Rally Germany, Belgian GP supports
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WRC - Germany: On the splits, Mikkelsen is now the fastest man, though there's not a lot in it between him and Neuville.
WRC - Germany: Ireland's WRC novice Sam Moffett is still running 12th overall, though he's ended Panzerplatte with basically no rubber left on his tyres.
WRC - Germany: First sign of trouble on Panzerplatte is in WRC2, where erstwhile leader Sousa has stopped. He'd lost the lead to Tidemand earlier today.
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WRC - Germany: Dani Sordo once again underlined what a thoroughly decent fella he is when asked about his chances of catching Jari-Matti Latvala for the rally lead.
"On driving, there is no chance," Sordo told AUTOSPORT.
"And anyway, I want Jari-Matti to win. He's a nice guy, a good guy and he works very hard in this sport. I like him."
"On driving, there is no chance," Sordo told AUTOSPORT.
"And anyway, I want Jari-Matti to win. He's a nice guy, a good guy and he works very hard in this sport. I like him."
WRC - Germany: Of the early runners on Panzerplatte, Ostberg is by far the fastest on the splits.
But it's the Hyundais we're most interested in at the moment.
If Kubica's tyre wear issues are shared by the others on softs, and the rain stays away, then Sordo and Neuville's hard compounds will be perfect.
But it's the Hyundais we're most interested in at the moment.
If Kubica's tyre wear issues are shared by the others on softs, and the rain stays away, then Sordo and Neuville's hard compounds will be perfect.
Breaking news
GP3 - Spa: Amazing scenes in Belgium already this morning too.
It's fair to say that no one was expecting miracles when Trident announced an all-new line-up headed by Luca Ghiotto for this weekend, but the young Italian has just grabbed pole for his series debut...
Spa GP3 qualifying report
You can follow both GP3 races this weekend, and GP2 as well, on Race Centre Live
It's fair to say that no one was expecting miracles when Trident announced an all-new line-up headed by Luca Ghiotto for this weekend, but the young Italian has just grabbed pole for his series debut...
Spa GP3 qualifying report
You can follow both GP3 races this weekend, and GP2 as well, on Race Centre Live
WRC - Germany: Kubica is first man through Panzerplatte Lang, with slight wheel damage again.
It sounds like it's been an adventure - he went straight on at a junction after his car bottomed out, and then suffered overheating tyres and smacked a large stone near the stage end.
"I was driving too slowly as I was trying to save the tyres, but I don't think it really helped," says Kubica, who has definitely added a fair bit to his rallying data bank on that one.
It sounds like it's been an adventure - he went straight on at a junction after his car bottomed out, and then suffered overheating tyres and smacked a large stone near the stage end.
"I was driving too slowly as I was trying to save the tyres, but I don't think it really helped," says Kubica, who has definitely added a fair bit to his rallying data bank on that one.
Shane van Gisbergen
V8 Supercars - Eastern Creek: One place where there definitely has been rain today is Sydney in Australia.
Shane van Gisbergen cemented his reputation as V8 Supercars' rain-master by winning two increasingly saturated races at Eastern Creek this afternoon.
Race one was pretty dominant, but in the even wetter race two he had a few moments and only just held off Chaz Mostert.
Stopwatch
WRC - Germany: Sordo held the honours for a bit, but now it's rally leader Latvala who finishes Arena Panzerplatte fastest.
Hyundai men Sordo and Neuville are on hard tyres for this loop, convinced it's the best option for the very long stage they're about to start.
The rest all have softs - which is what you'd want if it rained, and there's a lot of rain in the clouds above Baumholder...
Hyundai men Sordo and Neuville are on hard tyres for this loop, convinced it's the best option for the very long stage they're about to start.
The rest all have softs - which is what you'd want if it rained, and there's a lot of rain in the clouds above Baumholder...
WRC - Germany: Mikkelsen now goes fastest by four tenths of a second, which sneaks his advantage over Neuville up to six tenths.
Stopwatch
WRC - Germany: Neuville has just finished Arena Panzerplatte, deposing Hirvonen, Prokop and Kubica from the top of the stage order.
WRC - Germany: Neuville was second quickest to Kubica on SS7, which thrust him right into the battle for the final step on the podium with his Hyundai team-mate Sordo and Mikkelsen's VW.
Sordo, who won here for Citroen last year and flew yesterday, admitted he hadn't had much testing mileage in the damp conditions that Stein & Wein featured, so wasn't surprised to see Neuville looming behind him.
Sordo, who won here for Citroen last year and flew yesterday, admitted he hadn't had much testing mileage in the damp conditions that Stein & Wein featured, so wasn't surprised to see Neuville looming behind him.
WRC - Germany: This was the order after the stage that did run first thing this morning, Stein & Wein:
1 Latvala
2 Meeke +40.2s
3 Sordo +48.3s
4 Mikkelsen +52.0s
5 Neuville +52.2s
6 Hirvonen +1m02.9s
7 Evans +1m03.7s
8 Ostberg +1m14.5s
9 Bouffier +1m44.0s
10 Prokop +2m21.9s
(17 Kubica +5m16.2s)
1 Latvala
2 Meeke +40.2s
3 Sordo +48.3s
4 Mikkelsen +52.0s
5 Neuville +52.2s
6 Hirvonen +1m02.9s
7 Evans +1m03.7s
8 Ostberg +1m14.5s
9 Bouffier +1m44.0s
10 Prokop +2m21.9s
(17 Kubica +5m16.2s)
WRC - Germany: We're starting off with the relatively gentle 'arena' version of Panzerplatte, which is just 1.9 miles, but it's immediately followed by the 'long' 26.4-mile version.
Kubica is again fastest so far on the Arena.
Kubica is again fastest so far on the Arena.
WRC - Germany: We're now onto the famous Panzerplatte stages on the Baumholder military range, home of the 'hinkelsteins' - the large concrete blocks designed to stop tanks, and therefore not good news for rally cars.
WRC - Germany: So we've only had one actual stage so far today, and while Latvala extended his rally lead over Kris Meeke up to 40 seconds up front, the stage winner was Robert Kubica.
The Pole is way down the overall order after losing four minutes off the road yesterday, and is therefore running first on the road (or at least he is now after Ogier's crash).
The Pole is way down the overall order after losing four minutes off the road yesterday, and is therefore running first on the road (or at least he is now after Ogier's crash).
WRC - Germany: Is this the turning point in the 2014 World Rally Championship title battle?
Jari-Matti Latvala went into Saturday with a comfortable lead, while Sebastien Ogier was only 34th after yesterday's accident and facing a battle just to get back into the points.
That mission now looks impossible after Ogier had a massive crash on the second of today's early morning stages.
The Peterberg stage ended up being cancelled due to the barrier damage caused, while Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia headed to hospital for precautionary checks. Both are believed to be absolutely fine.
Jari-Matti Latvala went into Saturday with a comfortable lead, while Sebastien Ogier was only 34th after yesterday's accident and facing a battle just to get back into the points.
That mission now looks impossible after Ogier had a massive crash on the second of today's early morning stages.
The Peterberg stage ended up being cancelled due to the barrier damage caused, while Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia headed to hospital for precautionary checks. Both are believed to be absolutely fine.
WRC - Germany: Good morning and welcome back to what is already a very dramatic second day of Rally Germany.
Breaking news
WRC - Germany: Here's the full story of that wild turnaround at the end of Friday afternoon and the complete summary of leg one:
Rally Germany Friday afternoon report
AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live will be back in business from 8.45am UK time on Saturday morning, ready for the (in)famous Panzerplatte stages. See you then.
Rally Germany Friday afternoon report
AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live will be back in business from 8.45am UK time on Saturday morning, ready for the (in)famous Panzerplatte stages. See you then.
Checkered flag
WRC - Germany - SS6 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 12m45.8s
2 Sordo +1.4s
3 Meeke +5.6s
4 Mikkelsen +5.9s
5 Evans +6.6s
6 Neuville +6.9s
7 Hirvonen +7.1s
8 Ostberg +11.9s
9 Bouffier +16.9s
10 Kubica +20.4s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Latvala
2 Meeke +37.0s
3 Sordo +42.6s
4 Mikkelsen +45.6s
5 Neuville +53.1s
6 Hirvonen +55.0s
7 Evans +1m00.2s
8 Ostberg +1m01.9s
9 Bouffier +1m35.6s
10 Prokop +2m07.1s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 12m45.8s
2 Sordo +1.4s
3 Meeke +5.6s
4 Mikkelsen +5.9s
5 Evans +6.6s
6 Neuville +6.9s
7 Hirvonen +7.1s
8 Ostberg +11.9s
9 Bouffier +16.9s
10 Kubica +20.4s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Latvala
2 Meeke +37.0s
3 Sordo +42.6s
4 Mikkelsen +45.6s
5 Neuville +53.1s
6 Hirvonen +55.0s
7 Evans +1m00.2s
8 Ostberg +1m01.9s
9 Bouffier +1m35.6s
10 Prokop +2m07.1s
WRC - Germany: Now the WRC timing system has stopped suggesting that stage was an hour long (lovely Safari Rally memories), we can bring you some results...
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WRC - Germany: That means Sordo will end the day in third place.
"I'm really happy, I pushed really, really hard in this stage. I really did my best and I enjoyed this stage a lot, a lot. Now we will try to fight for the podium."
"I'm really happy, I pushed really, really hard in this stage. I really did my best and I enjoyed this stage a lot, a lot. Now we will try to fight for the podium."
WRC - Germany: Sordo completes the stage, just 1.4s behind Latvala for second quickest.
Stopwatch
WRC - Germany: Sordo is absolutely flying on the splits, looks certain to be back ahead of Mikkelsen and into third.
WRC - Germany: Kubica comes through with a little bit of minor damage, and says he had a small mishap on this stage again. It was the scene of his costly trip off this morning too.
He's a bit cryptic about what happened, but says he's got it figured out:
"It's not something with driving, it's something that is going on in the car."
He's a bit cryptic about what happened, but says he's got it figured out:
"It's not something with driving, it's something that is going on in the car."
WRC - Germany: Ogier is driving his VW back to service, so it was undamaged in that crash. He had to retire because there was no way to get back to the road, he'd plunged that far down from the stage itself.
WRC - Germany: The Hyundai gets going again. Neuville says there was "some fire" but is sure it'll get back to service. He's going to be fifth overall with Ogier out.
WRC - Germany: Neuville and Gilsoul are looking under the i20's bonnet and are now jacking the car up. There was some smoke inside the car and they got out in a hurry.
WRC - Germany: Neuville leaps out of his Hyundai at the stage finish, as does co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul, seems to be a problem with the exhaust.
WRC - Germany: Meeke says Ogier "went right over the edge" when he crashed, so is glad to hear the champion is unhurt.
Meeke ends the day second, 37s behind Latvala but in prime position to capitalise if the VW has any dramas.
Meeke ends the day second, 37s behind Latvala but in prime position to capitalise if the VW has any dramas.
WRC - Germany: A fairly pleased Hirvonen is third quickest, pulling another chunk clear of Ostberg.
WRC - Germany: Ostberg is 12s off the pace as he completes. He said hanging around on the startline during the delay wasn't great for brake or tyre temperatures - although once he got going, he managed to overheat both elements.
WRC - Germany: Ogier is moving again, although he's lost so much time it seems he's just heading to the main road to drive back to service.
WRC - Germany: Mikkelsen smoothly completes the stage 5.9s off Latvala.
He'll potentially move back up to third now.
He'll potentially move back up to third now.
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WRC - Germany: Latvala says hearing about his arch-rival's departure unsettled him a bit.
"We got a message in the car that Ogier had stopped, and then that Ogier was out.
"I saw some lines like somebody had gone straight off, but I couldn't say if it was him or from earlier.
"After that I lost some rhythm - I wasn't sure how hard to push."
"We got a message in the car that Ogier had stopped, and then that Ogier was out.
"I saw some lines like somebody had gone straight off, but I couldn't say if it was him or from earlier.
"After that I lost some rhythm - I wasn't sure how hard to push."
WRC - Germany: Shall we speculate about title battle turnarounds in a really unhelpful fashion that'll probably jinx Latvala...?
Sorry, we can't help it.
Latvala, who finishes the stage safely now, is 44 points behind Ogier right now.
If, if, if Ogier ends up scoring zero this weekend and Latvala can win the rally and the Powerstage, that gap could come down to 16 points with four rallies to go...
Sorry, we can't help it.
Latvala, who finishes the stage safely now, is 44 points behind Ogier right now.
If, if, if Ogier ends up scoring zero this weekend and Latvala can win the rally and the Powerstage, that gap could come down to 16 points with four rallies to go...
Breaking news
WRC - Germany: VW has confirmed that Ogier and Julien Ingrassia were unhurt in their crash. Looks like they're out of today at least.
WRC - Germany: Ogier is still stopped, which suggests he's potentially picked up too much damage to continue.
Several cars have now gone past him.
Several cars have now gone past him.
WRC - Germany: This hands a big rally lead to Latvala.
And it's a repeat (albeit a few stages later) of 2013, when Ogier started running away with this rally before going off.
Latvala benfited, but then he crashed as well on Saturday and it became a Sordo vs Neuville shootout.
And it's a repeat (albeit a few stages later) of 2013, when Ogier started running away with this rally before going off.
Latvala benfited, but then he crashed as well on Saturday and it became a Sordo vs Neuville shootout.
WRC - Germany: Ogier has now come to a halt again.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, AUTOSPORT staff, Gary Watkins, Dan Cross, Charles Bradley, Kevin Turner
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