Rally Sweden
Live Text
Sort by
One more stage to go today, back to the 15 miles of Vargasen to set up the final battle.
Sunday is pretty short, just three nine-mile stages to settle things in the morning. But the running order will be a straight fight, with the WRC field's positions reversed, which ought to put Mikkelsen, Neuville and Ogier in a straight head to head on a pretty clean road.
In other words, this next stage and tomorrow morning are going to be superb.
Sunday is pretty short, just three nine-mile stages to settle things in the morning. But the running order will be a straight fight, with the WRC field's positions reversed, which ought to put Mikkelsen, Neuville and Ogier in a straight head to head on a pretty clean road.
In other words, this next stage and tomorrow morning are going to be superb.
Breaking news
SS17 summary:
Well there's rarely a lot to recap from a 1.2-mile stage, but...
* Kubica takes his first stage win of the weekend and moves up to 15th overall
* Mikkelsen goes a little faster than Neuville and Ogier so leads by 7.3s
Well there's rarely a lot to recap from a 1.2-mile stage, but...
* Kubica takes his first stage win of the weekend and moves up to 15th overall
* Mikkelsen goes a little faster than Neuville and Ogier so leads by 7.3s
Checkered flag
SS17 results:
Stage times:
1 Kubica 1m57.1s
2 Tanak +1.2s
3 Protasov +1.3s
4 Meeke +1.3s
5 Mikkelsen +1.4s
6 Ostberg +1.6s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Mikkelsen
2 Neuville +7.3s
3 Ogier +11.0s
4 Ostberg +54.7s
5 Tanak +1m25.3s
6 Paddon +2m34.4s
Stage times:
1 Kubica 1m57.1s
2 Tanak +1.2s
3 Protasov +1.3s
4 Meeke +1.3s
5 Mikkelsen +1.4s
6 Ostberg +1.6s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Mikkelsen
2 Neuville +7.3s
3 Ogier +11.0s
4 Ostberg +54.7s
5 Tanak +1m25.3s
6 Paddon +2m34.4s
Valentines
As the last WRC runners come through Hagfors, a quick reminder that it's the day of romance.
The old romantics at M-Sport were out in force at breakfast this morning, with a heart-shaped sweet left at every place setting. AUTOSPORT’s David Evans had to be reminded by Malcolm Wilson to send the good Mrs E a text first thing.
Of the other drivers coming back up the order, Latvala is still going to be 17th unless any of the WRC2 leaders have a really rubbish time on Hagfors, and after his trip off the road on the last stage, Abbring stayed 11th, just a bit closer to Polish privateer Michal Solowow behind him now.
Stopwatch
Tanak's time on top was shortlived, Kubica beats him by 1.2s.
"Ah that's good," says Kubica. "That was quite a good stage, in some places it's coming through to gravel and concrete."
That gains him a position too, as he passes Solberg for 15th overall.
"Ah that's good," says Kubica. "That was quite a good stage, in some places it's coming through to gravel and concrete."
That gains him a position too, as he passes Solberg for 15th overall.
Stopwatch
Nope, Meeke's going to have to wait for his second stage win on snow - Tanak pips him by a tenth of a second in the M-Sport Ford.
Tanak's still running fifth, by the way. We have to keep mentioning that because he isn't in a battle with anyone so it's easy to overlook him, but he's having a quietly strong rally.
Tanak's still running fifth, by the way. We have to keep mentioning that because he isn't in a battle with anyone so it's easy to overlook him, but he's having a quietly strong rally.
Stopwatch
Meanwhile back in the modern event, Meeke has just set the fastest time on Hagfors. Back to back stage wins for Meeke...?
Petter Solberg
So when Ogier complains that the Historic runners are spoiling the stages, he's basically pointing at Petter Solberg, who just scored a third successive Rally Sweden Historic win in his Ford Escort. More detail from DAVID EVANS:
The 2003 World Rally champion led Tom Axelsson home by more than three minutes after the eight-stage, 80-mile event. Axelsson was driving an Audi Quattro A1, a car never really designed for rallying…
Solberg said: "It's fantastic to come here and compete in front of so many people and it was really nice for me to drive at home yesterday. Winning three is really nice and taking Colin's Crest flat out was a fantastic way to finish the event!"
Twitter
Neuville's performance is pleasing his sportscar star compatriot Laurens Vanthoor:
"Looks like @thierryneuville is on a run at @RallySweden @OfficialWRC ! #GoBelgium"
"Looks like @thierryneuville is on a run at @RallySweden @OfficialWRC ! #GoBelgium"
Neuville is six tenths slower than Mikkelsen on Hagfors, so the Norwegian's lead is back up to 7.3s.
The Hyundai man says he's saving his best tyre options for the upcoming Vargasen stage again, so he can do the day's longest stage with fresh fronts. That's going to be interesting...
The Hyundai man says he's saving his best tyre options for the upcoming Vargasen stage again, so he can do the day's longest stage with fresh fronts. That's going to be interesting...
Stopwatch
Not as bad as Ogier feared, Mikkelsen is only six tenths faster than him, so the gap from first to third on the leaderboard is 11s.
Ogier is still fastest for now, as Latvala comes in seven tenths down.
Mikkelsen will be next up, then Ostberg, then Neuville.
Mikkelsen will be next up, then Ostberg, then Neuville.
Just 1m59.1s of rallying for Ogier to complete Hagfors, but he still reckons that was enough running to lose time to Mikkelsen and Neuville.
"I still think I can lose 5s because it's terrible to be first on the road there. It was like a ski slope."
His main complaint is the Historic rally sharing the stages and messing up the lines, a bit of scheduling he reckons is "stupid" - though he does add that it's "good for the fans, just bad for racing."
"I still think I can lose 5s because it's terrible to be first on the road there. It was like a ski slope."
His main complaint is the Historic rally sharing the stages and messing up the lines, a bit of scheduling he reckons is "stupid" - though he does add that it's "good for the fans, just bad for racing."
Lights out
And we're immediately back in action on the Hagfors Sprint - just 1.2 miles but when you've got a top three covered by just 10s, 1.2 miles matter.
Breaking news
SS16 summary:
* Mistakes in the final miles mean leader Mikkelsen's gap to Neuville and Ogier shrinks a little
* Meeke takes his first stage win on snow as he closes on Evans for eighth overall
* Abbring goes off and loses 1m45s, dropping him away from the cusp of the points
* Mistakes in the final miles mean leader Mikkelsen's gap to Neuville and Ogier shrinks a little
* Meeke takes his first stage win on snow as he closes on Evans for eighth overall
* Abbring goes off and loses 1m45s, dropping him away from the cusp of the points
Checkered flag
SS16 results:
Stage times:
1 Meeke 11m38.5s
2 Ostberg +1.7s
3 Latvala +3.2s
4 Tanak +3.3s
5 Ogier +4.0s
6 Neuville +4.2s
7 Evans +4.4s
8 Mikkelsen +6.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Mikkelsen
2 Neuville +6.7s
3 Ogier +10.4s
4 Ostberg +54.5s
5 Tanak +1m25.5s
6 Paddon +2m33.8s
7 Prokop +2m53.9s
8 Evans +3m21.9s
9 Meeke +3m29.1s
10 Protasov +4m08.6s
Stage times:
1 Meeke 11m38.5s
2 Ostberg +1.7s
3 Latvala +3.2s
4 Tanak +3.3s
5 Ogier +4.0s
6 Neuville +4.2s
7 Evans +4.4s
8 Mikkelsen +6.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Mikkelsen
2 Neuville +6.7s
3 Ogier +10.4s
4 Ostberg +54.5s
5 Tanak +1m25.5s
6 Paddon +2m33.8s
7 Prokop +2m53.9s
8 Evans +3m21.9s
9 Meeke +3m29.1s
10 Protasov +4m08.6s
Crash
Nothing too dramatic for Abbring, he gets himself out of the snow bank and makes it to the end. Still waiting for a time, but he reckons he dropped about a minute.
The Dutchman is parked less than a mile from the stage finish.
Breaking news
Abbring has stopped on the stage in the third Hyundai.
Paddon came under threat from Prokop for sixth overall on the last stage. He's responded firmly - a much quicker time on Rammen pulls their gap up from 10s to 20s.
Tyre concern for Kubica, he says he's overheating the rubber and losing studs from the Pirellis. The time loss isn't dramatic, but he's in the Prokop/Protasov area of the timing screens on this stage rather than the Tanak/Evans region.
Stopwatch
Tanak is now the fastest man of all at the first split, but he's tailing off a little bit further on. Looking good for a Meeke stage win at present.
Quote
Modest stuff from Meeke, who doesn't have any qualms about admitting that being seventh on the road is a decent spot for setting fast times this afternoon:
"The road's getting quicker and quicker, quite simple. I have an advantage over the guys in front.
"I'm just trying to drive my rally in a good rhythm, so I'm happy."
"The road's getting quicker and quicker, quite simple. I have an advantage over the guys in front.
"I'm just trying to drive my rally in a good rhythm, so I'm happy."
Stopwatch
Fastest time now goes to Meeke, and that brings him within 7s of Evans for eighth overall.
Here's how our top four is looking overall:
1 Mikkelsen
2 Neuville +6.7s
3 Ogier +10.4s
4 Ostberg +54.5s
1 Mikkelsen
2 Neuville +6.7s
3 Ogier +10.4s
4 Ostberg +54.5s
Neuville's run to the finish isn't too sparkling either and Ostberg remains our stage leader, but Neuville has taken another 2s off Mikkelsen, getting him to within 6s of the lead!
Neuville admits he too made mistakes at two corners near the finish, nearly getting stuck in a snow bank. He reckons that cost him 3s.
Neuville admits he too made mistakes at two corners near the finish, nearly getting stuck in a snow bank. He reckons that cost him 3s.
Neuville is 1.2s up on Mikkelsen at the final split, and it's in the miles that followed that Mikkelsen really dropped time to Ogier...
Quote
Switching his brain off and going for it seemed to be the key for Ostberg there:
"Every place I'm trying to be clever, I'm slow. It's just not working. I'm going to stop trying to be clever."
"Every place I'm trying to be clever, I'm slow. It's just not working. I'm going to stop trying to be clever."
Stopwatch
Now Ostberg grabs the fastest time on the stage, finishing 1.5s quicker than Latvala's mark.
Now can Neuville capitalise on that? He was 0.3s slower than Mikkelsen on the early splits, but if he stays tidy at the end, that 8s gap between them on the overall leaderboard could be shrinking...
Quote
Nothing too dramatic, Mikkelsen finishes the stage laughing at himself.
"Every year, I get something wrong at the last split of this one," he says.
"At two junctions I went a little bit too deep and had no speed out."
"Every year, I get something wrong at the last split of this one," he says.
"At two junctions I went a little bit too deep and had no speed out."
Mikkelsen loses time in the final miles though - he finishes the stage 2.2s slower than Ogier! Where did that 5s go?
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen clocks in at the final split 3.1s up on Ogier's time.
Stopwatch
Latvala reaches the finish eight tenths faster than Ogier, and then gives us a nice detailed description of the snow level:
"You have gravel, which is giving you some grip, but then on the side of the gravel part you have soft snow and slush. It's really hard to keep the car on the line."
"You have gravel, which is giving you some grip, but then on the side of the gravel part you have soft snow and slush. It's really hard to keep the car on the line."
The split times match Ogier's thoughts - Mikkelsen is 1.7s faster than him at the mid-point, which isn't as dramatic as it was on the previous stage, but it's still not going in the direction the champion wants.
Stopwatch
Ogier is through with a time of 11m42.5s. How was being first on the road that time?
"A bit better but still not great. It's better to say 'not that bad'."
"A bit better but still not great. It's better to say 'not that bad'."
Lights out
Rammen is under way, incidentally, and the first splits are coming in, with Mikkelsen 1.4s faster than Ogier so far.
Avid AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live reader Petter Solberg and his co-driving wife Pernilla have notched up another win on the Historic section of Rally Sweden in their Ford Escort MkII - congratulations Petter!
DAVID EVANS spots some cosy attention to detail from the champion team:
Volkswagen's drivers were issued with these furry numbers to keep their feet warm between stages. Nothing worse than cold feet…
Volkswagen's drivers were issued with these furry numbers to keep their feet warm between stages. Nothing worse than cold feet…
VW furry shoes
By: Jamie Klein, AUTOSPORT staff
Published:
Lap:
