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Here's one final stage preview for the morning for you, once again courtesy of Jari-Matti Latvala:
SS4 Dyfnant (11.12 miles)
This is a little bit different in character and grip level compared with the first three, it’s a little bit away in a different area. But I like this one, it’s nice and flows really well. A couple of places there has been some grading, but nothing too bad. It’ll be interesting to see what the grip change is like from the first run to the second.
SS4 Dyfnant (11.12 miles)
This is a little bit different in character and grip level compared with the first three, it’s a little bit away in a different area. But I like this one, it’s nice and flows really well. A couple of places there has been some grading, but nothing too bad. It’ll be interesting to see what the grip change is like from the first run to the second.
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Apart from one brief radio appearance, all you seem to have done is eat today, DAVID...
Latvala threw his car about during shakedown yesterday evening. Photo: McKlein
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After Dyfnant, we then have a break of an hour and a half or so before the afternoon loop - a straightforward repeat of the four morning stages.
There's no service inbetween, though, just a visit to the Newtown regroup and tyre fitting zone.
There's no service inbetween, though, just a visit to the Newtown regroup and tyre fitting zone.
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As Mikkelsen's earlier twupdate suggested, there's a bit of a break now before the fourth stage, Dyfnant, which will wrap up the morning loop. That gets going at 1115 BST (which we'll only be working to for today and tomorrow before the clocks go back!).
We'll bring you as much reaction as we can in the meantime, though, so don't go anywhere.
We'll bring you as much reaction as we can in the meantime, though, so don't go anywhere.
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And after a summary of events, here's a rundown of some classifications:
SS3 leading stage times:
1 Tanak 20m45.4s
2 Ogier +2.2s
3 Latvala +8.5s
4 Meeke +9.5s
5 Sordo +10.5s
6 Neuville +12.6s
Overall classification:
1 Ogier 41m43.6s
2 Tanak +9.9s
3 Meeke +25.8s
4 Paddon +26.1s
5 Latvala +28.2s
6 Breen +28.7s
7 Mikkelsen +34.2s
8 Neuville +37.2s
SS3 leading stage times:
1 Tanak 20m45.4s
2 Ogier +2.2s
3 Latvala +8.5s
4 Meeke +9.5s
5 Sordo +10.5s
6 Neuville +12.6s
Overall classification:
1 Ogier 41m43.6s
2 Tanak +9.9s
3 Meeke +25.8s
4 Paddon +26.1s
5 Latvala +28.2s
6 Breen +28.7s
7 Mikkelsen +34.2s
8 Neuville +37.2s
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Incredibly, despite the damage he sustained early on, Lappi has smashed nearest WRC2 rival Suninen by 13.4s on SS3 and is into a category lead.
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While SS2 was a bit short and sweet (no pun intended), here's a recap of events on SS3:
SS3 Hafren summary:
- Tanak becomes first man to better an Ogier stage time on Wales Rally GB
- Estonian 2.2s faster than world champion and a clear second overall
- Ogier still second fastest on stage, leads rally by 9.9s
- Meeke fourth on stage and up to third overall
- Mikkelsen and Neuville spin, Breen mucks up junctions after good start
SS3 Hafren summary:
- Tanak becomes first man to better an Ogier stage time on Wales Rally GB
- Estonian 2.2s faster than world champion and a clear second overall
- Ogier still second fastest on stage, leads rally by 9.9s
- Meeke fourth on stage and up to third overall
- Mikkelsen and Neuville spin, Breen mucks up junctions after good start
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To quantify that damage that to Lappi's car we mentioned earlier...
Credit to Steve Jones of RallyingUK.
Credit to Steve Jones of RallyingUK.
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Behind Breen, we've also had Camilli, Lefebvre, Bertelli and Gorban through the stage end. Nothing to trouble the stage-leading times, mind.
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"I think we can really do something, we just need to be calm," says Breen, who messed up on a couple of junctions. He says he's going to make a couple of changes - no indication of what they might be, though.
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Here's Meeke, who very politely switches his engine off to make the stage-end interview that bit easier to understand.
"It was a really tricky morning, conditions aren't what we wanted," he says. The stages are like ice, and it's not what I wanted to be doing. Hafren was a little better but it's still tough."
"It was a really tricky morning, conditions aren't what we wanted," he says. The stages are like ice, and it's not what I wanted to be doing. Hafren was a little better but it's still tough."
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David Evans
Kris Meeke insists Ott Tanak’s worth a punt in Wales this week. Aside from the Estonian’s blinding speed and his proven M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC, it’s what’s beneath man and machine that Meeke says could make the difference.
“He can be strong this week. We’ve seen his speed on rallies like this, where the grip’s a bit in between and the guys on Michelins are having to make a decision between a hard and soft tyre, Tanak’s right there.”
The DMACK gravel tyre has been cooked specifically with this rally in mind. The soft compound is much softer than Michelin’s version with the Cumbrian-made hard boot somewhere between a French soft and hard. Basically, think of a hard DMACK as a medium compound Michelin. This tyre could work well on Friday, but could be sublime if the weather stays dry on Saturday…
Tanak was relaxed about Meeke’s prediction, saying: “The conditions are not so bad. We were not very good in the mud [last year], so if it stays like this: a bit slippery but with a hard base then we might be OK. The only thing is that the stages are quite long and this could be a bit difficult for us, but we will find out immediately on the first stage how it’s going to be.
“If there is any chance of the win, don’t worry, we are going to push for it.”
Asked to rate his own chances of a third win this season, Meeke said: “I think that’s unlikely…”
“He can be strong this week. We’ve seen his speed on rallies like this, where the grip’s a bit in between and the guys on Michelins are having to make a decision between a hard and soft tyre, Tanak’s right there.”
The DMACK gravel tyre has been cooked specifically with this rally in mind. The soft compound is much softer than Michelin’s version with the Cumbrian-made hard boot somewhere between a French soft and hard. Basically, think of a hard DMACK as a medium compound Michelin. This tyre could work well on Friday, but could be sublime if the weather stays dry on Saturday…
Tanak was relaxed about Meeke’s prediction, saying: “The conditions are not so bad. We were not very good in the mud [last year], so if it stays like this: a bit slippery but with a hard base then we might be OK. The only thing is that the stages are quite long and this could be a bit difficult for us, but we will find out immediately on the first stage how it’s going to be.
“If there is any chance of the win, don’t worry, we are going to push for it.”
Asked to rate his own chances of a third win this season, Meeke said: “I think that’s unlikely…”
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Breen is now in and 16.5s down on Tanak. That pushes him back to sixth overall.
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Ostberg says even the little rain that's hit the road had made conditions a lot more difficult. He had come through the stage end 26.7s slower than Tanak.
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Meeke completes the stage fourth-fastest so far, and 9.5s down on Tanak.
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Tanak pulls out a great final split and goes 2.2s faster than Ogier - becoming the first man to beat Ogier this morning. His time is 20m45.4s.
Neuville reports that like Mikkelsen, he had a spin on the stage.
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Paddon's happy enough with his stage: "Conditions are very tricky. We don't have the right rhythm at the moment but we're not a million miles off. Tomorrow is more consistent, with fast and flowing roads that should suit us better."
Tanak is now only 0.1s up on Ogier's benchmark through the final split, while Meeke ahs dropped to 4.8s off the pace at the same marker.
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Latvala now is second-fastest, 6.3s down on Ogier's time.
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And Mikkelsen now gives us his thoughts: "The last stage was better but we had a spin at the start. We lost maybe 10s, something like that."
Also worth correcting that Ostberg did in fact make the start - the timing screen troubles masked that and shuffled a couple of start times, hence the incorrect times.
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Sordo completes the stage second-fastest so far, 8.3s down on Ogier.
Paddon is now in and 12s slower than Ogier. Tanak and Meeke both still up on Ogier.
By: Matt Beer
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