WRC Catalunya, Motegi MotoGP, DTM finale
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It's almost time for the afternoon loop to begin with SS12, a repeat of the 12.38km Alcover-Capafonts stage which was run this morning. Jari-Matti Latvala was the fastest man through the stage, 0.7s quicker than rally leader Dani Sordo, but the Finn isn't in contention here, currently 23rd overall after retiring on Friday.
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Meeke is in and fourth-fastest on the stage. He's out of contention for a podium spot, but Paddon's fifth place may well be in reach for the Northern Irishman - he's 28.5s back.
"We had a soft on the rear which we were fighting a lot more than we'd want to," he says. "There was a lot of mud pulled out so it was impossible for anyone to follow Ogier on that one."
"We had a soft on the rear which we were fighting a lot more than we'd want to," he says. "There was a lot of mud pulled out so it was impossible for anyone to follow Ogier on that one."
F3
The full report from this morning's opening European F3 race from Hockenheim, won by Williams protege Lance Stroll, can be found here: 
F3
Seven laps in the books and Prema Powerteam drivers currently run first, second, third and fourth, with Stroll continuing to lead from Gunther, who passes Cassidy in the hairpin, and Aron.
Sergio Sette Camara is the best of the rest for Motopark, with an entertaining battle raging between Eriksson, Hubert and Nikita Mazepin over sixth.
Meanwhile, George Russell has climbed from 19th to ninth, but has fallen back behind fellow Brit Jake Hughes.
Sergio Sette Camara is the best of the rest for Motopark, with an entertaining battle raging between Eriksson, Hubert and Nikita Mazepin over sixth.
Meanwhile, George Russell has climbed from 19th to ninth, but has fallen back behind fellow Brit Jake Hughes.
F3
Stroll made the best getaway off the grid, but ran wide at Turn 2 and gave Gunther the chance to take the lead into the hairpin.
Stroll wasn't done, though, and fought back - shadowed by team-mate Nick Cassidy - before tapping Gunther at Turn 7, with Gunther forced wide as a result.
Current order is: Stroll; Cassidy; Gunther; Aron; Camara; Eriksson; Hubert; Mazepin.
Stroll wasn't done, though, and fought back - shadowed by team-mate Nick Cassidy - before tapping Gunther at Turn 7, with Gunther forced wide as a result.
Current order is: Stroll; Cassidy; Gunther; Aron; Camara; Eriksson; Hubert; Mazepin.
David Evans
Hayden Paddon’s trophy for winning Rally Argentina is part of Hyundai’s display in the service park. Unfortunately, catching sight of it’s unlikely to lead to any moments of magic to deliver a second WRC success here in Spain.
Autosport
Over in Fuji, the Audi of Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval and Oliver Jarvis emerged on top in a tight World Endurance Championship qualifying session.
Di Grassi and Duval's combined efforts were enough to edge out the #1 Porsche's combined time by 0.025s, while just over 0.5s covered the six LMP1 manufacturers.
Here's our full report from that session:
Di Grassi and Duval's combined efforts were enough to edge out the #1 Porsche's combined time by 0.025s, while just over 0.5s covered the six LMP1 manufacturers.
Here's our full report from that session:
Latvala is now 2.7s up through the final split.
There are also a further two stages for the Irishman to complete before today's service break.
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Breen's first split is a painful one. He's 31.3s slower than Sordo through there, and still has around 7.5 miles to run.
Latvala is 3s up on Sordo's current benchmark through the first split.
There is a bit of a break before the next stage, so we'll stick with what's going on on SS9 for now - particularly with Latvala and Breen on the stage.
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Breen has finally started the stage, 16 minutes after his schedule start time of 0905 CET.
Crash
Reports in now that it was a puncture that hindered Meeke after he cut a right-hand corner.
Like buses, they all suddenly appear on the screen as he completes the stage 8s slower than Sordo.
Lets have a recap of the order now the frontrunners have completed SS7, our last stage of the day.
Times for SS7:
1 Meeke 24:50.1
2 Sordo +1.7
3 Ogier +6.9
4 Ostberg +15.2
5 Mikkelsen +19.2
6 Breen +27.4s
Overall after SS7:
1 Sordo 1h18m44.4s
2 Ogier +17.0s
3 Mikkelsen +35.1s
4 Neuville +46.3s
5 Paddon +47.5s
6 Ostberg +54.3s
Times for SS7:
1 Meeke 24:50.1
2 Sordo +1.7
3 Ogier +6.9
4 Ostberg +15.2
5 Mikkelsen +19.2
6 Breen +27.4s
Overall after SS7:
1 Sordo 1h18m44.4s
2 Ogier +17.0s
3 Mikkelsen +35.1s
4 Neuville +46.3s
5 Paddon +47.5s
6 Ostberg +54.3s
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Breen arrives and completes 27.4s down on team-mate Meeke sixth quickest.
"We ran out of time between stages, we could have risen the car up more," says Breen. "That was one of the hairiest stages I've ever had in my life. It was tricky."
"We ran out of time between stages, we could have risen the car up more," says Breen. "That was one of the hairiest stages I've ever had in my life. It was tricky."
Sordo is in, 5.2s up on Ogier and extends his lead to 17s! He'll take that gap into Saturday's action.
Meeke is fastest at the third split, 5.3s up on Ogier. he's a couple ahead of Ogier at that point.
But Meeke is out of the overall battle after his early roll, Sordo being quickest will extend his lead.
But Meeke is out of the overall battle after his early roll, Sordo being quickest will extend his lead.
If everything stays the same on stage, our top six will remain the same. We'll keep an eye on the results as they come in.
Sordo has lost another few tenths through the fourth split, but he's still a net 3.5s up at the last split.
Sordo has lost another few tenths through the fourth split, but he's still a net 3.5s up at the last split.
Neuville arrives and he's lost 12s to Ogier. Drivers running behind Ogier are struggling to match his time.
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Mikkelsen says his car was sliding around a lot. He thought he had punctures on the asphalt section.
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Ott Tanak goes second quickest at the first split, are the conditions playing a part again?
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Mikkelsen completes and is 12.3s down on Ogier. That'll be difficult for Mikkelsen to take.
Second split is in and our Spaniard in a German-built Korean car is fastest again.
Sordo has 6s in hand over Ogier at that point.
Sordo has 6s in hand over Ogier at that point.
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Green again. This is fun. This time it's Kris Meeke and he goes outright quickest through the first split. He's 3.1s up.
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Ogier competes SS7. His time is 24m57s.
At the last split, Mikkelsen is 11.1s down on his French team-mate. Good going.
At the last split, Mikkelsen is 11.1s down on his French team-mate. Good going.
More green. Excellent news. Just after Dani Sordo goes quickest through the first split, Mads Ostberg ties Sordo's time. Challenge accepted by the Norwegian who has a transmission problem, making his time even more impressive.
Mikkelsen has reached the first split. He's 1.8s down on Ogier at that point.
Neuville is 3.9s down on Ogier, so it looks like our top four will remain similar if all stays the same.
Neuville is 3.9s down on Ogier, so it looks like our top four will remain similar if all stays the same.
Craig Breen bucks the trend of drivers further down going quicker. He's dropped over 10s to Mikkelsen at the first split. The Irishman maybe tentative in the tricky test? We'll find out shortly.
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Kris Meeke completes and he's equal third quickest so far, behind Sordo and Ostberg. His roll this morning means he's 1m05s behind the lead.
"It's a lot better when you don't roll," says Meeke. "Very tricky conditions."
"It's a lot better when you don't roll," says Meeke. "Very tricky conditions."
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Mads Ostberg completes, second quickest through the stage.
"it's quite difficult, the sun is shining but it doesn't feel like it," says Ostberg, who has an issue.
"Something is very strange there. Something with the transmission. It's pulling when I brake and accelerate."
"it's quite difficult, the sun is shining but it doesn't feel like it," says Ostberg, who has an issue.
"Something is very strange there. Something with the transmission. It's pulling when I brake and accelerate."
And we're underway. A tricky uphill stage kicks off the afternoon. Thierry Neuville was fastest through this test this morning.
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Here's a check in on times for you:
SS4 leading times:
1 Latvala 25m48.7s
2 Ogier +3.9s
3 Sordo +6.1s
4 Neuville +8.2s
5 Mikkelsen +10.4s
6 Paddon +17.6s
Overall classification:
1 Ogier 41m39.1s
2 Neuville +4.4s
3 Latvala +5.7s
4 Sordo +10.2s
5 Mikkelsen +13.5s
6 Paddon +17.1s
7 Ostberg +40.4s
8 Breen +1m06.9s
SS4 leading times:
1 Latvala 25m48.7s
2 Ogier +3.9s
3 Sordo +6.1s
4 Neuville +8.2s
5 Mikkelsen +10.4s
6 Paddon +17.6s
Overall classification:
1 Ogier 41m39.1s
2 Neuville +4.4s
3 Latvala +5.7s
4 Sordo +10.2s
5 Mikkelsen +13.5s
6 Paddon +17.1s
7 Ostberg +40.4s
8 Breen +1m06.9s
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Tanak is now in and slowest of all by some way - he's 52s slower than Latvala.
"It;s getting very rough and there's lots of loose [gravel]. There's no traction."
"It;s getting very rough and there's lots of loose [gravel]. There's no traction."
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Meeke pretty much echoes his earlier sentiments about just making it to the end of the loop without any further trouble: "It's fine, there's no drama at all. It's impossible to do anything in these conditions - it's just survival."
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Paddon - who by all accounts seems to be still nursing that throttle issue he picked up on the opening stage - faded slightly on SS4 after his first split, and completes the stage 13.7s slower than Ogier.
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"The road in some places was a bit more muddy than further down the road, but the bumps are sticking me out of line and I lost a bit of time," says Neuville.
By: Matt Beer
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