Rally Mexico, WTCC opener
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WRC - Mexico - SS8 summary:
* Neuville looks set to demolish Ogier's lead with super-fast splits, then crashes near the finish
* Latvala fastest and gets gap to Ogier down to 12.1s
* Mikkelsen inches closer to Ostberg for third
* Sordo loses time with a puncture
* Neuville looks set to demolish Ogier's lead with super-fast splits, then crashes near the finish
* Latvala fastest and gets gap to Ogier down to 12.1s
* Mikkelsen inches closer to Ostberg for third
* Sordo loses time with a puncture
Checkered flag
WRC - Mexico - SS8 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 29m14.1s
2 Ogier +2.1s
3 Mikkelsen +3.9s
4 Ostberg +5.2s
5 Evavns +16.5s
6 Prokop +31.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +12.1s
3 Ostberg +31.4s
4 Mikkelsen +36.0s
5 Evans +54.4s
6 Sordo +1m38.6s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 29m14.1s
2 Ogier +2.1s
3 Mikkelsen +3.9s
4 Ostberg +5.2s
5 Evavns +16.5s
6 Prokop +31.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +12.1s
3 Ostberg +31.4s
4 Mikkelsen +36.0s
5 Evans +54.4s
6 Sordo +1m38.6s
WRC - Mexico: Sordo lost about half a minute with that tyre damage, so he's fallen away from the chase of Evans for sixth, but he does stay ahead of Prokop still.
Crash
WRC - Mexico: Sordo gets to the end of the stage with a rear puncture.
Twitter
WRC - Mexico: Hyundai explains Neuville's crash:
"He had a puncture towards the end of SS8, lost the car and rolled. Crew ok, car will be recovered by the team."
"He had a puncture towards the end of SS8, lost the car and rolled. Crew ok, car will be recovered by the team."
WRC - Mexico: Ostberg reports a moment on that stage that involved a bit of ditch time, but he only loses 1.3s to the closing Mikkelsen as the VW man tries to catch his Citroen-driving compatriot for what is now third.
WRC - Mexico: DAVID EVANS - Ogier is winning this rally right here and now.
He can afford to drop some time on Las Minas next, because he's looking likely to have four or five Rally2 cars in front of him on the road through tomorrow's eight stages - providing a near-perfect position for the Mexico hat-trick-chasing Frenchman.
He can afford to drop some time on Las Minas next, because he's looking likely to have four or five Rally2 cars in front of him on the road through tomorrow's eight stages - providing a near-perfect position for the Mexico hat-trick-chasing Frenchman.
WRC - Mexico: Latvala says his pace tailed off towards the end because his brakes were overheating and tyres were wearing, and he suspects that's what lured Neuville into a mistake as well.
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: Latvala is now the big hope for a lead battle. He finishes the stage fastest, but only gets 2.1s from Ogier, so the gap is still 12s.
Crash
WRC - Mexico: Mikkelsen reports that Neuville has gone off at the left-hander near the end of the stage.
WRC - Mexico: Latvala is still catching Ogier, that gap will be down to about 10s.
WRC - Mexico: Mikkelsen passes the finish and there's no sign of Neuville yet.
Breaking news
WRC - Mexico: The clock is ticking and Neuville hasn't appeared at the finish yet...
Breaking news
WRC - Mexico: Further down the order, minor points contender Bertelli has stopped early on the stage.
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: The next split is in, and Neuville's gain is now just 3.5s, as a perky-sounding Ogier reaches the finish.
WRC - Mexico: Going into the final third of the stage and Ogier has steadied the time loss a touch - Neuville is only 5.2s faster at that point. Remember they were 11s apart going into this.
WRC - Mexico: Latvala was going even faster than Neuville at the early splits, but now the Hyundai is a second up.
Ogier's missing a split time (he is still moving on the tracking system) so we can't see how much Neuville has (or hasn't) gained on the next section of the stage.
Ogier's missing a split time (he is still moving on the tracking system) so we can't see how much Neuville has (or hasn't) gained on the next section of the stage.
WRC - Mexico: Not even halfway through the stage, and Neuville is 6.3s up on Ogier - that's half the champion's lead gone.
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: Now Latvala is well into the stage, and he's fastest of all - taking 0.8s off Neuville at split one.
Third is catching second, who is catching first - this is exactly what we wanted to see.
Third is catching second, who is catching first - this is exactly what we wanted to see.
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: Split two is in and Neuville is flying - he's 4.9s up on Ogier, which is a big chunk of the 11s that split them heading into this stage.
WRC - Mexico: Mikkelsen is slightly faster than Ogier at split one too, but Neuville remains fastest of all.
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: Neuville is fighting back as El Chocolate begins - he's 1.1s up on Ogier at the first split.
Breaking news
SS7 summary:
* Ogier extends lead over Neuville to 11s
* Latvala closes to within 3.2s of Neuville for second
* Mikkelsen shakes off Evans and catches Ostberg
* No one crashes into a lake this time
* Ogier extends lead over Neuville to 11s
* Latvala closes to within 3.2s of Neuville for second
* Mikkelsen shakes off Evans and catches Ostberg
* No one crashes into a lake this time
Breaking news
WRC - Mexico - SS7 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 7m29.4s
2 Ogier +1.6s
3 Sordo +1.8s
4 Mikkelsen +1.8s
5 Neuville +3.0s
6 Ostberg + 3.5s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Neuville +11.0s
3 Latvala +14.2s
4 Ostberg +28.3s
5 Mikkelsen +34.2s
6 Evans +40.0s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 7m29.4s
2 Ogier +1.6s
3 Sordo +1.8s
4 Mikkelsen +1.8s
5 Neuville +3.0s
6 Ostberg + 3.5s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Neuville +11.0s
3 Latvala +14.2s
4 Ostberg +28.3s
5 Mikkelsen +34.2s
6 Evans +40.0s
Crash
WRC - Mexico: Krs Meeke also crashed out today, in less dramatic fashion.
Here's his explanation of his shunt early on El Chocolate:
"It's bitterly disappointing. I just braked too late into a fast right, which was followed by a tight left.
"We got off line and just couldn't get it back, so we never made the left-hander. We clipped a rock on the outside and that was it.
"I'm at a bit of a loss to explain it right now. The road was slippery, but I was just too late on the brakes.
"The specific goal today was to not make a mistake, so I'm really angry with myself.
"Now we just have to get back on the road tomorrow and learn as much as possible."
Here's his explanation of his shunt early on El Chocolate:
"It's bitterly disappointing. I just braked too late into a fast right, which was followed by a tight left.
"We got off line and just couldn't get it back, so we never made the left-hander. We clipped a rock on the outside and that was it.
"I'm at a bit of a loss to explain it right now. The road was slippery, but I was just too late on the brakes.
"The specific goal today was to not make a mistake, so I'm really angry with myself.
"Now we just have to get back on the road tomorrow and learn as much as possible."
Crash
WRC - Mexico: And if you want to see Tanak's lake plunge in video form, here it is thanks to wrc.com:
WRC - Mexico: Only a couple of minutes until we begin the 26 miles of El Chocolate. Prokop is just completing Los Mexicanos.
WRC - Mexico: Yes, this is a picture of a half-naked man in his hotel room (looking slightly - and understandably startled).
But, look closer... it's Raigo Molder. Ott Tanak's heroic co-driver is laying out the pages from his pacenote book for SS4, El Chocolate to dry them out after they joined him, his driver and their Ford Fiesta RS WRC in a lake this morning.
Asked how he'd remembered to bring the book with him as he saved himself from drowning, Molder told AUTOSPORT: "I needed a paddle!"
But, look closer... it's Raigo Molder. Ott Tanak's heroic co-driver is laying out the pages from his pacenote book for SS4, El Chocolate to dry them out after they joined him, his driver and their Ford Fiesta RS WRC in a lake this morning.
Asked how he'd remembered to bring the book with him as he saved himself from drowning, Molder told AUTOSPORT: "I needed a paddle!"
Raigo Molder
WRC - Mexico: Evans came into the stage just a tenth behind Mikkelsen for fifth, but now the gap is up to nearly 6s.
The M-Sport man might find himself coming under pressure from Sordo later today - the Hyundai was half a minute behind in seventh and has just gone 5s quicker on this stage.
The M-Sport man might find himself coming under pressure from Sordo later today - the Hyundai was half a minute behind in seventh and has just gone 5s quicker on this stage.
WRC - Mexico: Ostberg is slowest so far, 5s off the pace, and that means Mikkelsen is now within 5.9s of his fourth place.
Ostberg says everything is OK and there are no problems, in a way that doesn't sound especially 'OK'.
Evans is a bit slower still, so will definitely drift away from Mikkelsen after fending him off for fifth for most of the morning.
Ostberg says everything is OK and there are no problems, in a way that doesn't sound especially 'OK'.
Evans is a bit slower still, so will definitely drift away from Mikkelsen after fending him off for fifth for most of the morning.
Quote
WRC - Mexico: That time from Latvala brings him to within 3.2s of Neuville's second place and 14.2s of Ogier in the lead.
"I think that was a good run. I have to be happy," he says, sounding rather more under control than earlier.
"At service my engineer gave me a talk about what I need to do."
"I think that was a good run. I have to be happy," he says, sounding rather more under control than earlier.
"At service my engineer gave me a talk about what I need to do."
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: After that muted, angsty morning, Latvala takes the fastest time here by 1.6s over Ogier. That's better!
WRC - Mexico: Decent time from Mikkelsen, who is only two tenths off Ogier's pace as he finishes the stage. That could draw him clear of Evans and back towards Ostberg in fourth.
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: Ogier and Neuville come through Los Mexicanos without any visits to lakes, and the VW is 1.4s faster than the Hyundai, so Ogier's lead is up to 11s overall.
Ogier was pleased that road conditions are much better for him this afternoon, while Neuville insisted he wasn't unhappy but... "to fight for the win is going to be hard. But I'll try."
Ogier was pleased that road conditions are much better for him this afternoon, while Neuville insisted he wasn't unhappy but... "to fight for the win is going to be hard. But I'll try."
Stopwatch
WRC - Mexico: Here's a reminder of how the survivors stand starting this stage:
1 Ogier
2 Neuville +9.6s
3 Latvala +15.8s
4 Ostberg +24.4s
5 Mikkelsen +34.0s
6 Evans +34.1s
7 Sordo +1m06.6s
8 Prokop +1m07.5s
9 Protasov +2m08.7s
10 Guerra +2m14.2s
1 Ogier
2 Neuville +9.6s
3 Latvala +15.8s
4 Ostberg +24.4s
5 Mikkelsen +34.0s
6 Evans +34.1s
7 Sordo +1m06.6s
8 Prokop +1m07.5s
9 Protasov +2m08.7s
10 Guerra +2m14.2s
WRC - Mexico: We're resuming Los Mexicanos, with Ogier and Neuville onto the stage... and once the whole field is through, then a crane will move in to hunt for Tanak's sunken car.
Tanak could rejoin on Saturday after lake crash
Image courtesy of wrc.com
Tanak could rejoin on Saturday after lake crash
Ott Tanak crashes into lake, WRC Mexico 2015
Image courtesy of wrc.com
Lights out
WRC - Mexico: Right, time to get going again - shall we try to avoid the lakes this time?
Breaking news
WRC - Mexico: As the crews head for service, we're going to pause AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live until it all kicks off again with SS7, so we'll see you back here around 9pm UK time.
In the meantime, here's your full recap of a wild morning:
Rally Mexico Friday morning report
In the meantime, here's your full recap of a wild morning:
Rally Mexico Friday morning report
Sebastien Ogier, VW, Rally Mexico 2015
Twitter
WRC - Mexico: Strong words about the Tanak crash implications from one of Britain's top rally drivers of the last decade, Guy Wilks:
"I know rallying is dangerous. That is the attraction as a driver - getting it right and better than others in challenging conditions. But for a crew to be missing for 17 minutes at the the highest level of the sport in a live stage needs addressing."
"I know rallying is dangerous. That is the attraction as a driver - getting it right and better than others in challenging conditions. But for a crew to be missing for 17 minutes at the the highest level of the sport in a live stage needs addressing."
Checkered flag
WRC - Mexico: And that gives us our top six order heading to lunchtime service:
1 Ogier
2 Neuville +9.6s
3 Latvala +15.8s
4 Ostberg +24.4s
5 Mikkelsen +34.0s
6 Evans +34.1s
1 Ogier
2 Neuville +9.6s
3 Latvala +15.8s
4 Ostberg +24.4s
5 Mikkelsen +34.0s
6 Evans +34.1s
By: AUTOSPORT staff, David Evans, Stuart Codling, Scott Mitchell
Published:
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