Rally Sweden 2014
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Real anticipation between Mikklesen and Latvala in service. The pair are them are fully animated now and really looking forward to getting back out there for another fight through the afternoon.
Mikkelsen's decision to save his tyres yesterday means he's on fresh rubber from here to the finish. Asked if Latvala had done the same, he replied: "I don't think so..."
Elsewhere in the service park, M-Sport's Mikko Hirvonen looks to have lost his spark for the moment. Apart from sliding the Fiesta RS WRC through a ditch briefly this morning, the Finn's had a clean run, but he's still struggling to match the Polo pace.
Mikkelsen's decision to save his tyres yesterday means he's on fresh rubber from here to the finish. Asked if Latvala had done the same, he replied: "I don't think so..."
Elsewhere in the service park, M-Sport's Mikko Hirvonen looks to have lost his spark for the moment. Apart from sliding the Fiesta RS WRC through a ditch briefly this morning, the Finn's had a clean run, but he's still struggling to match the Polo pace.
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Sebastien Ogier has just explained his visit to a Lesjofors snowbank to AUTOSPORT in more detail.
"I wasn't concentrating completely on the entrance to the corner," he said. "The front of the car caught the snowbank which flicked the rear of the car into bank and the front then went straight in.
"Maybe I was a little bit unlucky... I saw lots of holes in the snowbanks, but it was only me that got stuck in there. I have to say thank the spectators though, lots of them came and pulled me out - without them we might still be there."
"I wasn't concentrating completely on the entrance to the corner," he said. "The front of the car caught the snowbank which flicked the rear of the car into bank and the front then went straight in.
"Maybe I was a little bit unlucky... I saw lots of holes in the snowbanks, but it was only me that got stuck in there. I have to say thank the spectators though, lots of them came and pulled me out - without them we might still be there."
Winter Trail
The Winter Trail classic car rally stopped in Karlstad for an overnight halt yesterday.
Here's proof that Citroen has been making quality rally cars for some time now.
The Winter Trail started in Copenhagen on February 2 and finishes in Oslo tomorrow.
On the way, the drivers of these gorgeous cars take in come quality roads and some tidy ales like the ones they were feasting on in the Bishops Arms in town last night.
About half an hour now until we're back to Lesjofers for the start of the next loop.
Schedule for the rest of the day is a repeat of the morning's quartet of stages, which are expected to be increasingly less snowy, more gravel-flavoured, then a return to the service park in Hagfors, followed by a break before an evening superspecial in Karlstad.
Schedule for the rest of the day is a repeat of the morning's quartet of stages, which are expected to be increasingly less snowy, more gravel-flavoured, then a return to the service park in Hagfors, followed by a break before an evening superspecial in Karlstad.
Karlstad
In the meantime, here's a picture of how un-snowy Karlstad is today. Where's it all gone?
The crews are in service now, with the next loop beginning in just under an hour and a half.
Race Centre Live will slow the updates down for a spell and be back in earnest when SS12 begins at 13.08 Swedish time, 12.08 UK time.
Race Centre Live will slow the updates down for a spell and be back in earnest when SS12 begins at 13.08 Swedish time, 12.08 UK time.
And Ogier is still 13th, 4m07.3s from the lead, 1m33.3s from a point and 49.0s from next target Breen.
Checkered flag
Leaderboard after SS11:
1 Latvala (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.6s
3 Ostberg (Citroen) +26.6s
4 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +33.8s
5 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +42.9s
6 Hanninen (Hyundai) +1m09.2s
7 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +1m53.9s
8 Meeke (Citroen) +1m55.3s
9 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +2m14.9s
10 Kubica (M-Sport Ford) +2m34.0s
1 Latvala (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.6s
3 Ostberg (Citroen) +26.6s
4 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +33.8s
5 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +42.9s
6 Hanninen (Hyundai) +1m09.2s
7 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +1m53.9s
8 Meeke (Citroen) +1m55.3s
9 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +2m14.9s
10 Kubica (M-Sport Ford) +2m34.0s
Checkered flag
SS11 times:
1 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) 2m00.8s
2 Ogier (VW) +1.7s
3 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +2.1s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +2.2s
5 Ostberg (Citroen) +2.3s
6 Mikkelsen (VW) +2.8s
1 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) 2m00.8s
2 Ogier (VW) +1.7s
3 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +2.1s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +2.2s
5 Ostberg (Citroen) +2.3s
6 Mikkelsen (VW) +2.8s
Stopwatch
Ogier's run of stage wins came to an end on Hagfors, so that means crowd favourite Henning Solberg remains fastest.
And his brother Petter was quickest on the supporting Historic rally's opening stage too.
And his brother Petter was quickest on the supporting Historic rally's opening stage too.
Mikkelsen takes 0.2s back from Latvala on Hagfors, so they head to service just 1.6s apart in this stunning lead battle.
Tanak is now 9s behind Hirvonen in fourth and 16s behind third-placed Ostberg, so the podium is drifting away - but he's sanguine about that.
"Yesterday was more than we expected so we can't be disappointed with today," says Tanak, who hasn't been in WRC action since November 2012 and whose co-driver Raigo Molder hasn't been in a World Rally Car before.
"Yesterday was more than we expected so we can't be disappointed with today," says Tanak, who hasn't been in WRC action since November 2012 and whose co-driver Raigo Molder hasn't been in a World Rally Car before.
Tanak is right between Hirvonen and Ostberg on the stage times.
Hirvonen trims 0.2s back off the gap to third-placed Ostberg.
"It's a tricky stage, it's quite OK now when the tyres are not so bad, but it will be an interesting stage in the afternoon," says Ostberg.
"It's important for the spectators and it smells really nice here."
He's referring to the barbeques it seems, rather than suggesting Hagfors' spectators are notably fragrant.
"It's a tricky stage, it's quite OK now when the tyres are not so bad, but it will be an interesting stage in the afternoon," says Ostberg.
"It's important for the spectators and it smells really nice here."
He's referring to the barbeques it seems, rather than suggesting Hagfors' spectators are notably fragrant.
Flag
It means Meeke has fallen back behind Tidemand by 1.4s in their seventh-place battle. And that will disappoint the owner of this flag.
Meeke's mystery issue is clear in his time - he's 4.8s slower than current pacesetter Solberg on this short stage.
But Meeke has worries of his own - he says there's a problem with the car and he has to head quickly into service.
Little slip for Tidemand as he stalls at the start of Hagfors. He was 1.8s ahead of Meeke before the stage.
Kubica is 0.4s slower than team-mate Evans on Hagfors, so they're now just 0.1s apart in their fight over 10th place, with the Pole ahead.
Stopwatch
Over at Hagfors, Solberg is the early pacesetter, 2.9s up on Breen.
Breaking news
SS10 summary:
* Mikkelsen has a high-speed trip through a ditch and falls 1.8s behind Latvala in the lead battle.
* Ostberg pulls away from Hirvonen to make third more secure.
* Tidemand reclaims seventh from Meeke.
* Solberg has a spin but stays ninth.
* Kubica takes 10th from Evans.
* Ogier is fastest and moves up to 13th, 4m08s off the lead, a minute and a half from the points.
* Mikkelsen has a high-speed trip through a ditch and falls 1.8s behind Latvala in the lead battle.
* Ostberg pulls away from Hirvonen to make third more secure.
* Tidemand reclaims seventh from Meeke.
* Solberg has a spin but stays ninth.
* Kubica takes 10th from Evans.
* Ogier is fastest and moves up to 13th, 4m08s off the lead, a minute and a half from the points.
Checkered flag
Leaderboard after SS10:
1 Latvala (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.8s
3 Ostberg (Citroen) +27.3s
4 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +34.7s
5 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +43.7s
6 Hanninen (Hyundai) +1m09.2s
7 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +1m51.7s
8 Meeke (Citroen) +1m53.5s
9 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +2m17.9s
10 Kubica (M-Sport Ford) +2m33.2s
1 Latvala (VW)
2 Mikkelsen (VW) +1.8s
3 Ostberg (Citroen) +27.3s
4 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +34.7s
5 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +43.7s
6 Hanninen (Hyundai) +1m09.2s
7 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +1m51.7s
8 Meeke (Citroen) +1m53.5s
9 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +2m17.9s
10 Kubica (M-Sport Ford) +2m33.2s
Checkered flag
SS10 times:
1 Ogier (VW) 11m55.0s
2 Latvala (VW) +4.2s
3 Ostberg (Citroen) +9.0s
4 Mikkelsen (VW) +9.3s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +14.8s
6 Hanninen (Hyundai) +19.3s
1 Ogier (VW) 11m55.0s
2 Latvala (VW) +4.2s
3 Ostberg (Citroen) +9.0s
4 Mikkelsen (VW) +9.3s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +14.8s
6 Hanninen (Hyundai) +19.3s
Mads Ostberg
The battle for third spread out on that last stage. Hirvonen was up on Ostberg at first, but then the latter said he changed his technique a little mid-stage.
It seemed to work, as Ostberg outpaced Hirvonen by 5s, bringing the gap up to 7.4s.
Tanak fell a little further away too, still struggling with co-driver Molder not getting the pace notes in sync with the car's pace on his first experience of a WRC machine.
Lights out
The short Hagfors Sprint, our last stage before service this morning, is already underway, with Prokop and Al-Qassimi already through its 1.87kms.
That time is likely to bring Ogier up to 13th overall, ahead of the WRC2 leaders, and then his next target will be Breen.
Stopwatch
And while his team-mates battle for the win, Ogier is reminding everyone how fast he is by taking another fastest time.
"I did a stupid mistake and now I just have to finish the rally. There's not much to get anymore as we're too far away, but we'll try to have fun in the car..."
"I did a stupid mistake and now I just have to finish the rally. There's not much to get anymore as we're too far away, but we'll try to have fun in the car..."
Crash
A massive scare for Mikkelsen with a high-speed off on that stage. It costs him about 5s and Latvala now has a 1.8s lead.
"We went out in a ditch in fourth or fifth gear and filled the front with snow. Lucky to get out of that!" says Mikkelsen.
"We went out in a ditch in fourth or fifth gear and filled the front with snow. Lucky to get out of that!" says Mikkelsen.
Breaking news
Mikkelsen loses the lead to Latvala!
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Meeke gives us some insight into conditions on a rally stage that isn't as snowy as it should be:
"You've got two gravel lines that offer mega grip, then a lot of slushy snow that is just lethal."
"You've got two gravel lines that offer mega grip, then a lot of slushy snow that is just lethal."
Tidemand is another man happy with some changes. He's been out of sorts so far this morning but has adjusted his Fiesta's set-up and got his confidence firmly back.
A quicker time brings him back past Meeke for a provisional seventh.
A quicker time brings him back past Meeke for a provisional seventh.
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Good stage from Kubica, who is briefly fastest and gets a provisional 10th place back from M-Sport team-mate Evans.
"Actually this stage was the easiest for us. The set-up change we did was better for this type of stage. I think we're going in the right direction now," says Kubica.
"This morning it was really, really difficult for me to stay on the road when the car was sliding a lot, but we managed it, so that's another learning process."
"Actually this stage was the easiest for us. The set-up change we did was better for this type of stage. I think we're going in the right direction now," says Kubica.
"This morning it was really, really difficult for me to stay on the road when the car was sliding a lot, but we managed it, so that's another learning process."
Early splits show Hirvonen a couple of seconds quicker than Ostberg, who he's battling with for third.
Crash
Michal Solowow
Solowow also confirms he went off. And it might've been coincidence rather than manners that caused him to pull over for Breen, as he had to park to clear snow from the front of the car before it overheated.
Crash
Solberg reveals he had a spin at the start of that stage.
"There was so much snow on the road where someone had touched the snow bank before, and I properly spun around," he explains.
That hasn't stopped him being fastest so far...
"There was so much snow on the road where someone had touched the snow bank before, and I properly spun around," he explains.
That hasn't stopped him being fastest so far...
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Breen says Solowow was no problem.
"Thanks to Mr Solowow, he pulled it out of the way way before time and let me come through, he was a true gentleman."
"Thanks to Mr Solowow, he pulled it out of the way way before time and let me come through, he was a true gentleman."
Rain
First few drivers through have predicted that what snow there is on these stages will be swept aside by the first runs this morning and the roads will basically be gravel by the afternoon. Definitely more rain than snow in the air right now.
Breen has had to pass Solowow on the stage after problems for the Pole. It looks on the tracking system like Solowow parked up to let the Irishman through without too much delay.
Early problem for Solberg on the Rammen stage, with a slow first split.
It's been a case of speed/problem/speed/problem for Solberg on his comeback so far, with a spin and a puncture among yesterday's adventures, but some very rapid times in between. He had got up to ninth, 15s behind stepson Tidemand, before this stage.
It's been a case of speed/problem/speed/problem for Solberg on his comeback so far, with a spin and a puncture among yesterday's adventures, but some very rapid times in between. He had got up to ninth, 15s behind stepson Tidemand, before this stage.
Ogier is now 15th, 4m16s off the lead and 2m18s away from a point. He cleared the WRC2 midfield and WRC stragglers with that SS9 stage end.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell
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