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Rally Germany
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We're moments away from the start of SS11, Freisen.
Let's see what Seb Marshall thinks of the tricky 9 mile stage:
SS11 Freisen (9.18 miles)
This countryside-style road is pretty much the same as it was last year. It’s quite interesting with some narrow and tricky sections where the bushes at the side of the road narrow the stage down even further. There are some long straights in here, something that will definitely be more of a feature of the second half of the rally.
Let's see what Seb Marshall thinks of the tricky 9 mile stage:
SS11 Freisen (9.18 miles)
This countryside-style road is pretty much the same as it was last year. It’s quite interesting with some narrow and tricky sections where the bushes at the side of the road narrow the stage down even further. There are some long straights in here, something that will definitely be more of a feature of the second half of the rally.
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SS10 results:
Leading stage times:
1 Hanninen 24m39.7s
2 Ogier +2.4s
3 Tanak +2.8s
4 Meeke +9.9s
5 Mikkelsen +11.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +15.3s
3 Ogier +30.6s
4 Evans +1m07.3s
5 Hanninen +1m13.4s
6 Breen +1m40s
7 Latvala +2m06.7s
8 Paddon +4m18.5s
9 Kopecky +5m13.4s
Leading stage times:
1 Hanninen 24m39.7s
2 Ogier +2.4s
3 Tanak +2.8s
4 Meeke +9.9s
5 Mikkelsen +11.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +15.3s
3 Ogier +30.6s
4 Evans +1m07.3s
5 Hanninen +1m13.4s
6 Breen +1m40s
7 Latvala +2m06.7s
8 Paddon +4m18.5s
9 Kopecky +5m13.4s
Let's see how Panzerplatte has affected the overall standings...
Stopwatch
TANAK EXTENDS HIS LEAD
Tanak completes the stage 9s faster than Mikkelsen to increase his overall lead to 15.3s
Tanak completes the stage 9s faster than Mikkelsen to increase his overall lead to 15.3s
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Mikkelsen comes through 9.4s slower than Ogier. That means the overall gap between the two is now 15.3s.
"It was difficult. It was much drier than I thought, so I think we should have had two hard tyres on."
"It was difficult. It was much drier than I thought, so I think we should have had two hard tyres on."
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Ogier is in. Second quickest through Panzerplatte.
"I was too cautious. I could have gone quicker but I didn't push enough."
So much for a mission, however, Mikkelsen is in, too...
"I was too cautious. I could have gone quicker but I didn't push enough."
So much for a mission, however, Mikkelsen is in, too...
Ogier is also quicker than Mikkelsen at the moment. He's 4.9s up on the Citroen man. So much for calm and composed from Ogier... he's on a mission.
More gains from Tanak. He's now 8.4s up on Mikkelsen through the third split.
Stopwatch
Hanninen completes the stage fastest with a 24m39.7s, 13.2s quicker than Latvala.
Tanak is only 1.3s off the fastest opening split from Hanninen
Stopwatch
Rally leader, Tanak is 3.9s faster than Mikkelsen through the opening split
Crash
Paddon has lost A LOT of time in the third split. Problem for the Kiwi? He's still moving at the moment, but Jari-Matti is closing in on him.
Mikkelsen comes through the opening split 1.5s off the pace of Ogier.
Mikkelsen and Tanak are into the stage. We await their opening splits with bated breath. It's too early for more drama... haven't even had a coffee yet.
Steady start from Ogier. He's 3.7s down on the fastest opening split from Hanninen.
The opening splits are coming in from Panzerplatte. Juho Hanninen is currently 2.7s faster than Paddon.
Meanwhile, Ogier has started the stage. What will his approach be now that Neuville is out? Calm and composed? He's 31s off the lead at the moment.
Meanwhile, Ogier has started the stage. What will his approach be now that Neuville is out? Calm and composed? He's 31s off the lead at the moment.
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Ok... it's time to breath a bit. One of the shortest stages of the rally has thrown up THE biggest surprise, so far anyway!
Time to have a sip of tea, calm those nerves, and let's hear from Neuville's co-driver, Nicolas Gilsoul:
"It looked like something broke on the suspension, but, we'll have to analyse first.
"We're still positive and a lot can still happen here in Germany.
"Our target is still to become world champions, this year."
Time to have a sip of tea, calm those nerves, and let's hear from Neuville's co-driver, Nicolas Gilsoul:
"It looked like something broke on the suspension, but, we'll have to analyse first.
"We're still positive and a lot can still happen here in Germany.
"Our target is still to become world champions, this year."
Unfortunately, Thierry has lost a little bit more than time in SS9. That could be a pivotal moment in the title fight.
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Stopwatch
Tanak completes the opening stage of the day fastest and extends his lead over Mikkelsen to 6.3s
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Meanwhile, the main Panzerplatte stage is underway. Let's get the lowdown from Hayden Paddon's co-driver, Seb Marshall:
SS15 Panzerplatte (26.08miles) By the time we get here we’ve had our Baumholder hors d’oeuvre in the shape of the Arena Panzerplatte spectator stage. That ones only a couple of miles long, but it’s good to get in there and get loosened up after the road section. But then it’s the big one: Panzerplatte. This one’s a bit of a classic and it’s one heck of a stage. In some places, it’s just corner after corner, but then there are some faster stretches as well – again it’s a stage with lots of tempo and rhythm changes. The organisers have put some straw bales on some of the corners in here – and in some of the other stages. This is to try and keep the cars away from some of the biggest cuts, which could help to keep the road that bit cleaner.During the recce it was still quite damp in lots of places in here which made grip quite inconsistent. What makes the grip even more inconsistent is the surface change itself – it’s going from asphalt to broken concrete to gravel to concrete to broken asphalt all the time. In the car, you really feel the car struggling to find grip and keep contact with the road. You don’t get the same physical forces with the high-speed slowing into hairpin that you get in the vineyards, but it’s still a full-on experience to go through Panzerplatte at full speed.I think this one could be the decisive stage on this year’s event; certainly, by the time we leave here for the second time around on Saturday, I think we’ll have a very good idea of who’s doing what in the event.
SS15 Panzerplatte (26.08miles) By the time we get here we’ve had our Baumholder hors d’oeuvre in the shape of the Arena Panzerplatte spectator stage. That ones only a couple of miles long, but it’s good to get in there and get loosened up after the road section. But then it’s the big one: Panzerplatte. This one’s a bit of a classic and it’s one heck of a stage. In some places, it’s just corner after corner, but then there are some faster stretches as well – again it’s a stage with lots of tempo and rhythm changes. The organisers have put some straw bales on some of the corners in here – and in some of the other stages. This is to try and keep the cars away from some of the biggest cuts, which could help to keep the road that bit cleaner.During the recce it was still quite damp in lots of places in here which made grip quite inconsistent. What makes the grip even more inconsistent is the surface change itself – it’s going from asphalt to broken concrete to gravel to concrete to broken asphalt all the time. In the car, you really feel the car struggling to find grip and keep contact with the road. You don’t get the same physical forces with the high-speed slowing into hairpin that you get in the vineyards, but it’s still a full-on experience to go through Panzerplatte at full speed.I think this one could be the decisive stage on this year’s event; certainly, by the time we leave here for the second time around on Saturday, I think we’ll have a very good idea of who’s doing what in the event.
So, to be able to fix this issue Neuville says he'll "need to be a magician". His day appears to be over. Such a shame for the Belgian.
Crash
Neuville is out! There's no damage, it appears the rear left wheel has just come loose. BIG drama to start the championship leader's day. This will be music to Ogier's ears!
Neuville is into mini-Panzerplatte... Panzerplatte light... diet Panzerplatte... Panzerplatte zero. It has the name, but not the full calories that the 26 mile Panzerplatte has to offer.
Green flag
Panzerplatte superspecial is LIVE! It's just a short arena version of the 26 mile behemoth.
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Want some tyre info ahead of the superspecial? Of course you do! Michelin tweet incoming...
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It's a bright and sunny day today, so no need for the 'monsoon tyre'... so far anyway! TV crews are, however, reporting that it's still a little damp below the trees. You've been warned, gentlemen!
Now, let’s focus on today’s action. The Panzerplatte superspecial will be getting underway shortly, with Armin Kremer first out. The ‘big four’ of Neuville, Ogier, Mikkelsen and Tanak will hit the stage from 08:23.
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If you missed any of the action from yesterday here’s a little recap to get you up to speed!
. Ott Tanak reclaimed the lead from Andreas Mikkelsen by 5.7s
. Sebastien Ogier was set to end Friday in third, but spun on the Wadern superspecial, losing 20s and falling to fourth - 2.4s behind his title rival, Thierry Neuville
. Rally Finland winner, Esapekka Lappi was closing in on Elfyn Evans in fifth place, but the Finn crashed out on Grafschaft
. Jan Kopecky leads WRC2 by 5.8s from Pontus Tidemand
. Ott Tanak reclaimed the lead from Andreas Mikkelsen by 5.7s
. Sebastien Ogier was set to end Friday in third, but spun on the Wadern superspecial, losing 20s and falling to fourth - 2.4s behind his title rival, Thierry Neuville
. Rally Finland winner, Esapekka Lappi was closing in on Elfyn Evans in fifth place, but the Finn crashed out on Grafschaft
. Jan Kopecky leads WRC2 by 5.8s from Pontus Tidemand
Good morning and welcome to Autosport Live’s coverage of Rally Germany
That's where we're going to call it a day for Autosport Live's Friday coverage, with just the superspecial to go in an hour. At the end of that, we'll have a full report from the afternoon action on the Autosport.com news pages.
Live coverage resumes with the fearsome Panzerplatte stages from 8am UK time tomorrow morning. See you then.
Live coverage resumes with the fearsome Panzerplatte stages from 8am UK time tomorrow morning. See you then.
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SS7 summary:
* Tanak goes quickest again and retakes rally lead from Mikkelsen by 4.5s
* Lappi crashes out when closing on Evans for fifth
* Ogier falls slightly further away from lead battle in third but stays well clear of Neuville
* Tanak goes quickest again and retakes rally lead from Mikkelsen by 4.5s
* Lappi crashes out when closing on Evans for fifth
* Ogier falls slightly further away from lead battle in third but stays well clear of Neuville
Information
SS7 results:
Leading stage times:
1 Tanak 11m15.4s
2 Neuville +3.2s
3 Ogier +3.3s
4 Mikkelsen +5.4s
5 Latvala +9.1s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +4.5s
3 Ogier +9.9s
4 Neuville +28.6s
5 Evans +47.4s
6 Breen +1m04.0s
7 Hanninen +1m07.7s
8 Latvala +1m55.5s
9 Paddon +2m21.7s
Leading stage times:
1 Tanak 11m15.4s
2 Neuville +3.2s
3 Ogier +3.3s
4 Mikkelsen +5.4s
5 Latvala +9.1s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +4.5s
3 Ogier +9.9s
4 Neuville +28.6s
5 Evans +47.4s
6 Breen +1m04.0s
7 Hanninen +1m07.7s
8 Latvala +1m55.5s
9 Paddon +2m21.7s
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Mikkelsen reckons the wet tyre "was a little bit too much for the grip" there.
Mikkelsen is in and he's only fourth quickest, 5.4s behind Tanak.
That means Tanak now leads the rally by 4.5s.
That means Tanak now leads the rally by 4.5s.
Crash
Meeke reports that Lappi is "stuck in a ditch" and looks like he went off under braking.
Leader Mikkelsen is only third quickest at split two behind Neuville and Ogier, but we don't know how he compares to Tanak as the Estonian didn't trigger a split time at that point.
By: Matt Beer
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