Rally Sweden 2014
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We're straight onto Finnskogen and Ogier has just completed the stage.
He predicts that Mikkelsen will be faster than him (and will therefore take the lead) and says he did the best he could with the stage conditions as he reckons being first on the road hurts on this one.
He predicts that Mikkelsen will be faster than him (and will therefore take the lead) and says he did the best he could with the stage conditions as he reckons being first on the road hurts on this one.
Breaking news
SS5 summary:
* Mikkelsen gets Ogier's lead down to just half a second
* Tanak fastest and jumps Latvala for third, moving to within 5.3s of the lead
* Neuville comes within 0.5s of the Hyundai i20's first stage win
* Mikkelsen gets Ogier's lead down to just half a second
* Tanak fastest and jumps Latvala for third, moving to within 5.3s of the lead
* Neuville comes within 0.5s of the Hyundai i20's first stage win
Leading standings:
1 Ogier (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +0.5s
3 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +5.3s
4 Latvala (VW) +6.7s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +14.3s
6 Ostberg (Citroen) +19.5s
7 Neuville (Hyundai) +22.5s
8 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +28.6s
9 Hanninen (Hyundai) +28.7s
10 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +29.6s
1 Ogier (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +0.5s
3 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +5.3s
4 Latvala (VW) +6.7s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +14.3s
6 Ostberg (Citroen) +19.5s
7 Neuville (Hyundai) +22.5s
8 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +28.6s
9 Hanninen (Hyundai) +28.7s
10 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +29.6s
Checkered flag
SS5 times:
1 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) 5m36.1s
2 Neuville (Hyundai) +0.5s
3 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.9s
4 Hirvonen (Citroen) +2.3s
5 Ogier (VW) +3.0s
6 Latvala (VW) +3.6s
1 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) 5m36.1s
2 Neuville (Hyundai) +0.5s
3 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.9s
4 Hirvonen (Citroen) +2.3s
5 Ogier (VW) +3.0s
6 Latvala (VW) +3.6s
Tidemand won that one, he moves ahead of Hanninen for eighth, while Solberg remains 10th.
There's an intra-family battle brewing at the foot of the top 10.
At the end of this morning, Pontus Tidemand was just 0.1s ahead of his stepfather Henning Solberg in the fight for ninth.
"I'm after Pontus now!" Solberg declared to AUTOSPORT at the regroup, then went into 'proud karting Dad' mode and corrected himself: "no, he is too fast for me."
Let's see... Solberg is due through next.
At the end of this morning, Pontus Tidemand was just 0.1s ahead of his stepfather Henning Solberg in the fight for ninth.
"I'm after Pontus now!" Solberg declared to AUTOSPORT at the regroup, then went into 'proud karting Dad' mode and corrected himself: "no, he is too fast for me."
Let's see... Solberg is due through next.
Tanak has had a podium before, in Italy in 2012. He spent last year back in Estonian national rallying in a Group N Subaru.
That hasn't just closed Tanak up on Latvala, it's brought him ahead!
The young Estonian returnee in the scary black M-Sport Ford is up to third in front of the factory VW once more.
The young Estonian returnee in the scary black M-Sport Ford is up to third in front of the factory VW once more.
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Tanak is understandably buoyant.
He was tipped as M-Sport and Ford's next big star two years ago, but his first shot at the WRC in 2012 didn't go well and he lost his seat. This is his second chance, and he's certainly making the most of it.
"I've had such a long time to analyse... I can't tell you how hungry I am. I just want to drive!"
He was tipped as M-Sport and Ford's next big star two years ago, but his first shot at the WRC in 2012 didn't go well and he lost his seat. This is his second chance, and he's certainly making the most of it.
"I've had such a long time to analyse... I can't tell you how hungry I am. I just want to drive!"
Stopwatch
Sorry Hyundai, you'll have to wait. Tanak beats Neuville's time and is our fastest man so far.
That's going to bring him right back at Latvala in the battle for third too.
That's going to bring him right back at Latvala in the battle for third too.
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Hanninen is impressed.
"Oooh, Thierry has a good time! He had a good run," he acknowledges as he clocks his team-mate's 5m36.6s. "We all know the car's got a lot of potential."
"Oooh, Thierry has a good time! He had a good run," he acknowledges as he clocks his team-mate's 5m36.6s. "We all know the car's got a lot of potential."
Stopwatch
And as we type that, Hanninen's team-mate Neuville comes through fastest on SS5!
Is this going to be the Hyundai i20 WRC's first stage win...?
It's going to depend on Solberg and Tanak's pace, we reckon.
Is this going to be the Hyundai i20 WRC's first stage win...?
It's going to depend on Solberg and Tanak's pace, we reckon.
Crash
Next through will be the Hyundais. AUTOSPORT's interview with Juho Hanninen at the regroup looked set to be brief as he answered our first questions with "good" and "fine".
But he was more forthcoming when we quizzed him about his near-miss mistake near the end of the stage before the regroup.
"I kind of ran over a snow bank and it was 50-50. I only went through it at about 5km/h, but I've been stuck in those before."
But he was more forthcoming when we quizzed him about his near-miss mistake near the end of the stage before the regroup.
"I kind of ran over a snow bank and it was 50-50. I only went through it at about 5km/h, but I've been stuck in those before."
Heading into this stage, Kubica was 12th overall, between Meeke and Evans.
Robert Kubica
Interesting info from Robert Kubica at the end of this stage - he says his Fiesta's upshifts aren't great when there's wheelspin in the churned-up parts of the course and the system might need some rethinking.
He uses a unique paddleshift system on his car to compensate for the physical limitations with his right arm following his devastating crash three years ago.
Hirvonen has been getting better and better today after a pretty quiet start. He's come through second fastest, 0.4s down on Mikkelsen but 0.7s quicker than Ogier.
"I'm driving at 99.5 per cent," Hirvonen told AUTOSPORT at the regroup.
"You look at the times and there are three VWs, then us.
"If I push harder than we'll start to take risks."
"I'm driving at 99.5 per cent," Hirvonen told AUTOSPORT at the regroup.
"You look at the times and there are three VWs, then us.
"If I push harder than we'll start to take risks."
Mikkelsen is fastest on the stage so far by 1.1s over Ogier - and now we're off to the Finnskogen stage where Mikkelsen made such big gains over Ogier last time.
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen is quickest again and slashes Ogier's lead to just half a second - and he says he could have gone quicker:
"I did a mistake there, I was out in the loose snow for a couple of seconds."
"I did a mistake there, I was out in the loose snow for a couple of seconds."
Latvala was 0.6s down on Ogier that time, which was 6s better than the gap on the first run a few hours ago.
Latvala is happier as he completes the stage than he was on the first run this morning - when he was pretty despondent.
What he thought was a gearshift problem this morning turns out to have been a minor electrical issue cutting the engine on the change from first to second gear, which is hurting on slower stages like this one.
As the midday halt today was just a regroup rather than a full service, he'll have to work around that glitch until tonight.
What he thought was a gearshift problem this morning turns out to have been a minor electrical issue cutting the engine on the change from first to second gear, which is hurting on slower stages like this one.
As the midday halt today was just a regroup rather than a full service, he'll have to work around that glitch until tonight.
No problems for Ogier and Meeke as they come through first. Meeke is a very respectable 2.6s slower than the champion.
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We're just over five minutes away from the action resuming with SS5.
Leader Ogier is under pressure after his gap to Mikkelsen shrunk from 8.1s to 1.6s on SS4.
The champion said that was the first stage where there was enough loose snow on the road for running first to become a problem.
"I'm very surprised to be leading," Ogier told AUTOSPORT at the regroup.
"There was quite a lot of loose snow in Finnskogen, which I thought would cost me more.
"I didn't have splits for the last section of the stage, so I don't know how I lost so much time there."
Leader Ogier is under pressure after his gap to Mikkelsen shrunk from 8.1s to 1.6s on SS4.
The champion said that was the first stage where there was enough loose snow on the road for running first to become a problem.
"I'm very surprised to be leading," Ogier told AUTOSPORT at the regroup.
"There was quite a lot of loose snow in Finnskogen, which I thought would cost me more.
"I didn't have splits for the last section of the stage, so I don't know how I lost so much time there."
Rain
Weather latest: It's -1, and it is snowing slightly, but only tiny flakes so won't make much difference to the stages. In fact the weather feels more Rally GB in November (chilly and miserable) than classic Rally Sweden.
Toilet
AUTOSPORT's DAVID EVANS made this discovery in the service park yesterday - but ultimately even this technological marvel only made him sad about the lack of snow.
"How civilised is this? A heated portaloo. In years gone we have really needed these, this time around less so."
Porsche wizard Richard Tuthill had been working to get a 2012 Carrera Cup 911 997 from race to rally specification in time for Rally Sweden, but ran out of time.
Despite that setback, Tuthill says the plan to run a modern Porsche in the FIA's all-new R-GT class remains firmly on track.
Marc Duez ran an earlier version of the 911 in Monte Carlo, where the car received a rapturous welcome from fans watching in the French Alps.
"Obviously, it's very disappointing that we're not going to make Sweden," Tuthill told AUTOSPORT. "I have to say, the FIA – Michele [Mouton] in particular - the Swedish organisers and the MSA have all been really helpful.
"It's got to be right. I can't wait to get the car running, it'll be insane!"
Despite that setback, Tuthill says the plan to run a modern Porsche in the FIA's all-new R-GT class remains firmly on track.
Marc Duez ran an earlier version of the 911 in Monte Carlo, where the car received a rapturous welcome from fans watching in the French Alps.
"Obviously, it's very disappointing that we're not going to make Sweden," Tuthill told AUTOSPORT. "I have to say, the FIA – Michele [Mouton] in particular - the Swedish organisers and the MSA have all been really helpful.
"It's got to be right. I can't wait to get the car running, it'll be insane!"
After this quick regroup, we have repeat runs of Kirkener and Finnskogen back to back, starting in half an hour.
Then there's a short pause while crews return from Norway to Sweden ready to finish the day with a repeat of the morning's opening Torsby stage.
Then there's a short pause while crews return from Norway to Sweden ready to finish the day with a repeat of the morning's opening Torsby stage.
Speedo
This time last year, the temperature was hovering around -15 degrees.
But this was the best we could get on the road to Norway yesterday – this winter rally needs to be more wintry!
As the weekend goes on, tyres are set to become a major concern.
The temperature only briefly dipped below zero yesterday and is expected to rise through the event.
That warm weather is wreaking havoc with the rally roads. Without the thick layer of ice or heavy snow needed, the gravel base of the country roads is coming through and lying in wait to rip the studs from the specialist winter tyres fitted to the WRC cars.
The drivers have 24 tyres to get them through the 200 miles of competition.
The temperature only briefly dipped below zero yesterday and is expected to rise through the event.
That warm weather is wreaking havoc with the rally roads. Without the thick layer of ice or heavy snow needed, the gravel base of the country roads is coming through and lying in wait to rip the studs from the specialist winter tyres fitted to the WRC cars.
The drivers have 24 tyres to get them through the 200 miles of competition.
In WRC2, it's Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rahji leading Finland's Jari Ketomaa in the snow.
Ketomaa is just 5s behind, and reckoned if he pushed any harder he'd be "in the ditch".
Sometime Junior WRC and IRC man Karl Kruuda is in contention too, 10s behind Ketomaa.
Ketomaa is just 5s behind, and reckoned if he pushed any harder he'd be "in the ditch".
Sometime Junior WRC and IRC man Karl Kruuda is in contention too, 10s behind Ketomaa.
Breaking news
Andreas Mikkelsen
Here's the full summary of how the VW vs Tanak battle developed this morning:
Thursday morning report
Breaking news
SS4 summary:
* Mikkelsen goes quickest and slashes Ogier's lead from 8.6s to just 1.6s.
* Ogier only sixth fastest so whole lead group closes right up, with Latvala and Tanak also within 8.3s of first place.
* Henning Solberg an amazing second fastest, jumping into the top 10
* Misfire and slight off drop Breen further into the midfield.
* Mikkelsen goes quickest and slashes Ogier's lead from 8.6s to just 1.6s.
* Ogier only sixth fastest so whole lead group closes right up, with Latvala and Tanak also within 8.3s of first place.
* Henning Solberg an amazing second fastest, jumping into the top 10
* Misfire and slight off drop Breen further into the midfield.
Checkered flag
Overall standings after SS4:
1 Ogier (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.6s
3 Latvala (VW) +6.1s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +8.3s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +15.0s
6 Ostberg (Citroen) +18.0s
7 Neuville (Hyundai) +25.0s
8 Hanninen (Hyundai) +25.5s
9 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +27.8s
10 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +27.9s
Meeke and Kubica 11th and 12th
1 Ogier (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.6s
3 Latvala (VW) +6.1s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +8.3s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +15.0s
6 Ostberg (Citroen) +18.0s
7 Neuville (Hyundai) +25.0s
8 Hanninen (Hyundai) +25.5s
9 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +27.8s
10 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +27.9s
Meeke and Kubica 11th and 12th
Checkered flag
SS4 times:
1 Mikkelsen (VW) 8m58.9s
2 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +1.6s
3 Latvala (VW) +2.3s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +3.6s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +6.0s
6 Ogier (VW) +7.1s
1 Mikkelsen (VW) 8m58.9s
2 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +1.6s
3 Latvala (VW) +2.3s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +3.6s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +6.0s
6 Ogier (VW) +7.1s
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And Breen adds: "my number one mechanic is up in the sky looking over me", a reference to his late co-driver Gareth 'Jaffa' Roberts.
Making things tougher for Breen - and everyone else - is that there isn't a service today.
All the crews have is a remote regroup now before the repeat run of Kirkener in an hour.
All the crews have is a remote regroup now before the repeat run of Kirkener in an hour.
Breen's misfire has come back in earnest, and it hasn't helped his confidence either, leading to a small off. He loses 38s to the leaders on that stage.
Quote
"This is good!" he says. "I've just done some changes on the car and now we're there. Not bad for a man over 40!"
Stopwatch
Amazing time for Henning Solberg, who's second quickest, just 1.9s off Mikkelsen. That should thrust him into the top 10.
Potential problems for Breen it seems, he's lost 25s at the first split.
Tanak had a great end to that stage. He's 3.6s down on pacesetter Mikkelsen and does indeed lose a bit of time to the Norwegian and Latvala, but he's quicker than Ogier.
That keeps him within 8.3s of the lead.
Sorry Ott, we were a bit quick to declare it an all-VW fight weren't we? The returnee Estonian is still very firmly in the hunt.
That keeps him within 8.3s of the lead.
Sorry Ott, we were a bit quick to declare it an all-VW fight weren't we? The returnee Estonian is still very firmly in the hunt.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell
Published:
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