Rally Mexico, Las Vegas NASCAR
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So, the biggest mover there is Neuville, up to third, with Guerra now sixth on his home rally!
Report from a dramatic couple of Saturday stages to come shortly. Stay tuned.
Report from a dramatic couple of Saturday stages to come shortly. Stay tuned.
Checkered flag
SS13 results:
1 Ogier 36m40.1s
2 Latvala +2.0s
3 Hirvonen +17.6s
4 Neuville +39.6s
5 Meeke +41.3s
6 Evans +53.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 2h40m49.7s
2 Latvala +49.0s
3 Neuville +3m51.6s
4 Evans +4m02.7s
5 Prokop +5m55.4s
6 Guerra +7m51.8s
1 Ogier 36m40.1s
2 Latvala +2.0s
3 Hirvonen +17.6s
4 Neuville +39.6s
5 Meeke +41.3s
6 Evans +53.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 2h40m49.7s
2 Latvala +49.0s
3 Neuville +3m51.6s
4 Evans +4m02.7s
5 Prokop +5m55.4s
6 Guerra +7m51.8s
Meeke and Hirvonen are in, in fifth and third respectively.
We've got Meeke and Hirvonen to finish before we can give a proper overview of that incredible stage, so bear with us while we wait for the Rally 2 regulation runners.
Great end to the stage for Ogier yields a 36m40.1s – 2s quicker than team-mate Latvala. There's no letting up here for the Frenchman.
Intermittent splits from Ogier so we can't give you the full details of that battle.
Doesn't look like Mikkelsen and Kubica will return today.
Doesn't look like Mikkelsen and Kubica will return today.
In comes the mega-quick Jari-Matti. 36m42.1s – great effort. Ogier is about a second off that with a couple of splits to go. Superb battle between these two.
Could that be it for Ostberg? It's been half an hour since he was first supposed to enter the stage...and that's the official time limit up.
Seems Ostberg has been delayed again. He's still not started the stage.
Evans mentions the word "confidence" after that run, and that's what these events are all about for the young Welshman. The fact he's running at all while more experienced drivers are shunting is a testimony to his intelligence.
Neuville impressive, but we're about to see the difference between a promising new car and a refined, championship-winning one. Latvala's flying.
Evans comes through 14.1s slower than Neuville, so he's fallen behind him – but could still be fourth after Ostberg runs.
Crash
Oh, Kubica! He's rolled out again! Both driver and co-driver are OK but what a nightmare for the Pole.
Stunning from Neuville. He could go third here! 37m19.7s for the Hyundai man.
Prokop is through and takes 16.5s off Guerra, but Neuville's also in...and this will be much, much quicker.
Finally, good news for Ostberg. He's ready to begin the stage!
Guerra goes quickest, 14.4s faster than Atkinson.
Crash
Ouch, Mikkelsen rolled out. He cut a corner and over it went. He's out and VW are off to collect the car. He's OK, as is his co-driver.
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Atkinson bemoans the disability that is running first today: "The last half of the stage was so loose, it was ridiculous. Some places were like ice, you just can't push at all."
Ogier and Latvala look like they're neck-and-neck on time. Just 0.1s between them after the third split!
Guerra, meanwhile, is about to outpace Atkinson considerably. Strong end to the stage for the Mexican.
All World Rally Cars apart from Ostberg are showing up on the splits now. Has he made it to the start?
Atkinson is in! 38m38.2s is the first time on Otates. Now, where're the rest?
Uh-oh, Kubica's had a moment. He's continued, but has lost a fair chunk of time – about 15s we think.
Meeke's just passed Mikkelsen on the stage, so the VW has definitely halted.
Meeke's just passed Mikkelsen on the stage, so the VW has definitely halted.
After half a dozen split just down on Atkinson, Guerra's picked it up and looks like he might be about to go quicker. Though even Atko is several km from the stage end, so anything could happen!
Has Mikkelsen stopped on the stage? Weirdly, it's Ogier not showing up on our timescreen. But it doesn't appear to be the champion who is in trouble.
The other VW, meanwhile, is flying – 14s quicker than Neuville after three splits!
The other VW, meanwhile, is flying – 14s quicker than Neuville after three splits!
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Fair play to Evans, who is only 4s slower than Neuville after a quartet of splits. He looks certain to drop out of fourth, but as long as he keeps it on the road there's no doubt he and M-Sport will be thrilled.
Earlier, he told DAVID EVANS that on the longer stuff, gaining experience had to come before gaining big points. The rest, he reckons, will come in time...
"It is going to be tough, especially when some of the rocks start being pulled out. But, for me, it’s all about the personal development and seeing how much quicker I can get as the event passes.”
Earlier, he told DAVID EVANS that on the longer stuff, gaining experience had to come before gaining big points. The rest, he reckons, will come in time...
"It is going to be tough, especially when some of the rocks start being pulled out. But, for me, it’s all about the personal development and seeing how much quicker I can get as the event passes.”
The reason for Ostberg stopping on the road section? He's had to remove left-rear driveshaft...something that involves bleeding the brake system.
No surprise that added a lengthy delay to his Otates start. It's proving tough already for the viking – and there's STILL that 53km stage to come yet!
No surprise that added a lengthy delay to his Otates start. It's proving tough already for the viking – and there's STILL that 53km stage to come yet!
Latvala's making good progress on stage, and the good news doesn't stop there for the Finn. Ostberg still hasn't made it to the stage start...
Hey, that's the team boss's words – not ours.
If Neuville keeps this pace up, he'll move into fourth overall. Not bad for a car that's supposed to be well off the pace this weekend.
Ostberg WRC Mexico
Race Centre Live would be shocked – shocked! – if Ostberg retains second after this stage. He's missed his official starting time for Otates, so will pick up a time penalty now as well...
To be fair, he'll do well to still be in the rally. Viking fix – it's a thing.
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Evans hasn't been able to match Neuville at the first split. Could there be a change for fourth on the cards?
M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson's advice to Evans was a bit different to his "just go for it" tip for Hirvonen.
"I've asked him to keep an eye on Thierry, but if it gets a bit ragged then let him go and settle for fifth."
M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson's advice to Evans was a bit different to his "just go for it" tip for Hirvonen.
"I've asked him to keep an eye on Thierry, but if it gets a bit ragged then let him go and settle for fifth."
Atkinson took to the stage about 15 minutes ago now, and thereafter drivers are starting at three-minute intervals. This one will run for another hour or so we reckon.
Back to SS13 and some split info: Guerra is slower than Atkinson after the first two of nine splits, with Prokop a fraction quicker and Neuville (unsurprisingly) blitzing the lot.
Breaking news
If you're just joining us, here's what happened on the previous stage:
* Ogier extended his lead to a massive 41.2s after Ostberg hit a bank and broke the left-rear upright
* Latvala closed to just 5.8s behind Ostberg, who is now running with a "viking fix" of cable ties and ratchet straps
* Evans adds a second to his small buffer over Neuville in the battle for fourth
* Kubica moves into eighth as his recovery from Friday's roll begins
* Ogier extended his lead to a massive 41.2s after Ostberg hit a bank and broke the left-rear upright
* Latvala closed to just 5.8s behind Ostberg, who is now running with a "viking fix" of cable ties and ratchet straps
* Evans adds a second to his small buffer over Neuville in the battle for fourth
* Kubica moves into eighth as his recovery from Friday's roll begins
Otates, bring it on. Atkinson is on stage.
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More from Latvala on the possibility of engine issue on this stage specifically.
"It should be fine on the longest stage of the rally on Sunday - yes that's long, but it's also early in the morning, so it will be cooler conditions.
"Maybe there is a chance this afternoon that we might face a little bit of a problem, but I think yesterday in Chocolate was the worst."
"It should be fine on the longest stage of the rally on Sunday - yes that's long, but it's also early in the morning, so it will be cooler conditions.
"Maybe there is a chance this afternoon that we might face a little bit of a problem, but I think yesterday in Chocolate was the worst."
Maybe if another VW hits engine troubles we could have more of an interesting lead fight. Though we'd never wish that on anyone.
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Latvala
While we wait, here's a timely message from DAVID EVANS as the crews move into the event's longest stage so far.
Jari-Matti Latvala has told AUTOSPORT that he was worried about the engine temperature from his Polo R WRC on the second run through El Chocolate yesterday.
"To be honest, I was having engine temperature a little bit too high. The engine management looks after itself, reducing the response and the power, but for some sections in the long stage I was a bit worried, to be honest.
"The engine was getting very hot for long sections where it was twisty - you know in some of the hairpins it felt like you couldn't get out there. But once we get into the faster sections then it comes back, the response and the power - once it cools again."
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell, Pablo Elizalde
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