Rally Sweden
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Meeke dropped behind Latvala at the second split, and he completes the stage 5.1s adrift.
"I had a clean stage, some parts were fast and others were narrow and slow, so it was difficult to get in a rhythm," he says.
Behind, Evans is 2.7s up at the second split, meaning he should hang on to eighth for now.
"I had a clean stage, some parts were fast and others were narrow and slow, so it was difficult to get in a rhythm," he says.
Behind, Evans is 2.7s up at the second split, meaning he should hang on to eighth for now.
Abbring is through, going fourth fastest with a time 18.7s off the pace.
The Dutchman is 11th overall, about two minutes behind his nearest rival Protasov, so he'll be relying on misfortune to strike one of the cars ahead if he's to score any points this weekend.
The Dutchman is 11th overall, about two minutes behind his nearest rival Protasov, so he'll be relying on misfortune to strike one of the cars ahead if he's to score any points this weekend.
Meeke and Evans are both on the stage now. Both are within range of Prokop in seventh place on the leaderboard, the Czech taking a buffer of 19s over the duo into this final day.
The Citroen driver is quickest through the first split so far, a second up on Latvala.
The Citroen driver is quickest through the first split so far, a second up on Latvala.
Kubica is also through, 13s slower than Latvala, while Henning Solberg, who was quicker than Latvala at the first split, winds up 13.6s off the pace.
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Latvala has completed the stage a massive 35.6s quicker than Bertelli, setting an early benchmark of 9m15.6s. The Finn will be aiming just to gather some points on the power stage later today.
"The stage was fantastic, I've never been happier with this car the whole rally," says Latvala.
"I've realised something now that I didn't realise two months ago, that I was wrong about something - I'll tell you one day but I'm not saying now!"
"The stage was fantastic, I've never been happier with this car the whole rally," says Latvala.
"I've realised something now that I didn't realise two months ago, that I was wrong about something - I'll tell you one day but I'm not saying now!"
Reports coming in that this stage has no shortage of snow banks, which never fail to inject a bit of unpredictability into proceedings.
Bertelli and Latvala are both through the opening split, the Finn 7.6s up on the Italian.
Bertelli and Latvala are both through the opening split, the Finn 7.6s up on the Italian.
Then we have Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans, who are separated by just four tenths coming into this one in the battle for eighth, Martin Prokop, Haydon Paddon, Ott Tanak and Mads Ostberg, who had been a factor in the lead battle before picking up a puncture yesterday.
Only once all those guys have finished the stage will we see the three victory contenders - first Ogier, then his VW team-mate Mikkelsen, and finally Neuville.
Only once all those guys have finished the stage will we see the three victory contenders - first Ogier, then his VW team-mate Mikkelsen, and finally Neuville.
That means the three drivers we're really interested in won't be starting the stage for another 20 minutes or so.
Robert Kubica will be third on the road, followed by privateers Henning Solberg, Michal Solowow, Hyundai new-boy Kevin Abbring and the WRC's newest stage winner, Yuriy Protasov.
Robert Kubica will be third on the road, followed by privateers Henning Solberg, Michal Solowow, Hyundai new-boy Kevin Abbring and the WRC's newest stage winner, Yuriy Protasov.
Lights out
Don't forget, unlike the last two days, the running order for the morning's stages is the current rally order reversed.
That means Lorenzo Bertelli, who has had a pretty rough time of things so far, gets us underway for the morning.
The Italian has just started the stage, and next up will be Jari-Matti Latvala, whose hopes of winning this event were dashed by an excursion into a snow bank on Friday that cost him eight minutes.
That means Lorenzo Bertelli, who has had a pretty rough time of things so far, gets us underway for the morning.
The Italian has just started the stage, and next up will be Jari-Matti Latvala, whose hopes of winning this event were dashed by an excursion into a snow bank on Friday that cost him eight minutes.
Twitter
This tweet by WRC Live's Colin Clark summarises the tension and excitement in the service park nicely:
"Three protagonists, three stages, 46km, only one winner! Do Sunday mornings get much better? I really don't think so!"
"Three protagonists, three stages, 46km, only one winner! Do Sunday mornings get much better? I really don't think so!"
Breaking news
Neuville
If you missed yesterday's action, where were you?
Hyundai's Thierry Neuville seized the lead of the rally on yesterday's final stage following a series of storming drives. Chasing his second WRC win, he holds a narrow 1.5s advantage over Andreas Mikkelsen, whose previously comfortable lead was reduced to nothing earlier in the day by a spin.
Meanwhile, Sebastien Ogier lurks just 9.6s behind Neuville, as he seeks to complete his recovery from the spin late on Friday that cost him the lead.
If you need a more detailed reminder, here's our report from yesterday's afternoon loop:
Neuville grabs Rally Sweden lead
The first of those, the 9.3 mile Lesjofors test, is coming up in just under ten minutes' time.
That will be followed by a first run through the 9.9 mile Varmullsasen stage, which will then be repeated for our points-paying power stage finale.
That will be followed by a first run through the 9.9 mile Varmullsasen stage, which will then be repeated for our points-paying power stage finale.
Good morning and welcome back to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for our coverage of what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to Rally Sweden.
We have three men separated by less than 10 seconds at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final day, with three stages covering 29.1 miles coming up to decide a winner.
We have three men separated by less than 10 seconds at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final day, with three stages covering 29.1 miles coming up to decide a winner.
We'll be back from 7.45am UK time tomorrow morning to see who wins this amazing rally.
It's Neuville vs Mikkelsen vs Ogier for victory, plus Evans, Meeke, Kubica and Latvala all making up ground further back. The running order is the current rally standings reversed (sorry Jari-Matti, you're the snowplough) so it's a straight fight up front.
Thanks for your company and kind comments today, see you back here tomorrow.
It's Neuville vs Mikkelsen vs Ogier for victory, plus Evans, Meeke, Kubica and Latvala all making up ground further back. The running order is the current rally standings reversed (sorry Jari-Matti, you're the snowplough) so it's a straight fight up front.
Thanks for your company and kind comments today, see you back here tomorrow.
Thierry Neuville, Hyundai, WRC Sweden 2015
Petter Solberg
And on an afternoon of good news (because a close battle up front with some different faces in it is precisely what the WRC needs - so regardless of who wins, this is a great weekend for rallying), here's another thing to raise a smile.
Petter Solberg and his co-driving wife Pernilla are donating their €520 prize for winning the Historic rally to the Rally Sweden volunteers' after-party. Lovely gesture from a lovely (and quick) bloke.
Breaking news
SS18 summary:
* Neuville fastest and takes the rally lead!
* Hyundai-VW-VW top three covered by 9.6s going into final morning
* Meeke second fastest and closes to within 0.4s of Evans for eighth as both catch sixth-placed Prokop
* Kubica visits a snow bank and loses 15th to Solberg again
* Neuville fastest and takes the rally lead!
* Hyundai-VW-VW top three covered by 9.6s going into final morning
* Meeke second fastest and closes to within 0.4s of Evans for eighth as both catch sixth-placed Prokop
* Kubica visits a snow bank and loses 15th to Solberg again
Checkered flag
SS18 results:
Stage times:
1 Neuville 13m24.4s
2 Meeke +0.8s
3 Ogier +5.9s
4 Ostberg +6.0s
5 Evans +7.3s
6 Paddon +8.6s
7 Mikkelsen +8.8s
8 Latvala +10.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +1.5s
3 Ogier +9.6s
4 Ostberg +53.4s
5 Tanak +1m29.2s
6 Paddon +2m35.7s
7 Prokop +3m03.1s
8 Evans +3m22.1s
9 Meeke +3m22.5s
10 Protasov +4m19.6s
---------------------
11 Abbring +6m45.0s
12 Solowow +7m09.3s
13 Ketomaa (WRC2) +7m44.7s
14 Brynildsen (WRC2) +8m15.3s
15 Solberg +8m34.4s
16 Kubica +8m51.5s
17 Latvala +9m01.1s
Stage times:
1 Neuville 13m24.4s
2 Meeke +0.8s
3 Ogier +5.9s
4 Ostberg +6.0s
5 Evans +7.3s
6 Paddon +8.6s
7 Mikkelsen +8.8s
8 Latvala +10.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +1.5s
3 Ogier +9.6s
4 Ostberg +53.4s
5 Tanak +1m29.2s
6 Paddon +2m35.7s
7 Prokop +3m03.1s
8 Evans +3m22.1s
9 Meeke +3m22.5s
10 Protasov +4m19.6s
---------------------
11 Abbring +6m45.0s
12 Solowow +7m09.3s
13 Ketomaa (WRC2) +7m44.7s
14 Brynildsen (WRC2) +8m15.3s
15 Solberg +8m34.4s
16 Kubica +8m51.5s
17 Latvala +9m01.1s
A good time from Paddon in the Hyundai, he's sixth fastest and that cements his sixth place overall too. While Prokop is going to be vulnerable to Evans and Meeke tomorrow, Paddon probably won't be.
Crash
Kubica finishes the stage, it looks on the splits like he might have had a minor incident somewhere in the middle.
He confirms he did:
"We didn't have anymore tyres, the studs had disappeared and I cut one corner too much and the snow banks pulled me in. I had to reverse twice and lost about 20s."
He confirms he did:
"We didn't have anymore tyres, the studs had disappeared and I cut one corner too much and the snow banks pulled me in. I had to reverse twice and lost about 20s."
Twitter
In fact, Neuville says so himself:
"It’s a good day :-) So happy that I also get the record of the Colin’s Crest jump with 44 m"
"It’s a good day :-) So happy that I also get the record of the Colin’s Crest jump with 44 m"
Trophy
It seems Neuville also set a new record for the famous Colin's Crest jump of 44 metres. He really is having a good day.
Prokop just admitted he wasn't entirely concentrating on that stage and should've been thinking about rallying a bit more than he was. He didn't offer any details about exactly what topic his mind had wandered off to, but crikey Martin, focus! You're running seventh on a WRC round with factory/factory-ish cars all around you!
And the Brits are doing well too - Meeke finished that stage second-fastest and reckons only a small mistake stopped him outpacing Neuville, and Evans was fifth fastest.
Evans and Meeke are going to end the day eighth and ninth overall, and not too far behind Paddon and Prokop - so there's another thing to get excited about tomorrow morning.
Evans and Meeke are going to end the day eighth and ninth overall, and not too far behind Paddon and Prokop - so there's another thing to get excited about tomorrow morning.
And here's how the leaderboard looks:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +1.5s
3 Ogier +9.6s
Three stages, 45 miles, to settle it all on Sunday morning.
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +1.5s
3 Ogier +9.6s
Three stages, 45 miles, to settle it all on Sunday morning.
It would be great if Sebastien Loeb came back. It will be great when Toyota turns up again.
But there's no need to pine too much because what the WRC does have right now is a rising star underdog thrusting himself among the champions, and he's got a brand new Hyundai coming later in the season too.
He looked mega in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, he gave us a big hint of what he could do in the M-Sport Ford in 2013, and now as Hyundai improves and he gets ever more established in the team, Neuville is proving that he's the man Ogier has to worry about over the coming years.
And it's quite exciting.
But there's no need to pine too much because what the WRC does have right now is a rising star underdog thrusting himself among the champions, and he's got a brand new Hyundai coming later in the season too.
He looked mega in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, he gave us a big hint of what he could do in the M-Sport Ford in 2013, and now as Hyundai improves and he gets ever more established in the team, Neuville is proving that he's the man Ogier has to worry about over the coming years.
And it's quite exciting.
Neuville and Hyundai have won before, in Germany, last year, but that came after shunts for Ogier, Latvala and Meeke when all were well-placed.
This weekend, Neuville has gone head to head with the VWs, made less mistakes (at least so far) and he's leading with three stages to go.
This weekend, Neuville has gone head to head with the VWs, made less mistakes (at least so far) and he's leading with three stages to go.
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Neuville: "I had a big, big push. I think I made some little mistakes that cost me three or four seconds. But I think that was one of the best stages I have ever done.
"There are some tricky stages tomorrow, but I don't want to slow down now."
This is an absolutely extraordinary drive.
"There are some tricky stages tomorrow, but I don't want to slow down now."
This is an absolutely extraordinary drive.
Stopwatch
Neuville is through and he takes the Rally Sweden lead by 1.5s going into the final morning!
Ostberg is through, but frankly we're looking out for Neuville...
Breaking news
And amid all that, here's news of a suspended penalty for Ogier - which WON'T take effect this weekend but could haunt him later in 2015:
Ogier given suspended penalty
Ogier given suspended penalty
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Mikkelsen remains calm: "It looks like Neuville has a different tyre strategy and completely new tyres on the front, so we will see what is going on.
"It was a clean stage for us, and it looks like it's going to be an interesting morning tomorrow."
"It was a clean stage for us, and it looks like it's going to be an interesting morning tomorrow."
Mikkelsen finishes the stage 2.9s slower than Ogier, it's really closing up.
Stopwatch
Neuville is 8.5s up on Mikkelsen on the splits now, that will be enough to vault Hyundai into first place if he keeps it up.
Stopwatch
Neuville is flying on the early splits - it's going to be close between him and Mikkelsen for the rally lead. They're 7.3s apart starting the stage...
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"I'm happy with my pace," declares Ogier. "Whatever the time from the others, I have done my best. We pushed.
"The conditions were really bad for us."
"The conditions were really bad for us."
Stopwatch
Ogier reaches the stage finish in 13m30.3s, while the only other information so far is that Mikkelsen is 0.4s faster than Latvala early on the stage.
Not much information on either the splits or tracking system at the moment - signal from the stages hasn't always been ideal this weekend so not necessarily a sign of trouble for Ogier or anyone else.
Lights out
Right, Vargasen has begun. Poised for splits and to see just how close Mikkelsen, Neuville and Ogier end this brilliant day of rallying.
We've neglected WRC2 a little today, but it's still close-ish there too. Jari Ketomaa was dominating for a spell, but his lead over Eyvind Brynildsen is down to 27s now.
Stopwatch
Erik
And it's going to be a very nervous time for those in the thick of it in the teams.
DAVID EVANS joined probably the most apprehensive man in the service park to watch the splits on the second run through Fredriksberg: Andreas Mikkelsen's manager Erik Veiby.
Tension was heightened when his man's second split didn't arrive, but 10.9 quicker than Ogier went down well at the finish.
By: Jamie Klein, AUTOSPORT staff
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