Rally Germany, Belgian GP supports
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Green flag
GP2 - Spa: The field is now on its warm-up lap. Onboard shots show us where the damp patches are - mainly on the Kemmel Straight, with some also on the run to Eau Rouge and Pouhon.
GP3 managed it without too much problems, but how will this lot fare?
GP3 managed it without too much problems, but how will this lot fare?
GP2 - Spa: Cars are all set for their warm-up lap. Despite no rain this morning, the track is taking an age to dry totally, and there are still damp patches.
All cars on slicks, naturally. Abt starts on pole ahead of Markelov and points leader Palmer, who has to fancy his chances today.
All cars on slicks, naturally. Abt starts on pole ahead of Markelov and points leader Palmer, who has to fancy his chances today.
IndyCar - Sonoma: Bristol wasn't the only US venue where action took place last night.
IndyCar points leader Will Power took pole position in qualifying for the penultimate round of the series at Sonoma, with chief rival and Penske team-mate Helio Castroneves losing his best time for exceeding track limits.
MARK GLENDENNING has the full story of an eventful session:
Power flies to Sonoma pole
IndyCar points leader Will Power took pole position in qualifying for the penultimate round of the series at Sonoma, with chief rival and Penske team-mate Helio Castroneves losing his best time for exceeding track limits.
MARK GLENDENNING has the full story of an eventful session:
Power flies to Sonoma pole
Rally Germany toilet
WRC - Germany: German efficiency is always very much in evidence at the ninth round of the World Rally Championship.
Rather alarmingly, this now stretches to the gents as well, reveals DAVID EVANS.
In an effort to ensure the paying public don't get access to the media centre (the toilet has a door at either end) a rather sinister looking barrier has been installed.
I was going to say erected, but that felt all wrong when talking about the gents.
And apologies to the inhabitant of trap two who was clearly alarmed at the sound of my iPhone clicking away just outside his door.
Twitter
WRC - Germany: And some wry wisdom from Tomi Tuominen, co-drver to Hyundai man Juho Hanninen (another star of the epic 2011 IRC season...):
"You don't have be fastest. Just stay on the road (we don't count shakedown). Interesting afternoon for @HyundaiWRC"
"You don't have be fastest. Just stay on the road (we don't count shakedown). Interesting afternoon for @HyundaiWRC"
GP3 - Spa: Lynn is now 34 points clear of Stanaway at the head of the championship table.
Twitter
WRC - Germany: Excitement building ahead of the probable Hyundai one-two.
Here's long-time British rally star Guy Wilks' Sunday morning vibe:
"This could be some story for @thierryneuville ...... #zero to #hero in 4 days!!! Come on, #justdoit"
Wilks knows exactly how good Neuville is, having had a first-hand look at his speed when they were both driving Kronos Peugeots in the young Belgian's breakthrough 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign.
Here's long-time British rally star Guy Wilks' Sunday morning vibe:
"This could be some story for @thierryneuville ...... #zero to #hero in 4 days!!! Come on, #justdoit"
Wilks knows exactly how good Neuville is, having had a first-hand look at his speed when they were both driving Kronos Peugeots in the young Belgian's breakthrough 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign.
Checkered flag
GP3 - Spa: Lynn scores his third GP3 victory of the season, ahead of title rival Stanaway, Fontana (who set fastest lap on the final tour), Mardenborough, Yelloly, Bernstorff and Zamparelli.
Sa Silva had a big crash at Raidillon on the last lap. He seems OK.
Sa Silva had a big crash at Raidillon on the last lap. He seems OK.
GP3 - Spa: Lynn starts the final lap some 3.5s clear of Stanaway. Yelloly has closed up on Mardenborough in fourth.
GP3 - Spa: Bernstorff has passed Zamparelli on the Kemmel Straight, but spent much of the straight on the grass! Did well to keep his foot in there - brave stuff.
GP3 - Spa: Lynn looks to have this one won, another fastest lap and the gap over Stanaway is 1.8s.
NASCAR - Bristol: And this is how that final bit of the Chase battle stands, with the list of leading win-less men and their points tallies:
Matt Kenseth 751
Ryan Newman 710
Clint Bowyer 699
Greg Biffle 694
-----------------
Kyle Larson 668
Kasey Kahne 661
Austin Dillon 654
Paul Menard 649
Jamie McMurray 634
After last week's Michigan crash, Larson did well to come from the back to 12th at Bristol (following a qualifying shunt) to make up some ground, while Kahne and McMurray were both victory contenders last night.
It's going to be an anxious fortnight for everyone just above and below that dotted line of doom.
Matt Kenseth 751
Ryan Newman 710
Clint Bowyer 699
Greg Biffle 694
-----------------
Kyle Larson 668
Kasey Kahne 661
Austin Dillon 654
Paul Menard 649
Jamie McMurray 634
After last week's Michigan crash, Larson did well to come from the back to 12th at Bristol (following a qualifying shunt) to make up some ground, while Kahne and McMurray were both victory contenders last night.
It's going to be an anxious fortnight for everyone just above and below that dotted line of doom.
GP3 - Spa: Zamparelli moves up to sixth after Varhaug runs wide at La Source. Bernstorff has passed Varhaug too at Les Combes.
GP3 - Spa: Lynn has restored his lead to 1.2s.
Stoneman has lost eighth again to Bernstorff by running wide at Raidillon.
Stoneman has lost eighth again to Bernstorff by running wide at Raidillon.
NASCAR - Bristol: At this stage of the season, with just two rounds to go until the Chase cut-off, the second biggest interest after the winner is in the permutations in that bit of the points table where consistency will still get you a title shot even in the new winning-is-everything era.
Here are the men who are now locked into the Chase by virtue of race wins:
Jeff Gordon
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Brad Keselowski
Joey Logano
Jimmie Johnson
Kevin Harvick
Carl Edwards
Kyle Busch
Denny Hamlin
AJ Allmendinger
Kurt Busch
Aric Almirola
Which leaves four spots to be decided at Richmond and Atlanta...
Here are the men who are now locked into the Chase by virtue of race wins:
Jeff Gordon
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Brad Keselowski
Joey Logano
Jimmie Johnson
Kevin Harvick
Carl Edwards
Kyle Busch
Denny Hamlin
AJ Allmendinger
Kurt Busch
Aric Almirola
Which leaves four spots to be decided at Richmond and Atlanta...
GP3 - Spa: Lynn had a huge sideways moment at Les Combes, but did brilliantly to recover his position just two corners later.
GP3 - Spa: Stanaway passes Lynn for the lead! Lynn was 1.3s ahead at the startline. Lynn repasses him at Rivage.
GP3 - Spa: Zamparelli is attacking Varhaug hard for sixth place. Stoneman is close behind them too.
Joey Logano
NASCAR - Bristol: Through the morning we'll also be bringing you up to speed with events from overnight European time, and the most spectacular action last night came from Bristol Motor Speedway.
It was ultimately a pretty calm finish to a wild race as Joey Logano held off Penske team-mate Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth to win at one of NASCAR's greatest venues.
Bristol NASCAR Sprint Cup race report
GP3 - Spa: Stoneman has passed Bernstorff at the Bus Stop for eighth place.
At the front, Lynn has set a new fastest lap, and now leads by 1.9s.
Niederhauser has shunted heavily at Les Combes. Quite a big impact that.
At the front, Lynn has set a new fastest lap, and now leads by 1.9s.
Niederhauser has shunted heavily at Les Combes. Quite a big impact that.
GP3 - Spa: Stanaway is the fastest man on track again, and closes the lead gap down to 1.2s. Third-placed Fonatana has straightlined Les Combes quite comprehensively, and Mardenborough is now right on his tail.
GP3 - Spa: Lynn has a moment on the downchange at Les Combes, but gets away with a big twitch. Stanaway is now closer as a result, closing the gap back to 1.4s.
GP3 - Spa: Not much action to report so far, but replays show that Bernstorff pulled a gutsy move on Stoneman at Eau Rouge on the opening lap, yesterday's winner having been run wide at La Source by Zamparelli.
Lynn is the fastest man on track again, and now leads by 1.8s on lap two.
Lynn is the fastest man on track again, and now leads by 1.8s on lap two.
GP3 - Spa: Lynn leads by 1.4s from Stanaway, Fontana, Mardenborough, Yelloly and Varhaug.
GP3 - Spa: Mardenborough is up to fourth after making a great start. No dramas yet, despite the tricky conditions.
Lights out
GP3 - Spa: Poleman Lynn leads away from Stanaway and Fontana.
WRC - Germany: When you went to bed last night, you were probably expecting to follow a Jari-Matti Latvala run to victory weren't you?
So was everyone else in the service park, but the Finn crashed out on the first of Sunday's two early-morning stages, handing the lead to Kris Meeke...
...who then crashed on the very next stage.
All of which madness means we now have Thierry Neuville (who nearly destroyed his car by rolling it six times through a vineyard during Thursday's shakedown) leading Dani Sordo in a Hyundai one-two.
Here's the full story of an astounding morning of rallying:
Rally Germany Sunday morning report
So was everyone else in the service park, but the Finn crashed out on the first of Sunday's two early-morning stages, handing the lead to Kris Meeke...
...who then crashed on the very next stage.
All of which madness means we now have Thierry Neuville (who nearly destroyed his car by rolling it six times through a vineyard during Thursday's shakedown) leading Dani Sordo in a Hyundai one-two.
Here's the full story of an astounding morning of rallying:
Rally Germany Sunday morning report
Green flag
GP3 - Spa: Warm-up lap is underway, and there are some serious damp patches out there. This will be a very difficult race to judge in terms of knowing when to push.
GP3 - Spa: Points leader Lynn is on reversed-grid pole, but he has Tuscher to thank for that, who spun out of the lead yesterday, handing Lynn P8. Otherwise, his title rival Stanaway would be starting from pole, with Lynn in P9 - a very different story.
GP3 - Spa: Cars are on the grid now, all on slicks, but Agostini has spun on his installation lap, proving that there are damp patches to be found out there.
Good morning and welcome back to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for the Rally Germany finale plus GP3 and GP2 races from the Belgian Grand Prix support bill.
That rounds off AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for today.
We will be back tomorrow from 8.20am UK time for the final four stages of Rally Germany, along with as-it-happens coverage of the GP3 and GP2 sprint races at Spa-Francorchamps.
In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye on the website for news and session reports from IndyCar qualifying at Sonoma and the NASCAR Sprint Cup night race at Bristol.
GP3 - Spa: Ghiotto, who started his first-ever GP3 race from pole, but had to give up the lead by dint of being on the wrong tyres, ends his race in the pits as the entire carcass of his right-rear tyre came off. That was probably from the backmarkergeddon at Les Combes in the late stages.
Stoneman and Yelloly complete a lap of honour. Zamparelli found his way into the pitlane and is now having a lonely wait for the podium ceremony.
Stoneman and Yelloly complete a lap of honour. Zamparelli found his way into the pitlane and is now having a lonely wait for the podium ceremony.
Red flag
GP3 - Spa: The race ends for a second time, this time by a red flag. Shambles.
GP3 - Spa: He's standing in a chequered flag grave. Meanwhile, the drivers race on.
GP3 - Spa: Well we managed to find the chequered flag icon, but the flagman hasn't.
Checkered flag
GP3 - Spa: Stoneman wins, that's his second in GP3, ahead of fellow Brits Zamparelli, Yelloly and Mardenborough.
BTCC - Snetterton: Motorbase boss David Bartrum was disappointed that Fabrizio Giovanardi failed to see the weighbridge request in qualifying.
The former double champion thus lost all his times up to that point, leaving him just the closing moments to qualify 19th.
Motorbase believe he should have been in the top 10. Gio's team-mate Mat Jackson qualified eighth fastest in his Ford Focus.
The former double champion thus lost all his times up to that point, leaving him just the closing moments to qualify 19th.
Motorbase believe he should have been in the top 10. Gio's team-mate Mat Jackson qualified eighth fastest in his Ford Focus.
GP3 - Spa: Yikes, there's a tractor on the edge of the track at Les Combes as the field streams past. Not good.
Crash
GP3 - Spa: Lynn has hit Fontana at La Source and damaged his nosecone. But it looks like Stanaway has taken some damage too. Crucial points at stake here.
And Balthasar and Sa Silva have got together and are sat in the middle of the track at Les Combes.
And Balthasar and Sa Silva have got together and are sat in the middle of the track at Les Combes.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, AUTOSPORT staff, Gary Watkins, Dan Cross, Charles Bradley, Kevin Turner
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