Rally Mexico, Las Vegas NASCAR
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We're just waiting for the stage to start, so apologies for the silence...
Almost ready for SS13. Have we made it clear how long this stage is? Very, very is the answer.
Will Ogier's serene progress continue? Will Ostberg's viking fix hold? Will Evans fend off Neuville in the battle for fourth?
I'd say we'll know soon...but we'll know in 53km!
Will Ogier's serene progress continue? Will Ostberg's viking fix hold? Will Evans fend off Neuville in the battle for fourth?
I'd say we'll know soon...but we'll know in 53km!
That issue for Bertelli is good news for Protasov. He may be 10th overall but he's suffering at the moment. With this mammoth stage approaching, he's got no power steering (and brake issues to boot)...
Ostberg-watch. That repair job was the result of cable ties and ratchet straps.
Would you trust that to hold for 53km?
Would you trust that to hold for 53km?
A little WRC2 update. Tanak, Fuchs and Protasov are through (listed there in pace order) – with the latter still running 10th overall! Worse news for Bertelli, though. It sounds like he's rolled.
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Mikko Hirvonen Rally Mexico
That was a storming effort from Hirvonen on that last stage to nearly break the VW stranglehold.
DAVID EVANS reports that after the issue yesterday that dropped Hirvonen out of podium contention, Malcolm Wilson has given him a free reign to push the Fiesta RS WRC to the limit through today's stages.
"Mikko did a great job yesterday and I'm sorry we let him down, but I want to see him carry on from where he left off," said Wilson.
"I want to see more good stages times from them. I've told Mikko not to worry about the car, just get out there and push."
Breaking news
Ostberg will continue! He and co-driver Jonas Andersson have made a "Viking fix" to their hobbled DS3. They are staying positive, but you fear for them – there's a 53.69km stage until they get to service!
Kubica jumped Atkinson for eighth after that stage, incidentally.
Checkered flag
SS12 results:
1 Ogier 17m44.3s
2 Latvala +4.5s
3 Mikkelsen +10.9s
4 Hirvonen +11.2s
5 Ostberg +15.1s
6 Meeke +27.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 2h04m09.6s
2 Ostberg +41.2s
3 Latvala +47.0s
4 Evans +3m09.0s
5 Neuville +3m12.0s
6 Prokop +4m28.2s
1 Ogier 17m44.3s
2 Latvala +4.5s
3 Mikkelsen +10.9s
4 Hirvonen +11.2s
5 Ostberg +15.1s
6 Meeke +27.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 2h04m09.6s
2 Ostberg +41.2s
3 Latvala +47.0s
4 Evans +3m09.0s
5 Neuville +3m12.0s
6 Prokop +4m28.2s
Meeke completes his stage. He ends up sixth quickest, as Hirvonen finishes his run shortly afterwards and falls just 0.3s short of breaking the VW 1-2-3.
Still, it's fourth for the M-Sport man. What could have been if not for that mechanical issue...
Still, it's fourth for the M-Sport man. What could have been if not for that mechanical issue...
In comes Mikkelsen and it's a strong run for the Rally Sweden podium finisher. 17m55.2s, only Ogier and Latvala are quicker.
Breaking news
Ostberg has suffered a broken left-rear upright. What can he do? Is there a short-term fix?
Ogier is in, 17m44.3s. Quickest so far. There's some gravel in the left-rear. A moment?
"Slightly, but it's nothing," he says when asked if he ran wide into a bank. Certainly nowhere near as concerning as Ostberg's off...
"Slightly, but it's nothing," he says when asked if he ran wide into a bank. Certainly nowhere near as concerning as Ostberg's off...
The two VWs, Kris Meeke and Mikko Hirvonen are the remaining World Rally Cars to come.
He's through 10.6s slower than Latvala. That means there is just 6s between them – but will Ostberg be able to continue?
Breaking news
Confirmation from Ostberg that somewhere he's "hit the bank on the outside quite hard".
Crash
Drama for Ostberg! Looks like the left-rear suspension is damaged. Is that his rally over? Certainly his victory bid is in tatters...
Wow, great effort from Latvala. 17m48.8s. But Ostberg and Ogier are still to come – and Mikkelsen is also looking quick.
Yep, the Pole goes 2.5s quicker than Evans. Latvala is still flying, with Ostberg about 3s adrift...though Ogier is probably going to outpace the pair of them with a blinding first couple of splits!
However, Kubica is about to come through...and this might knock Evans down to second.
There's the quickest time so far, and it's 18m24.6s for Evans. Good job from the M-Sport man.
Prokop comes through and beats Atkinson's early benchmark. But then Neuville's 18m26.1s totally blitzes the Ford privateer.
Latvala is storming through this stage. He's 10s quicker than Kubica at the second split, and Ostberg can't keep up either.
Could the Finn be about to take a chunk out of the Norwegian's advantage in the battle for second?
Could the Finn be about to take a chunk out of the Norwegian's advantage in the battle for second?
We have had our first times. Atkinson and Guerra are both through, with the former doing so in 18m42.9s.
The Mexican is 3.5s slower.
The Mexican is 3.5s slower.
Incidentally, Evans – who is locked in a battle for fifth with Hyundai's Neuville – is also running strongly. He's slightly quicker than the man he replaced at M-Sport after the first two splits.
Latvala's on the stage now and absolutely flying – he's considerably quicker than Kubica and Neuville at the first split.
Lots happening on the stage now – Atko's not yet completed it but is on the verge of doing so after clicking past the fifth split.
Guerra, Prokop and Neuville have made it four cars on the stage.
Atkinson's through the first split in 2m42.5s. How good is that? We have no idea. But he's through, which is promising – Hyundai might score its first points of the season if he and Neuville avoid any serious drama...though there's a long way to go yet!
Here we go! The longest day of Rally Mexico – seven stages totalling 170km – has begun. Atkinson is on Ibarrilla.
We were expecting a 15:28 (GMT) start time but that might be a little bit delayed.
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Ogier Rally Mexico
Here's what Ogier had to say yesterday (note the I-can't-afford-to-take-it-easy rhetoric):
“The day went much better than expected. The gravel is extremely slippery, plus it is very hot in the cockpit – it is very easy to make mistakes.
"First place is more than we could possibly have expected, and puts us in a great position to win here again.
"However, I think we will have an exciting battle with Mads Ostberg and my team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala from now on."
There's absolutely no way that Sebastien Ogier can relax – despite holding a 26.1s lead over Mads Ostberg.
Yes, Ostberg is more likely to be focusing on the VW behind him than the one in front, but this rally will bite you if you underestimate it.
Just ask Mikkelsen, Hirvonen, Meeke or Kubica...
Yes, Ostberg is more likely to be focusing on the VW behind him than the one in front, but this rally will bite you if you underestimate it.
Just ask Mikkelsen, Hirvonen, Meeke or Kubica...
Right, back to the rallying. There is plenty to look out for when running resumes in just a few minutes time on the first running of the 30km test that is Ibarrilla.
Incidentally, this is the second-longest stage of the rally so far – but only the third-longest we'll see used today!
Rally Mexico's about to get even tougher...
Incidentally, this is the second-longest stage of the rally so far – but only the third-longest we'll see used today!
Rally Mexico's about to get even tougher...
Twitter
As you may well be aware, today is International Women's Day – and that's not being ignored on Rally Mexico.
The First Lady of WRC Live Rebecca Williams has just tweeted this snap:
@becsywecsy: "A Mexican wave for #Internationaldayforwomen with all the ladies of the @OfficialWRC @RallyMexico #FIA #WRC"
The First Lady of WRC Live Rebecca Williams has just tweeted this snap:
@becsywecsy: "A Mexican wave for #Internationaldayforwomen with all the ladies of the @OfficialWRC @RallyMexico #FIA #WRC"
Oh, and for those of you wondering about the weather – wonder no more…RAIN!
Just kidding. It’s glorious sunshine and looking like being another scorcher in the mountains around Leon.
Just kidding. It’s glorious sunshine and looking like being another scorcher in the mountains around Leon.
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One man who isn't so jovial about the attrition rate in Mexico is Citroen's Kris Meeke.
It was a gutting SS8 incident for Meeke that robbed him of what was about to become third place overall, though Citroen boss Yves Matton said he would return under Rally 2 rules.
"My strategy was pretty much the same as in Sweden," said Meeke. "I drove at my own pace without worrying too much about the times the other drivers were setting.
"On some stages, I was fairly comfortable although there was a lot of dust. The roads were also very slippery.
"On SS8, we hit a rock on a bend. The suspension arm broke. We tried to continue but we decided it was better to stop so that we could rejoin tomorrow in better shape.
On that last point, AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live quizzed man-on-the-ground DAVID EVANS about the likelihood of there being more retirements today.
Actually, it was a bit cheekier than that.
"Is anyone going to finish?"
"Er, no. I reckon me and my hire car could be on for some points if I ditch the laptop and head for the hills!"
Actually, it was a bit cheekier than that.
"Is anyone going to finish?"
"Er, no. I reckon me and my hire car could be on for some points if I ditch the laptop and head for the hills!"
And here’s the full running order for day two: Atkinson; Benito Guerra; Martin Prokop; Thierry Neuville; Elfyn Evans; Robert Kubica; Jari-Matti Latvala; Mads Ostberg; Sebastien Ogier; Andreas Mikkelsen; Kris Meeke and Mikko Hirvonen.
Don’t forget, the retirements from WRC now run at the back of the World Rally Car pack.
Don’t forget, the retirements from WRC now run at the back of the World Rally Car pack.
Speaking of Atkinson – who was the subject of some possible new-haircut gossip on Thursday (no, really) – he is today’s sacrificial lamb running at the front of the field in his Hyundau i20 WRC.
The Australian will be hoping for a better day than yesterday, when he suffered a multitude of problems on his debut with the Korean manufacturer.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell, Pablo Elizalde
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