Ogier +5.6s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Meeke +27.9s
3 Mikkelsen +45.3s
4 Sordo +2m48.0s
5 Paddon +3m05.8s
6 Evans +3m12.9s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 5m44.0s
2 Mikkelsen +1.8s
3 Meeke +3.4s
4 Paddon +5.1s
5 Evans +5.3s
6 Ogier +5.6s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Meeke +27.9s
3 Mikkelsen +45.3s
4 Sordo +2m48.0s
5 Paddon +3m05.8s
6 Evans +3m12.9s
Quote
Meeke is perky and optimistic, but a bit knackered.
"It seems like about three months ago we started this rally, and the weather continues to throw it at us," he reports.
"It seems like about three months ago we started this rally, and the weather continues to throw it at us," he reports.
Quote
"We tried to keep an OK pace and keep the pressure on so in case some mistakes happen we can be there," says Mikkelsen. "We're not taking the biggest risks in the world. But you never know."
And that's a sixth fastest time for leader Ogier.
Meeke is in, he's lost 1.6s to Mikkelsen but that's OK. It's not a hugely comfortable margin, but 17.4s with two stages left will do.
All smooth for Sordo, he's safely through.
"We're trying to control the gap with Hayden and Elfyn," he confirms, and as he's 17s ahead of his team-mate and 24s clear of Evans, that's going OK.
"We're trying to control the gap with Hayden and Elfyn," he confirms, and as he's 17s ahead of his team-mate and 24s clear of Evans, that's going OK.
Absolutely equal pace for Meeke and Mikkelsen at the split on this stage. If Mikkelsen was inclined to try to hunt down second place, he'd have to be taking a chunk of time out here.
"Very slippery, more standing water, this stage was a lot more tricky, so it was harder to find a rhythm there," says Paddon.
"We can't do much about the manufacturers' championship all the time Kris stays where he is, so we're just trying to keep Evans behind."
That manufacturers' battle is very second, Citroen ahead of Hyundai. And as Paddon notes, all the time Meeke is sitting in second, that one is heading to France not Korea (Germany).
"We can't do much about the manufacturers' championship all the time Kris stays where he is, so we're just trying to keep Evans behind."
That manufacturers' battle is very second, Citroen ahead of Hyundai. And as Paddon notes, all the time Meeke is sitting in second, that one is heading to France not Korea (Germany).
Evans reports no concerns with the car at all, so that was a false alarm.
That means Paddon is 7.1s clear of Evans in fifth going into the final two stages.
Paddon is still pushing, though, he comes in two tenths quicker than Evans.
Evans finished the stage smoothly, second fastest so far, 5s off Latvala's pace.
Lefebvre and Ostberg are slower than Kubica in third and fourth on the stage. Kubica stops after the finish to make sure all is well as he reported an alternator warning light came on after he drove through a flooded section following the stage. He's happy his car isn't drowning and continues.
At the mid-stage split, Evans is a tenth faster than Paddon. That suggest both that his car's working fine and he's not going to let fifth slip if he can help it.
Stuff to watch now: Paddon versus Evans for fifth, they're just 6s apart and there's talk that Evans's engine is not sounding good, and maybe just maybe Meeke versus Mikkelsen for second. That gap is down to 19s now and Mikkelsen took 5s off Meeke on Brenig.
Kubica is second quickest to Latvala of those through so far, 10s down.
Latvala is looking decent for another stage win already here, he's massively quicker than the stragglers he's running among.
By: Matt Beer
Published:
Lap:
