Rally Germany, Belgian GP supports
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WRC - Germany: Now it looks on the tracking system like Ogier is struggling to get back on the correct road.
He's gone off through the vineyard and found some asphalt, but it's not the stage route he wants...
He's gone off through the vineyard and found some asphalt, but it's not the stage route he wants...
WRC - Germany: Ogier is running again, but has he got damage and how much time has he lost?
Crash
WRC - Germany: Ogier has stopped and is reported to be off the road!
Lights out
WRC - Germany: Bit later than planned, but SS6 is running. The VWs have set off.
This morning this was another stage where the early splits for Ogier were great but then Latvala fought back.
This morning this was another stage where the early splits for Ogier were great but then Latvala fought back.
WRC - Germany: That means we can hold off a little longer before running possibly the oddest Race Centre Live picture that DAVID EVANS has submitted yet.
Yes, stranger than The Dancing Orange of Finland.
Yes, stranger than The Dancing Orange of Finland.
WRC - Germany: Often in these situations it ends up being a case of sitting around for ages then being told the stage is being canned, but seems like the German organisers are doing their utmost to get everything safely under control so Moselland 2 can run.
We might just see cars onto the stage in the next five minutes.
We might just see cars onto the stage in the next five minutes.
WRC - Germany: And yep, still waiting for SS6 to commence.
Crash
NASCAR - Bristol: Practice is halted after David Stremme crashes his Chevrolet.
Larson remains on top ahead of Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch.
Larson remains on top ahead of Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch.
Toyota GT86
WRC - Germany: Former Ladies World Rally champion Isolde Holdereid has enjoyed her first full day at the wheel of Toyota's GT86 CS-R3 (that's the Cologne-built car, not the Tommi Makinen-made four-wheel drive version we talked about endlessly on the last round in Finland).
The German star told AUTOSPORT: "It's been a lot of fun today. The car is really nice to drive, it has very good stability. I've had a good time."
NASCAR - Bristol: Rookie Kyle Larson is now on top in practice.
Larson was looking good to make the Chase via his points tally until last week at Michigan, when a fiery crash made him an early retirement.
That was a big blow to his hopes of making the title shootout, but given his form this year, you wouldn't be totally stunned if he won one of the remaining three 'main season' races on merit.
Larson was looking good to make the Chase via his points tally until last week at Michigan, when a fiery crash made him an early retirement.
That was a big blow to his hopes of making the title shootout, but given his form this year, you wouldn't be totally stunned if he won one of the remaining three 'main season' races on merit.
WRC - Germany: Still no movement at the start of the stage, which was due to begin 13 minutes ago.
Seems the sheer size of the crowd could be the issue.
Seems the sheer size of the crowd could be the issue.
GP2 - Spa: In case you missed it a short time ago, tomorrow's GP2 race has a home hero on pole.
Here's the full story of how McLaren F1 protege Stoffel Vandoorne upstaged championship leader Jolyon Palmer at the last gasp, plus full results:
Spa GP2 qualifying report
Here's the full story of how McLaren F1 protege Stoffel Vandoorne upstaged championship leader Jolyon Palmer at the last gasp, plus full results:
Spa GP2 qualifying report
WRC - Germany: Got a slight delay to the start of today's finale. No news on why yet.
Rain
Clouds
WRC - Germany: What's the weather going to do? Citroen is most ready for these clouds to deliver - Meeke and Ostberg are the only frontrunners with a couple of soft Michelins in the boot.
Nice picture as well, eh. That's the iPhone for you.
WRC - Germany: Ten minutes to go before the VWs head onto Moselland again for today's final shootout.
NASCAR - Bristol: The American racing weekend is getting going, with NASCAR Sprint Cup Friday morning practice beginning at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Brad Keselowski is fastest so far, though there's an early yellow for debris.
Expect a lot of debris this weekend as the field batter each other aside around this spectacular half-mile track in their final bids to secure Chase places.
It's already been a good week for Keselowski as he won the event's Truck Series round.
This was scheduled for Wednesday night (unusual, but actually quite a cool idea) but due to rain it became a Thursday morning race. That's a timeslot that probably won't catch on.
Keselowski resisted pressure from Darrell Wallace Jr for the win, and remarkably it was the 2012 Cup champion's first Truck victory.
His Truck's rear spoiler was later found to be too high, but as usual in NASCAR, the win wasn't in jeopardy and it'll be dealt with via penalties later.
Brad Keselowski is fastest so far, though there's an early yellow for debris.
Expect a lot of debris this weekend as the field batter each other aside around this spectacular half-mile track in their final bids to secure Chase places.
It's already been a good week for Keselowski as he won the event's Truck Series round.
This was scheduled for Wednesday night (unusual, but actually quite a cool idea) but due to rain it became a Thursday morning race. That's a timeslot that probably won't catch on.
Keselowski resisted pressure from Darrell Wallace Jr for the win, and remarkably it was the 2012 Cup champion's first Truck victory.
His Truck's rear spoiler was later found to be too high, but as usual in NASCAR, the win wasn't in jeopardy and it'll be dealt with via penalties later.
Craig Breen
WRC - Germany: Craig Breen's here. Craig Breen's car's here, but unfortunately the Irishman's on two wheels rather than four in Trier today. He's staying in town to fly out to Barum for next week's ERC qualifier.
"I'm trying not to look at all the rally cars going out of service," he told AUTOSPORT.
The Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver was ruled out of starting on medical grounds by Rally Germany stewards following a back injury sustained in Finland earlier this month.
Breaking news
WRC - Germany - SS5 summary:
* Ogier sets rapid splits but Latvala comes back to pip him by a tenth at the finish
* Mikkelsen takes fourth from Sordo
* Neuville rises to sixth...
* ...Ostberg falls to eighth
* Ogier sets rapid splits but Latvala comes back to pip him by a tenth at the finish
* Mikkelsen takes fourth from Sordo
* Neuville rises to sixth...
* ...Ostberg falls to eighth
Checkered flag
WRC - Germany - SS5 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 9m41.2s
2 Ogier +0.1s
3 Meeke +8.0s
4 Mikkelsen +8.2s
5 Neuville +9.5s
6 Hirvonen +11.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +5.5s
3 Meeke +36.9s
4 Mikkelsen +45.2s
5 Sordo +46.7s
6 Neuville +51.7s
7 Hirvonen +53.4s
8 Ostberg +55.5s
9 Evans +59.1s
10 Bouffier +1m24.2s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 9m41.2s
2 Ogier +0.1s
3 Meeke +8.0s
4 Mikkelsen +8.2s
5 Neuville +9.5s
6 Hirvonen +11.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +5.5s
3 Meeke +36.9s
4 Mikkelsen +45.2s
5 Sordo +46.7s
6 Neuville +51.7s
7 Hirvonen +53.4s
8 Ostberg +55.5s
9 Evans +59.1s
10 Bouffier +1m24.2s
GP2 - Belgium: Vandoorne's pole means he takes the four points, and will begin tomorrow's feature race ahead of championship leader Palmer.
GP2 returns tomorrow at 2:35pm for the feature race.
GP2 returns tomorrow at 2:35pm for the feature race.
WRC - Germany: Sordo was only seventh fastest (equal to Evans) on that stage, so he loses fourth overall to Mikkelsen.
WRC - Germany: Meeke continued to cement his podium bid on that stage - third fastest and keeping himself third overall.
He was 7.9s slower than Latvala though and, like everyone else, can't understand what magic J-ML and Ogier are conjuring up that he can't - though he imagines it'll come with more experience.
He was 7.9s slower than Latvala though and, like everyone else, can't understand what magic J-ML and Ogier are conjuring up that he can't - though he imagines it'll come with more experience.
GP2 - Belgium: The final listings are as follows:
1 Vandoorne
2 Palmer
3 Evans
4 Marciello
5 Cecotto
6 Leal
7 Berthon
8 Trummer
9 Sorensen
10 Richelmi
11 Nasr
12 Pic
13 de Jong
14 Dillmann
15 Conor Daly
16 Coletti
17 Rene Binder
18 Daniel Abt
19 Haryanto
20 Andre Negrao
21 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs
22 Kimiya Sato
23 Jon Lancaster
24 Canamasas
25 Markelov
26 Izawa
1 Vandoorne
2 Palmer
3 Evans
4 Marciello
5 Cecotto
6 Leal
7 Berthon
8 Trummer
9 Sorensen
10 Richelmi
11 Nasr
12 Pic
13 de Jong
14 Dillmann
15 Conor Daly
16 Coletti
17 Rene Binder
18 Daniel Abt
19 Haryanto
20 Andre Negrao
21 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs
22 Kimiya Sato
23 Jon Lancaster
24 Canamasas
25 Markelov
26 Izawa
GP2 - Belgium: Vandoorne finishes the session on pole with a 1m56.839s - 0.018s ahead of second placed Palmer.
Vandoorne's pole is his first of the season at his home race.
Vandoorne's pole is his first of the season at his home race.
Checkered flag
GP2 - Belgium: the session time has finished, and the final flying laps are being set.
GP2 - Belgium: The top 10 are as follows:
1 Vandoorne
2 Palmer
3 Evans
4 Marciello
5 Cecotto
6 Leal
7 Nathanael Berthon
8 Trummer
9 Sorensen
10 Richelmi
1 Vandoorne
2 Palmer
3 Evans
4 Marciello
5 Cecotto
6 Leal
7 Nathanael Berthon
8 Trummer
9 Sorensen
10 Richelmi
Richard Tuthill
WRC - Germany Not sure what sort of symbol we put with this one - rally car or GT car? Maybe go with the GT car this time, just for the novelty value. News is, Richard Tuthill has dropped 3m35s in the first split through SS4. Whatever the problem was, looks to have sorted itself as his second split is representative.
If we were into speculating, we'd say possibly an off rather than a puncture. Granted, the rears on that gorgeous 911 are massive, but 3m35s is quite a while to change a flat.
GP2 - Belgium: Vandoorne's time is just 0.018s quicker than Palmer.
Evans meanwhile goes third ahead of Marciello.
Evans meanwhile goes third ahead of Marciello.
GP2 - Belgium: Dillmann moves up to ninth, Marco Sorensen improves to sixth, and Simon Trummer sets a time good enough for fifth.
Palmer meanwhile has pitted to end his day.
Vandoorne goes quickest with a 1m56.839s.
Palmer meanwhile has pitted to end his day.
Vandoorne goes quickest with a 1m56.839s.
GP2 - Belgium: Five minutes remain and Palmer still leads from Marciello.
Leal improves to fourth but a slow moving Nasr at the Bus Stop chicane prevents him from going any quicker.
Leal improves to fourth but a slow moving Nasr at the Bus Stop chicane prevents him from going any quicker.
WRC - Germany: A slow time for Ostberg for a second straight stage, as he comes through 7s slower than Mikkelsen.
He's going to lose sixth overall to Hirvonen with that one. He puts it down to struggling in the muddy sections.
He's going to lose sixth overall to Hirvonen with that one. He puts it down to struggling in the muddy sections.
GP2 - Belgium: Markelov is under investigation for impeding Coletti. No one on track is improving at the moment.
GP2 - Belgium: Drivers are beginning to come back out on track with fresh medium compound tyres.
Only Marciello, Evans, Arthur Pic, Rio Haryanto, Canamasas and Artem markelov are still in the pits.
Only Marciello, Evans, Arthur Pic, Rio Haryanto, Canamasas and Artem markelov are still in the pits.
WRC - Germany: Mikkelsen come through 8s adrift of his team-mates.
His times always sound a bit depressing when he comes through behind Ogier and Latvala, then as other cars filter in you realise he's actually still quick enough to chase a podium and it's just that his team-mates are a class apart.
His times always sound a bit depressing when he comes through behind Ogier and Latvala, then as other cars filter in you realise he's actually still quick enough to chase a podium and it's just that his team-mates are a class apart.
Quote
WRC - Germany: Latvala explains that effectively he's struggling in the dirty sections then flying where there's less mud.
"I can't go the speed Ogier is going where it's dirty. But in the last kilometres, it's like a racing circuit - and I'm driving it like a racing circuit, using the whole width of the road.
"I can come back at him when it's cleaner."
"I can't go the speed Ogier is going where it's dirty. But in the last kilometres, it's like a racing circuit - and I'm driving it like a racing circuit, using the whole width of the road.
"I can come back at him when it's cleaner."
GP2 - Belgium: Palmer's gap to Marciello is at 0.380s, but could change as a flurry of on track activity normally characterises the closing minutes of a GP2 qualifying session.
Stopwatch
WRC - Germany: Wow, another late-stage comeback from Latvala!
He gains 4s on Ogier late on the stage and is a tenth quicker at the finish.
So he keeps his team-mate's lead at 5.6s.
He gains 4s on Ogier late on the stage and is a tenth quicker at the finish.
So he keeps his team-mate's lead at 5.6s.
GP2 - Belgium: As the track is relatively quiet, here is a reminder of the top 10:
1 Palmer
2 Marciello
3 Cecotto
4 Vandoorne
5 Leal
6 Stephane Richelmi
7 Mitch Evans
8 de Jong
9 Stefano Coletti
10 Nasr
1 Palmer
2 Marciello
3 Cecotto
4 Vandoorne
5 Leal
6 Stephane Richelmi
7 Mitch Evans
8 de Jong
9 Stefano Coletti
10 Nasr
Stopwatch
WRC - Germany: Ogier sets a 9m41.3s for the others to live up to, and on the splits he's almost 3s up on Latvala.
Unsurprisingly he sounds both happy and chilled.
Unsurprisingly he sounds both happy and chilled.
GP2 - Belgium: As we reach the halfway stage of qualifying, most drivers are in the pits.
Only Raffaele Marciello, Daniel de Jong and Sergio Canamasas are on track.
Only Raffaele Marciello, Daniel de Jong and Sergio Canamasas are on track.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, AUTOSPORT staff, Gary Watkins, Dan Cross, Charles Bradley, Kevin Turner
Published:
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