Rally GB, Macau GP, Bahrain WEC, NASCAR finale
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Good morning and welcome to the final AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live of the 2014 season. It's going to be a cracker.
Between now and roughly midnight UK time on Sunday, we'll be bringing you...
* Live coverage of every stage of the World Rally Championship finale Rally GB.
* All the news, reaction, gossip, atmosphere and oddities from the Macau paddock, including live coverage of the Formula 3 Grand Prix on Sunday morning.
* Live coverage of the World Endurance Championship round in Bahrain, with Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi on the cusp of becoming world champions with Toyota.
* Live coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup's head-to-head Chase showdown between remaining title contenders Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman at Homestead.
Between now and roughly midnight UK time on Sunday, we'll be bringing you...
* Live coverage of every stage of the World Rally Championship finale Rally GB.
* All the news, reaction, gossip, atmosphere and oddities from the Macau paddock, including live coverage of the Formula 3 Grand Prix on Sunday morning.
* Live coverage of the World Endurance Championship round in Bahrain, with Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi on the cusp of becoming world champions with Toyota.
* Live coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup's head-to-head Chase showdown between remaining title contenders Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman at Homestead.
Green flag
WTCC - Macau: Welcome to RCL coverage from World Touring Car Championship qualifying in Macau. The session is green, but we've already had one red flag.
Crash
Pepe Oriola
WTCC - Macau: Campos Racing's Pepe Oriola, who was filling in for the injured Dusan Borkovic, suffered his second crash of the day by shunting between Hospital and Matsuya.
The Cruze blocked the track and is not taking place in the remainder of the afternoon's action.
Quote
WRC - GB: The action in Wales is going to commence just under 20 minutes from now.
In a first for Race Centre Live, Jari-Matti Latvala has given us his exclusive guide to all the stages, so here are his thoughts on our opener Gartheiniog:
"This stage is quite open. You are driving more on the hillside, you are a little bit on the side of the mountain all of the time and it's really quite fast.
"The grip level in here is usually quite high. There is more gravel on the top of the road here."
In a first for Race Centre Live, Jari-Matti Latvala has given us his exclusive guide to all the stages, so here are his thoughts on our opener Gartheiniog:
"This stage is quite open. You are driving more on the hillside, you are a little bit on the side of the mountain all of the time and it's really quite fast.
"The grip level in here is usually quite high. There is more gravel on the top of the road here."
WTCC - Macau: Loeb has just displaced Muller for fastest time in Q1. The opening segment of qualifying will run for half-an-hour rather than the usual 20 minutes because of Macau's track length.
WTCC - Macau: Entering the final half of Q1, the top six reads: 1 Loeb; 2 Lopez; 3 Muller; 4 Coronel; 5 Monteiro; 6 Valente.
Tarquini is the only big name outside the fastest 12, who will progress into Q2.
Tarquini is the only big name outside the fastest 12, who will progress into Q2.
WTCC - Macau: Citroen boss Yves Matton injured his back on a recent rally and has been advised by doctors against long-haul flights. Matton will attend Rally GB this weekend.
WTCC - Macau: Michelisz sets the fastest time of 2m25.920s, 0.116s ahead of Loeb.
Tarquini has hauled himself out of danger into fifth, while Tom Chilton also progresses from the drop-zone into the top 10.
Tarquini has hauled himself out of danger into fifth, while Tom Chilton also progresses from the drop-zone into the top 10.
WTCC - Macau: Ma Qing Hua, in 12th, has just survived a massive slide on the mountain section.
The Chinese racer did well to keep his C-Elysee out of the wall, but is under pressure from 13th-placed Bennani who has just left the pits on new tyres.
The Chinese racer did well to keep his C-Elysee out of the wall, but is under pressure from 13th-placed Bennani who has just left the pits on new tyres.
Lights out
WRC - GB: Just about to begin SS1, nine miles of Welsh mud awaits the crews, led by Sebastien Ogier's Volkswagen.
Red flag
Macau - WTCC: The session is stopped after Kozlovskiy spins across the road at Lisboa. Q1 will not be resumed.
Green flag
Macau - WTCC: The top 12 drivers to progress into Q2 are: Michelisz; Loeb; Lopez; Morbidelli; Muller; Tarquini; Monteiro; Coronel; Huff; Chilton; Valente and Ma.
Stopwatch
WRC - GB: The VWs have made it through SS1, and so far it's firmly advantage Ogier.
The world champion is just over four seconds quicker than team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen and Jari-Matti Latvala.
The world champion is just over four seconds quicker than team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen and Jari-Matti Latvala.
Macau - WTCC: Citroen shows its hand in Q2. Lopez records a fastest WTCC lap of the weekend of 2m24.519s, some 0.584s ahead of a spectacular Sebastien Loeb. Last year's race winner Yvan Muller holds third.
WRC - GB: Mikko Hirvonen is desperate to end the season, this rally and his final WRC campaign as the best of the non-VWs.
That's partly because he admits his M-Sport Ford probably can't get among them - and that's certainly the case on Gartheiniog right now, as he's come through fourth out of four, 10s off the pace.
That's partly because he admits his M-Sport Ford probably can't get among them - and that's certainly the case on Gartheiniog right now, as he's come through fourth out of four, 10s off the pace.
WRC - GB: Reports from the stage suggest that Ogier smacked a hay bale pretty hard on that one. Judging by his time, though, smacking hay bales makes rally cars go quicker and everyone should do it.
Twitter
WRC - GB: Citroen chief Yves Matton confirms what we mentioned a moment ago:
"Rain and fog. It's confirmed I am not in Macau."
"Rain and fog. It's confirmed I am not in Macau."
Porsche
Bahrain – WEC: FP3 is about to start. Porsche driver Jani set the best time of yesterday, an impressive 1m43.3s on only his sixth flying lap of the weekend. He reckons more will be required if the 919 Hybrid is to notch up another WEC pole.
Macau - WTCC: Monteiro produces a great save on his penultimate lap. The Portuguese racer's factory JAS Honda team-mate Gabriele Tarquini has not set a representative time.
WRC - GB: The Citroens and Neuville have come through as well, with Mads Ostberg and Kris Meeke going either side of Hirvonen, and Thierry Neuville slowest so far.
Everyone not in a Polo is between 8s and 11s off, and Ogier has a 4s advantage over his stablemates.
Everyone not in a Polo is between 8s and 11s off, and Ogier has a 4s advantage over his stablemates.
Quote
WRC - GB: Ogier describes SS1 as "slippery and tricky", but he's happy enough, as you'd expect with a 4s lead.
Checkered flag
WTCC - Macau: Loeb briefly demoted Lopez from top spot in Q2, before Lopez produced a last gasp improvement to record the fastest time.
Yvan Muller will join his Citroen team-mates in Q3, along with Tom Coronel and Norbert Michelisz.
Hugo Valente secures the reversed-grid race pole position, courtesy of 10th.
Yvan Muller will join his Citroen team-mates in Q3, along with Tom Coronel and Norbert Michelisz.
Hugo Valente secures the reversed-grid race pole position, courtesy of 10th.
WRC - GB: Local hero Elfyn Evans makes a quiet start, he's eighth of the nine drivers through, 15s off the pace and only ahead of Martin Prokop.
Five more World Rally Car men expected: Robert Kubica, Hayden Paddon, Juho Hanninen, Ott Tanak and Henning Solberg.
(Probably not in that order, haven't got a start list to hand)
Five more World Rally Car men expected: Robert Kubica, Hayden Paddon, Juho Hanninen, Ott Tanak and Henning Solberg.
(Probably not in that order, haven't got a start list to hand)
Quote
WRC - GB: While we wait for the last few drivers to complete SS1, Ogier and Latvala are about to line up for the start of SS2, the 13.6 miles of Dyfi.
Here's our superstar stage guide Latvala's verdict on that one:
"This is in the same kind of area as Gartheiniog, the same forest really – just across the road, so the nature is the same.
"If we are having a lot of rain and it's wet, because these roads are more open, they can dry out a little bit quicker.
"I like these stages, though – good start to the event."
Here's our superstar stage guide Latvala's verdict on that one:
"This is in the same kind of area as Gartheiniog, the same forest really – just across the road, so the nature is the same.
"If we are having a lot of rain and it's wet, because these roads are more open, they can dry out a little bit quicker.
"I like these stages, though – good start to the event."
Green flag
WTCC - Macau: Norbert Michelisz begins his single-lap Q3 run, to start the final part of an extended World Touring Car Championship qualifying session in Macau.
Lights out
WRC - GB: The leading VWs have begun Dyfi. Quick-fire stuff this morning, four Welsh forest stages within just over two hours before service.
WRC - GB: Cautious start from Kubica, who is only 13th on SS1 at the moment.
WTCC - Macau: Coronel aborts his single-lap run after brushing the wall with his front-left wheel. The ROAL Motorsport Chevy appears to have sustained either a puncture or suspension damage.
The Dutch veteran had been 0.275s up on Michelisz after the first sector... It is now Yvan Muller's turn.
The Dutch veteran had been 0.275s up on Michelisz after the first sector... It is now Yvan Muller's turn.
Checkered flag
WRC - GB: SS1 results:
1 Ogier 8m34.3s
2 Mikkelsen +4.5s
3 Latvala +4.6s
4 Osbterg +7.8s
5 Hirvonen +10.0s
6 Meeke +10.5s
7 Neuville +10.7s
8 Evans +15.5s
9 Hanninen +16.5s
10 Solberg +20.0s
11 Tanak +21.5s
12 Prokop +26.4s
13 Paddon +27.2s
14 Kubica +29.6s
As it's stage one, there's the full World Rally Car pack for you.
1 Ogier 8m34.3s
2 Mikkelsen +4.5s
3 Latvala +4.6s
4 Osbterg +7.8s
5 Hirvonen +10.0s
6 Meeke +10.5s
7 Neuville +10.7s
8 Evans +15.5s
9 Hanninen +16.5s
10 Solberg +20.0s
11 Tanak +21.5s
12 Prokop +26.4s
13 Paddon +27.2s
14 Kubica +29.6s
As it's stage one, there's the full World Rally Car pack for you.
WRC - GB: DAVID EVANS is out on SS2 amid huge crowds.
"It's not raining yet, but lots of heavy black cloud coming.
"I had a good guide into the stage, following Gwyndaf Evans. The 1996 British champion clearly had fever this morning, putting on his Response rally jacket from 1997."
"It's not raining yet, but lots of heavy black cloud coming.
"I had a good guide into the stage, following Gwyndaf Evans. The 1996 British champion clearly had fever this morning, putting on his Response rally jacket from 1997."
WTCC - Macau: Muller takes provisional pole on 2m24.779s, 0.548s ahead of Norbert Michelisz.
Sebastien Loeb and Jose Maria Lopez are the final runners left in Q3. Former WRC star Loeb is 0.042s faster than Muller after the opening sector.
Sebastien Loeb and Jose Maria Lopez are the final runners left in Q3. Former WRC star Loeb is 0.042s faster than Muller after the opening sector.
Rain
WRC - GB: And no sooner has DAVID EVANS said that than he adds...
"Rookie RAC error... Forgotten hat and it's now pissing it down. Bugger.
"I'm standing on the same corner which caught Kubica out last year (the first one...)"
"Rookie RAC error... Forgotten hat and it's now pissing it down. Bugger.
"I'm standing on the same corner which caught Kubica out last year (the first one...)"
Stopwatch
WRC - GB: Ogier completes SS2 with a 12m21.9s time.
"At the moment everything is fine, we are ahead on the splits on this one too."
"At the moment everything is fine, we are ahead on the splits on this one too."
Breaking news
WRC - GB: Mikkelsen has come to a halt in the second half of Dyfi. He'd been running second starting this one.
WTCC - Macau: Loeb knocks Muller off the top of timing screens. The #9 C-Elysee records a lap of 2m24.522s, 0.257s quicker than Muller.
Twitter
WRC - GB: Bit of news from M-Sport, which has a few drivers (including Kubica) further down the start order:
"The drivers report that the conditions are getting worse and worse for those running further down the field."
"The drivers report that the conditions are getting worse and worse for those running further down the field."
Quote
WRC - GB: Latvala reports that he bad a big moment and "was lucky not to roll. I'm not driving well."
Latvala loses another 4s to Ogier, who is now 8.9s clear up front.
Mikkelsen has started moving again.
Latvala loses another 4s to Ogier, who is now 8.9s clear up front.
Mikkelsen has started moving again.
Checkered flag
WTCC - Macau: Lopez takes pole on his maiden visit to Macau after a fully committed single-lap shoot-out performance.
Q3 result: 1 Lopez; 2 Loeb; 3 Muller; 4 Michelisz; 5 Coronel.
Q3 result: 1 Lopez; 2 Loeb; 3 Muller; 4 Michelisz; 5 Coronel.
Crash
WRC - GB: Mikkelsen drags his Polo to the end of the stage, but he thinks it's sustained too much damage to continue:
"I came slightly too fast over a crest into braking and braked a little bit too late. I caught the right rear and nosed into a ditch. We needed to stop, and I'm afraid it might be over for today, but we'll have a look."
"I came slightly too fast over a crest into braking and braked a little bit too late. I caught the right rear and nosed into a ditch. We needed to stop, and I'm afraid it might be over for today, but we'll have a look."
WRC - GB: Just before Mikkelsen appeared, Hirvonen came through with a time 13s off Ogier's pace.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Peter Mills, Gary Watkins, Marcus Simmons, Jonathan Noble
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