WRC Argentina
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WRC - Argentina: Ostberg follows Neuville through, and the Norwegian is 7s up.
The Citroen driver started the stage third, even after an engine problem on SS2.
The Citroen driver started the stage third, even after an engine problem on SS2.
WRC - Argentina: Thierry Neuville is through the fourth split, setting a 24m00.3s.
Crash
WRC - Argentina: Reports suggest that Tanak's crash was brought about by a rock in a watersplash.
It looks like the Estonian has lost a wheel.
It looks like the Estonian has lost a wheel.
WRC - Argentina: Further along the stage, Ostberg has gone 5.5s quicker than Neuville through the third sector.
The two are the only ones through that sector at the moment.
The two are the only ones through that sector at the moment.
Stopwatch
WRC - Argentina: But just as we hint at any sort of Latvala-related happiness, Meeke goes 1s quicker than Latvala through the first stint...
WRC - Argentina: And talking of Latvala, he continues to be the quickest man on stage after eight miles.
2.7s quicker than Neuville, the Finn will be pleased so far.
2.7s quicker than Neuville, the Finn will be pleased so far.
WRC - Argentina: Rally leader Kris Meeke is now on stage, we'll be keeping a close eye on his times compared to Latvala.
The Brit's lead was 15.3s before SS4.
The Brit's lead was 15.3s before SS4.
Stopwatch
WRC - Argentina: The second split comes at just over eight miles, Osterg was slightly quicker than Neuville, but only by a tenth.
WRC - Argentina: Sordo - who struggled with power steering issues this morning - is through 1s down on Latvala.
It looks like Tanak has stopped on stage.
It looks like Tanak has stopped on stage.
WRC - Argentina: Latvala goes quickest! The Finn is through the first sector in 6m44.8s, 0.3s quicker than Neuville.
There's still 5 sectors to complete though...
There's still 5 sectors to complete though...
WRC - Argentina: M-Sport's Elfyn Evans came through the first stint 3.4s down on Neuville's time.
The Belgian's time is looking increasingly impressive. We'll get a better idea when Latvala comes through next.
The Belgian's time is looking increasingly impressive. We'll get a better idea when Latvala comes through next.
WRC - Argentina: Ostberg is the next man through in the Citroen, 0.3s down on Neuville's time.
Stopwatch
WRC - Argentina: Neuville goes through the first stint, with a 6m45.1s.
Crash
WRC - Argentina: Andreas Mikkelsen retired on the road section before SS4, he'll return tomorrow.
Haydon Paddon is also out thanks to an exhaust manifold problem.
It wasn't the turbo pipe, engine mounts or any of the other list of problems with that Hyundai that finally saw him off, then.
Haydon Paddon is also out thanks to an exhaust manifold problem.
It wasn't the turbo pipe, engine mounts or any of the other list of problems with that Hyundai that finally saw him off, then.
WRC - Argentina: After some impressive deduction skills, it looks like the start of the stage was delayed slightly, but Neuville is now into SS4.
WRC - Argentina: The timing screens have been as troublesome/unreliable as some of the cars on this morning's stages, we're hoping they improve through the weekend.
Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen should both be on stage.
Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen should both be on stage.
WRC - Argentina: Thierry Neuville has arrived at SS4, he's the first car on the road in under a minutes time.
WRC - Argentina: For those wanting an update on Yuriy Protasov - and his search for a missing wheel - he found it!
The Ukrainian ran back into the final stage of the morning to collect a wheel he lost two corners from the end.
He'll pick up his WRC2 lead going into SS4.
The Ukrainian ran back into the final stage of the morning to collect a wheel he lost two corners from the end.
He'll pick up his WRC2 lead going into SS4.
WRC - Argentina: Plus – here’s a shot of Mikkelsen’s post-puncture/suspension stricken Volkswagen.
Rally Argentina Mikkelsen
WRC - Argentina: Knives aside, EVANS also found out more about Andreas Mikkelsen and Thierry Neuville’s troubles.
“The end of the first stage was the place to be this morning. Mikkelsen and Neuville fell victim to the shockingly rough road to Ascochinga.
“Their challenge for victory in Argentina ended in that stage, but the Belgian’s story was probably the more dramatic of the two.
“His left-rear tyre had delaminated, whipping off much of the bodywork and filling the car with dust. His mouth was full of mud as the mixture of sweat and dust worked their magic.”
You can see the extent of Neuville’s damage below.
“The end of the first stage was the place to be this morning. Mikkelsen and Neuville fell victim to the shockingly rough road to Ascochinga.
“Their challenge for victory in Argentina ended in that stage, but the Belgian’s story was probably the more dramatic of the two.
“His left-rear tyre had delaminated, whipping off much of the bodywork and filling the car with dust. His mouth was full of mud as the mixture of sweat and dust worked their magic.”
You can see the extent of Neuville’s damage below.
Rally Argentina Neuville
WRC - Argentina: The short break gave us a chance to catch-up with our man in Argentina, DAVID EVANS, who provides his unique take on events through the day. Not just rallying either.
“Argentina can be quite a random place – like this morning when a travelling knife salesman rocked up and tried to persuade me in the value of a six-inch blade.”
“Argentina can be quite a random place – like this morning when a travelling knife salesman rocked up and tried to persuade me in the value of a six-inch blade.”
Rally Argentina knives
WRC - Argentina: Next up is a repeat of the Agua de Oro - Asochinga stage.
Here’s the order going in, with Kris Meeke in the lead:
1 Meeke
2 Latvala
3 Ostberg
4 Tanak
5 Evans
6 Sordo
7 Prokop
8 Paddon
9 Protasov
10 Al Qassimi
Here’s the order going in, with Kris Meeke in the lead:
1 Meeke
2 Latvala
3 Ostberg
4 Tanak
5 Evans
6 Sordo
7 Prokop
8 Paddon
9 Protasov
10 Al Qassimi
WRC - Argentina: Hello and welcome back to Rally Argentina.
If you missed this morning's action (you really did miss out) you can catch up here.
If you missed this morning's action (you really did miss out) you can catch up here.
WRC - Argentina: So while the Ukranian goes on a wheel hunt, we're going to go on the hunt for a rest before the next stage begins.
AUTOSPORT Live will be back with you to continue coverage of this madness at 17:30pm GMT.
AUTOSPORT Live will be back with you to continue coverage of this madness at 17:30pm GMT.
WRC - Argentina: If this morning hasn't been crazy enough, Yuriy Protasov has just come across and set a rapid time in WRC2...
The crazy part being he has a wheel missing. Two corners before the end, he hit a rock and lost the wheel, he has set off to look for it!
The crazy part being he has a wheel missing. Two corners before the end, he hit a rock and lost the wheel, he has set off to look for it!
WRC - Argentina - SS3 summary:
Jari-Matti Latvala cuts Kris Meeke's lead by 18.6s as Meeke suffers a puncture.
Sordo continues to struggle with power steering issues
Haydon Paddon's car continues to fall apart, no oil in the engine and the exhaust fell off.
Elfyn Evans goes third fastest on the second stage of the morning, after losing time in the first behind Thierry Neuville and his dust creating exploits.
Jari-Matti Latvala cuts Kris Meeke's lead by 18.6s as Meeke suffers a puncture.
Sordo continues to struggle with power steering issues
Haydon Paddon's car continues to fall apart, no oil in the engine and the exhaust fell off.
Elfyn Evans goes third fastest on the second stage of the morning, after losing time in the first behind Thierry Neuville and his dust creating exploits.
Checkered flag
WRC - Argentina - SS3 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 10m10.0s
2 Ostberg +10.2s
3 Evans +11.8s
4 Neuville +15.6s
5 Meeke +18.6s
6 Tanak +20.2s
Lead order:
1 Meeke
2 Latvala +15.3s
3 Ostberg +36.2s
4 Tanak +1m00.5s
5 Evans +1m11.0s
6 Sordo +1m16.0s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 10m10.0s
2 Ostberg +10.2s
3 Evans +11.8s
4 Neuville +15.6s
5 Meeke +18.6s
6 Tanak +20.2s
Lead order:
1 Meeke
2 Latvala +15.3s
3 Ostberg +36.2s
4 Tanak +1m00.5s
5 Evans +1m11.0s
6 Sordo +1m16.0s
Quote
WRC - Argentina: And it's still very broken:
"We just had to nurse the car through there. We had no engine mounts, the exhaust has fallen off, no oil in the engine. We just had to make it through without the car catching fire."
"We just had to nurse the car through there. We had no engine mounts, the exhaust has fallen off, no oil in the engine. We just had to make it through without the car catching fire."
WRC - Argentina: Paddon is 1m15s off Latvala's pace. He had a long list of broken bits inside his Hyundai after SS2.
Quote
WRC - Argentina: Meeke has a straightforward explanation for that loss:
"I've got a right rear puncture," Meeke explains. "It just came on in the middle of the stage. I had to go really, really slow where it was narrow.
"That's the way. We had a clean run on the first one but not so much here.
"I was having a good run for the first 5-6kms."
"I've got a right rear puncture," Meeke explains. "It just came on in the middle of the stage. I had to go really, really slow where it was narrow.
"That's the way. We had a clean run on the first one but not so much here.
"I was having a good run for the first 5-6kms."
WRC - Argentina: Meeke finishes the stage and he's lost 18s of his lead over Latvala. That's a big deficit for one of the event's shorter stages. Our leader was only fifth fastest.
WRC - Argentina: Tanak and Prokop come in fifth and sixth fastest on this stage.
Breaking news
WRC - Argentina: Yes, thanks to a typo, we did just rename this event Rally Latvala for two minutes.
WRC - Argentina: Meeke is 9.4s slower than Latvala at split three - his lead is coming down.
Quote
WRC - Argentina: Sordo has lost a minute to Latvala by the end of the stage. That's going to drop him from second to about sixth.
He confirms that he had no power steering on the Hyundai throughout that one.
"Completely impossible to drive. Very, very hard. I'm very tired now. F***ing hell, it's difficult."
He confirms that he had no power steering on the Hyundai throughout that one.
"Completely impossible to drive. Very, very hard. I'm very tired now. F***ing hell, it's difficult."
WRC - Argentina: By split two, Meeke is 4.4s slower than Latvala. We're going to have a battle on.
Quote
WRC - Argentina: We're getting the chilled version of Latvala today:
"It was alright. The tyres are a bit worn on the front, so some places you can feel like you don't have a chance of turning anymore, but it's generally good.
"The first half of the stage is good, you can drive like Finland: flat-out."
"It was alright. The tyres are a bit worn on the front, so some places you can feel like you don't have a chance of turning anymore, but it's generally good.
"The first half of the stage is good, you can drive like Finland: flat-out."
WRC - Argentina: Sordo has lost half a minute on this stage so far. That suggests things aren't great with his power steering.
Meeke is 2.5s slower than Latvala at the first split.
Meeke is 2.5s slower than Latvala at the first split.
Stopwatch
WRC - Argentina: Latvala comes in 10s faster than Ostberg.
Will be interesting to see how that pace compares to Meeke, who might find himself being hunted by the remaining frontrunning VW.
Will be interesting to see how that pace compares to Meeke, who might find himself being hunted by the remaining frontrunning VW.
Stopwatch
WRC - Argentina: Latvala is currently setting the pace at the mid-point. Meeke has just set off.
By: David Evans, Jack Benyon, Matt Beer, Peter Mills, Mitchell Adam
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