Rally Sweden
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Phenomenal from Ogier!
Latvala is in and 1.5s slower than the Frenchman.
Latvala is in and 1.5s slower than the Frenchman.
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Ogier is a bit happier at the end of this stage, optimistic, that's the word.
"As much as we can enjoy," he says. "It's been a tough afternoon, hopefully tomorrow we can benefit from better conditions."
"As much as we can enjoy," he says. "It's been a tough afternoon, hopefully tomorrow we can benefit from better conditions."
Stopwatch
Ogier completes in 13m20.4s. How will that compare to Latvala?
Looking at the splits, it's easily Ogier's most competitive time of the day.
Looking at the splits, it's easily Ogier's most competitive time of the day.
Stopwatch
And further recovery from Ogier, looks like a good time from the Frenchman. At the last split, Latvala is only 0.2s up on Ogier.
Sordon, Breen and Evans are all in the stage now.
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Latvala hasn't kept up his earlier stage pace as he's gone from 2.2s up on Ogier to 0.8s.
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The first splits are coming in. Latvala is 2.2s up on Ogier. Tanak is 3.1s down on Latvala.
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Three splits in this stage with plenty to look out for. Mainly the battle for third, as Citroen man Kris Meeke is only 1.2s behind Tanak. And in turn, Ogier is only 4.1s behind Meeke. Plenty to play for in the top 10, then.
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Green flag
Our stage is live and Sebastien Ogier is into SS7, the penultimate test of the day.
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Welcome back, we're ready for our final stint of the day covering the last two stages of Rally Sweden. We're minutes away from SS7, and here's DMACK and M-Sport driver ELFYN EVANS to talk us through it.
SS4/7 Svullrya (15.46 miles)
"This stage has been reversed from last year, so we know a little bit about this one. There are a lot of character changes here. It starts quite technical, narrow and medium-speed corners, but then it becomes generally faster and wider towards the finish. There are some big jumps towards the finish, it’s quite a Finnish-style road and then there’s a manmade chicane at the end.
"One of the features of this test is the change in tempo. The wide road is interspersed with some really narrow bits where the road goes into the trees. These are the places where you really have to be able to adapt and switch from one style to the other. If you don’t, you could end up getting creamed in there."
SS4/7 Svullrya (15.46 miles)
"This stage has been reversed from last year, so we know a little bit about this one. There are a lot of character changes here. It starts quite technical, narrow and medium-speed corners, but then it becomes generally faster and wider towards the finish. There are some big jumps towards the finish, it’s quite a Finnish-style road and then there’s a manmade chicane at the end.
"One of the features of this test is the change in tempo. The wide road is interspersed with some really narrow bits where the road goes into the trees. These are the places where you really have to be able to adapt and switch from one style to the other. If you don’t, you could end up getting creamed in there."
Autosport
With SS5 in the history books, there's plenty to recap from that test.
- Thierry Neuville goes quickest in his battle to re-establish himself as Rally Sweden leader, his gap over Jari-Matti Latvala is over six seconds.
- Ott Tanak remains under threat from Kris Meeke for third. Despite a change of gearbox at service, the Estonian lost time on the last two stages to Meeke.
- Sweeping the road is ruining Sebastien Ogier's day, as he's over 30s down on leader Neuville with two Friday stages still to run.
- A resurgent Hayden Paddon has been consistently in the top three in times after a setup change at service. He remains behind Ogier in sixth.
Rejoin Autosport Live for the next stage at 1445hrs UK time. Don't miss this epic lead battle.
- Thierry Neuville goes quickest in his battle to re-establish himself as Rally Sweden leader, his gap over Jari-Matti Latvala is over six seconds.
- Ott Tanak remains under threat from Kris Meeke for third. Despite a change of gearbox at service, the Estonian lost time on the last two stages to Meeke.
- Sweeping the road is ruining Sebastien Ogier's day, as he's over 30s down on leader Neuville with two Friday stages still to run.
- A resurgent Hayden Paddon has been consistently in the top three in times after a setup change at service. He remains behind Ogier in sixth.
Rejoin Autosport Live for the next stage at 1445hrs UK time. Don't miss this epic lead battle.
Checkered flag
Here's an update of times from the stage and where that leaves us overall.
Times for SS6
1 Neuville 10m06.4s
2 Latvala +2.3s
3 Paddon +3.8s
4 Meeke +4.2s
5 Tanak +5.1s
6 Ogier +6.2s
After SS6 overall
1 Neuville 53m55.2s
2 Latvala +6.1s
3 Tanak +28.6s
4 Meeke +29.8s
5 Ogier +33.9s
6 Paddon +45.1s
Times for SS6
1 Neuville 10m06.4s
2 Latvala +2.3s
3 Paddon +3.8s
4 Meeke +4.2s
5 Tanak +5.1s
6 Ogier +6.2s
After SS6 overall
1 Neuville 53m55.2s
2 Latvala +6.1s
3 Tanak +28.6s
4 Meeke +29.8s
5 Ogier +33.9s
6 Paddon +45.1s
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And Paddon slots in third in a brilliant recovery from an awful morning. The new setup is really working for the Kiwi.
"It's a big improvement over this morning," said Paddon. "It's not 100%, but we're getting there. It's a good sign when you're losing the brakes on a short stage like this."
"It's a big improvement over this morning," said Paddon. "It's not 100%, but we're getting there. It's a good sign when you're losing the brakes on a short stage like this."
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Meeke is in, he's third quickest.
"It's snowing, not heavily, but covering the ground again making it difficult to see the lines," says Meeke. "We'll see how we go. When it covers the lines there's no advantage."
"It's snowing, not heavily, but covering the ground again making it difficult to see the lines," says Meeke. "We'll see how we go. When it covers the lines there's no advantage."
Meeke and Paddon are the next cars and both could challenge for fastest stage time looking at the splits.
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Neuville pleads caution at stage end but we aren't convinced. That was rapid.
"It's very tricky," says Neuville. "The car has so much grip in the line but outside the line you lose the back. I tried to stay very cautious to stay in the line."
"It's very tricky," says Neuville. "The car has so much grip in the line but outside the line you lose the back. I tried to stay very cautious to stay in the line."
Stopwatch
Here's Neuville and he extends his lead on the rally overall to 2.3s.
But he may be quickest so far but his team-mate Hayden Paddon is fastest of all through the first split.
But he may be quickest so far but his team-mate Hayden Paddon is fastest of all through the first split.
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Kris Meeke is quick through the first split too, well within striking range of Latvala and Neuville depending on how the rest of the stage plays out, of course.
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Neuville is now the quickest man through the third split by 0.7s over Latvala.
Neuville led the rally by 3.8s entering this stage.
Neuville led the rally by 3.8s entering this stage.
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Elfyn Evans is 7.5s slower than Latvala.
"It's a bit imbalanced as we rotated the tyres," says Elfyn. "The grip was quite changeable in there."
"It's a bit imbalanced as we rotated the tyres," says Elfyn. "The grip was quite changeable in there."
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Maybe not! Neuville's first split is only 0.3s slower than Latvala. So unless the conditions get worse, he's on to hold the lead.
Craig Breen is in and 25.6s slower than Latvala.
"I had a spin and I was in a snowbank somewhere else," he says. "Not a good one that, I lost the confidence."
Craig Breen is in and 25.6s slower than Latvala.
"I had a spin and I was in a snowbank somewhere else," he says. "Not a good one that, I lost the confidence."
It looks like some mid-stage snow has slowed the cars further back, and the split times reflect that.
Could Neuville, many cars behind Latvala on the road, struggle here and lose the lead to the Finn again?
It's a thoroughly intriguing battle here in Sweden.
Could Neuville, many cars behind Latvala on the road, struggle here and lose the lead to the Finn again?
It's a thoroughly intriguing battle here in Sweden.
Stopwatch
And Tanak goes second quickest, 2.8s slower than Latvala, 22.5s behind the Finn in the overall order.
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Latvala is in and he's taken 3.9s out of Ogier.
"I feel quite good with the car," says Latvala. "But I think the people further back might have a wider line and an advantage but we'll have to see."
"I feel quite good with the car," says Latvala. "But I think the people further back might have a wider line and an advantage but we'll have to see."
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Ogier has had enough of using his Ford Fiesta WRC as a whopping big bulldozer.
"The stud is no problem. I cannot do anything, it's always like this following a national rally and first on the road.
"Tomorrow I won't be first on the road but I have to stay in position to do it."
"The stud is no problem. I cannot do anything, it's always like this following a national rally and first on the road.
"Tomorrow I won't be first on the road but I have to stay in position to do it."
Stopwatch
Tanak has reached the second split and he's just over two seconds slower than Latvala.
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More green splits flying in, Ogier has seen a fair few in his time, but he's usually the one in the green. Today, he's very much been in the red thanks to sweeping the road.
At the second split, Latvala has taken 3.5s out of Ogier.
Tanak – meanwhile – has passed the first split, 1s slower than Latvala, while Sordo is 0.6s down on Latvala.
At the second split, Latvala has taken 3.5s out of Ogier.
Tanak – meanwhile – has passed the first split, 1s slower than Latvala, while Sordo is 0.6s down on Latvala.
Stopwatch
We have comparable split times in and Latvala goes quicker than Ogier by 2.6s.
Jari-Matti Latvala will be hoping to continue his string form so far, as he gets into SS6.
Green flag
Sebastien Ogier is into SS6. Is the second run likely to be better for him?
Only time will tell.
Only time will tell.
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Here's the starting order for this stage which gets underway in less than 10 minutes:
Sebastien Ogier (Ford Fiesta WRC)
Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota Yaris WRC)
Ott Tanak (Ford Fiesta WRC)
Dani Sordo (Hyundai i20 WRC)
Craig Breen (Citroen C3 WRC)
Elfyn Evans (Ford Fiesta WRC)
Stephane Lefebvre (Citroen DS 3 WRC)
Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 WRC)
Juho Hanninen (Toyota Yaris WRC)
Kris Meeke (Citroen C3 WRC)
Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 WRC)
*Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta WRC) out of position after leaving service late
Sebastien Ogier (Ford Fiesta WRC)
Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota Yaris WRC)
Ott Tanak (Ford Fiesta WRC)
Dani Sordo (Hyundai i20 WRC)
Craig Breen (Citroen C3 WRC)
Elfyn Evans (Ford Fiesta WRC)
Stephane Lefebvre (Citroen DS 3 WRC)
Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 WRC)
Juho Hanninen (Toyota Yaris WRC)
Kris Meeke (Citroen C3 WRC)
Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 WRC)
*Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta WRC) out of position after leaving service late
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The social media award for this rally is on the way to home favourite Pontus Tidemand. How he keeps tweeting these brilliant videos from the driving seat of his Skoda Fabia R5 is baffling! See above...
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DAVID EVANS: Autosport’s event got off to a bad start when the Kia Optima hire car refused to fire from the underground car park. A flat battery was discovered (and no, no lights had been left on). Fortunately Avis rescued the situation with a four-wheel-drive Volkswagen. Unfortunately it's a Passat and not a WRC-spec Polo.
Autosport
Next up in just under 15 minutes is SS6, a new stage to the rally this year.
Here's ELFYN EVANS to talk you through it.
SS3/6 Hof-Finnskog (13.21 miles)
"This is a completely new stage for this year. It’s fast with some sections which are extremely fast. It’s not narrow, but equally it’s not a big wide road – but it flows nicely with some crests.
"Coming in the middle of the loop, these are just the kind of stages where we need to be thinking about any jumps we come across and how we deal with them.
"There’s been a lot of talk about losing the aero, the front splitter and what a difference that would make to the car. Definitely in these kind of places it’s worth a small lift, the time gained by going flat is negligible compared with what you could lose if you have a heavy landing and break the front spoiler."
Here's ELFYN EVANS to talk you through it.
SS3/6 Hof-Finnskog (13.21 miles)
"This is a completely new stage for this year. It’s fast with some sections which are extremely fast. It’s not narrow, but equally it’s not a big wide road – but it flows nicely with some crests.
"Coming in the middle of the loop, these are just the kind of stages where we need to be thinking about any jumps we come across and how we deal with them.
"There’s been a lot of talk about losing the aero, the front splitter and what a difference that would make to the car. Definitely in these kind of places it’s worth a small lift, the time gained by going flat is negligible compared with what you could lose if you have a heavy landing and break the front spoiler."
By: Matt Beer
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