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WRC - Finland: Ostberg went onto this stage just a tenth behind Mikkelsen in their battle for sixth, but he was four seconds slower than his countryman.
The Citroen driver plans substantial set-up changes for Friday because he's really not enjoying himself at the moment.
The Citroen driver plans substantial set-up changes for Friday because he's really not enjoying himself at the moment.
WRC - Finland: Meanwhile Mikkelsen has come through 7s down on his VW team-mates, which is a big improvement on his over-cautious pace earlier.
He said it was so slippery early on that he wondered if he'd punctured both rear tyres.
He said it was so slippery early on that he wondered if he'd punctured both rear tyres.
Stopwatch
WRC - Finland: The timing system has refreshed itself and now it reckons Ogier and Latvala were exactly equal to the tenth on that stage!
WRC - Finland: Latvala is slower than Ogier for the first time on this rally, but only by one tenth. His lead is 5.2s.
"Everything is OK. We were one second slower, so I actually got the gap back at the end. I was struggling with understeer."
"Everything is OK. We were one second slower, so I actually got the gap back at the end. I was struggling with understeer."
Stopwatch
WRC - Finland: Ogier completes the stage in 11m11.2s.
"Quite a bit more slippery, more mud, more ruts, but not too bad," he summarises.
He confesses to a slight mistake on the last corner.
"I had an impact on the front and for sure I lost a bit of time there."
"Quite a bit more slippery, more mud, more ruts, but not too bad," he summarises.
He confesses to a slight mistake on the last corner.
"I had an impact on the front and for sure I lost a bit of time there."
WRC - Finland: Ogier is approaching the end of SS3 and after good early pace from Latvala, it's the world champion who's slightly faster on the splits at present. But it was right at the end of this stage where Latvala really flew earlier.
WRC - Finland: Just a few minutes to go before Rally Finland resumes with SS3. Here's a reminder of the lead order:
1 Latvala
2 Ogier +5.3s
3 Meeke +7.6s
4 Hanninen +7.8s
5 Hirvonen +14.9s
6 Mikkelsen +18.8s
7 Ostberg +18.9s
8 Solberg +24.4s
9 Neuville +25.7s
10 Kubica +28.8s
11 Nikara +37.5s
12 Prokop +41.9s
13 Paddon +42.6s
14 Evans +44.2s
15 Breen +1m10.8s
1 Latvala
2 Ogier +5.3s
3 Meeke +7.6s
4 Hanninen +7.8s
5 Hirvonen +14.9s
6 Mikkelsen +18.8s
7 Ostberg +18.9s
8 Solberg +24.4s
9 Neuville +25.7s
10 Kubica +28.8s
11 Nikara +37.5s
12 Prokop +41.9s
13 Paddon +42.6s
14 Evans +44.2s
15 Breen +1m10.8s
WRC - Finland: Gronholm's been doing a bit of winning himself recently.
Last weekend Rally Finland sponsor Neste celebrated its 20th anniversary in that role by running the 'Helsinki Battle' - a non-championship street stage shootout that pitted some of the 2014 regulars against legendary past champions, all driving current machinery.
Gronholm defeated fellow veterans Markku Alen, Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen in their section, and did so at the wheel of a Hyundai i20 too. He was pipped by Ostberg in the grand final, but it was a close-run thing.
See more of the Helsinki action in AUTOSPORT's news gallery from last week.
Shame AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live wasn't around in Gronholm's WRC heyday actually... he would've been very good value.
WRC - Finland: Rally Finland has been won by a Finn on 32 of its 40 runnings, and it's looking good for the locals so far with Latvala inching away from Ogier and Hanninen being heroic in fourth.
That will please Finland's last WRC champion Marcus Gronholm, who earlier this week told AUTOSPORT he was worried that Ogier was going to blitz the home heroes again this weekend.
"Ogier is so confident at the moment. I think the Finnish drivers will have a problem this week, they will have a problem with Ogier," said Gronholm.
"Mikko just isn't confident at the moment and maybe Jari-Matti has too much pressure.
"The Finnish drivers have to win at home, if they are not doing this then the home fans don't really push you so high.
"The Finns really want the Finn to win, but Sebastien is so strong and this is not good for us."
So far, though, so good for the Finns.
That will please Finland's last WRC champion Marcus Gronholm, who earlier this week told AUTOSPORT he was worried that Ogier was going to blitz the home heroes again this weekend.
"Ogier is so confident at the moment. I think the Finnish drivers will have a problem this week, they will have a problem with Ogier," said Gronholm.
"Mikko just isn't confident at the moment and maybe Jari-Matti has too much pressure.
"The Finnish drivers have to win at home, if they are not doing this then the home fans don't really push you so high.
"The Finns really want the Finn to win, but Sebastien is so strong and this is not good for us."
So far, though, so good for the Finns.
Service park rides
WRC - Finland: As usual, Rally Finland organisers have gone to extraordinary lengths to improve the spectator experience – and that includes welcoming families to the Paviljonki service park.
Part of the family experience is the chance for young Finns to get their hands on a battery-powered cars. It has to be said, the racing wasn't always the cleanest and some of the lines taken were… enthusiastic.
And because the WRC drivers are a if-it's-got-a-wheel-we'll-drive-it bunch, a few of them have had a go too. We'll have some pictures of that later as well.
WRC - Finland: The field is now preparing for another run at the Lankamaa stage that began the rally earlier this afternoon, and that gets under way in about 20 minutes.
WRC - Finland: We've had a change at the top in WRC2, as Tanak outpaces Ketomaa on SS2 to take the class lead by 3.6s.
The quality of the entries in the feeder series can be a bit variable, but a Tanak/Ketomaa head-to-head in the DMACK-shod Autotek Fords tends to be a bit of a treat (though frankly both ought to be in top-class cars for this rally in an ideal world).
Kruuda and 2013 WRC3 champion Chardonnet continue to fight for third.
The quality of the entries in the feeder series can be a bit variable, but a Tanak/Ketomaa head-to-head in the DMACK-shod Autotek Fords tends to be a bit of a treat (though frankly both ought to be in top-class cars for this rally in an ideal world).
Kruuda and 2013 WRC3 champion Chardonnet continue to fight for third.
Breaking news
WRC - Finland: SS2 summary:
* Latvala extends his rally lead to 5.3s with another stage win
* Ogier takes second from Meeke
* Hanninen is third-quickest in the Hyundai and now within 2s of Meeke's third place
* Mikkelsen moves past unhappy Ostberg for sixth, Henning Solberg takes eighth from Neuville.
* Latvala extends his rally lead to 5.3s with another stage win
* Ogier takes second from Meeke
* Hanninen is third-quickest in the Hyundai and now within 2s of Meeke's third place
* Mikkelsen moves past unhappy Ostberg for sixth, Henning Solberg takes eighth from Neuville.
Checkered flag
WRC - Finland - SS2 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 5m02.5s
2 Ogier +2.2s
3 Hanninen +3.2s
4 Meeke +5.0s
5 Mikkelsen +5.6s
6 Solberg +6.4s
Leaderboard:
1 Latvala
2 Ogier +5.3s
3 Meeke +7.6s
4 Hanninen +7.8s
5 Hirvonen +14.9s
6 Mikkelsen +18.8s
7 Ostberg +18.9s
8 Solberg +24.4s
9 Neuville +25.7s
10 Kubica +28.8s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 5m02.5s
2 Ogier +2.2s
3 Hanninen +3.2s
4 Meeke +5.0s
5 Mikkelsen +5.6s
6 Solberg +6.4s
Leaderboard:
1 Latvala
2 Ogier +5.3s
3 Meeke +7.6s
4 Hanninen +7.8s
5 Hirvonen +14.9s
6 Mikkelsen +18.8s
7 Ostberg +18.9s
8 Solberg +24.4s
9 Neuville +25.7s
10 Kubica +28.8s
WRC - Finland: WRC returnee Craig Breen was a very cautious 14th, nearly a minute off the pace, on SS1, but he's brought the gap down now, 16s slower than Latvala on SS2.
"The first stage was exceptionally tough - we got caught in a really big rainstorm," he says. "Now it's coming. You can carry so much more speed than you think."
"The first stage was exceptionally tough - we got caught in a really big rainstorm," he says. "Now it's coming. You can carry so much more speed than you think."
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WRC - Finland: Kubica is ninth of the 12 drivers past the stage finish so far, 8s down on pacesetter Latvala. He was 10th overall after SS1.
"You cannot compare against the top drivers on this kind of road - we know that," says the Pole.
"We are trying to drive consistently - not too fast, not too slow.
"There are a few things that need to be changed, but we know this. No dramas."
"You cannot compare against the top drivers on this kind of road - we know that," says the Pole.
"We are trying to drive consistently - not too fast, not too slow.
"There are a few things that need to be changed, but we know this. No dramas."
WRC - Finland: Hanninen is having a superb home rally so far - he's only a second slower than Ogier and that's going to bring him right onto Meeke's tail for third overall. He thinks there's a lot more to come too...
WRC - Finland: Meeke is slightly slower than Ogier on that stage, and that drops him behind the world champion from second to third overall.
Lead order is now Latvala-Ogier-Meeke and we're a few cars away from fourth-placed Hanninen coming in.
Lead order is now Latvala-Ogier-Meeke and we're a few cars away from fourth-placed Hanninen coming in.
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WRC - Finland: Neuville continues to lack pace in the Hyundai, which does have some engine upgrades this weekend. He thinks the problem is in the cockpit.
"My pace notes are too slow, which means I'm having to overdrive a bit, and that's not good for my confidence," he says.
"I think it will be fine - we'll work a bit more. I took the pace notes too carefully but the grip is better in the wet now"
"My pace notes are too slow, which means I'm having to overdrive a bit, and that's not good for my confidence," he says.
"I think it will be fine - we'll work a bit more. I took the pace notes too carefully but the grip is better in the wet now"
WRC - Finland: Hirvonen is on exactly the same pace as Ostberg. He's more chilled about it, though he admits the times Latvala and Ogier are setting are "unbelievable".
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WRC - Finland: Mikkelsen is still a second faster than a very unhappy Ostberg.
"I don't really understand it," says Ostberg. "It's going well, I cannot say anything more, but the times are s**t."
"I don't really understand it," says Ostberg. "It's going well, I cannot say anything more, but the times are s**t."
WRC - Finland: This muted start for Mikkelsen continues - he's nearly 6s slower than Latvala.
"I'm still a little too cautious," admits VW's third man, "but I'm building step by step."
He was only seventh after SS1, though. There's a long way to go, but dropping too far behind the podium battle on the opening afternoon wouldn't be good.
"I'm still a little too cautious," admits VW's third man, "but I'm building step by step."
He was only seventh after SS1, though. There's a long way to go, but dropping too far behind the podium battle on the opening afternoon wouldn't be good.
Stopwatch
WRC - Finland: Latvala comes through and he beats Ogier by 2.2s, extending his early lead over his team-mate to over 5s after two stages.
"A good start. Very, very, very good grip on the road at the moment," reports Latvala.
"I can see that [the rain] is not so good for the spectators, but for the driving it's a good feeling."
"A good start. Very, very, very good grip on the road at the moment," reports Latvala.
"I can see that [the rain] is not so good for the spectators, but for the driving it's a good feeling."
Rain
WRC - Finland: Still wet on the stages though, and as Ogier completes SS2 he's very pleased about that, saying this was one of the parts he thought would be particularly bad for loose gravel in the day.
"For sure I was happy to see that [rain]," he admits.
His time is a 5m04.7s.
"For sure I was happy to see that [rain]," he admits.
His time is a 5m04.7s.
Service park
WRC - Finland: The sun has returned to the service park. If local forecasters are on the money, that should be the last we see of the rain for the rest of the rally.
Lights out
WRC - Finland: We're back in business in Finland - Ogier is about to take to Jouhtikyla, the second of today's four curtain-raising stages.
WRC - Finland: Ketomaa takes the early honours in the WRC2 field, 2.4s up on Tanak.
Karl Kruuda and Citroen's next star-in-waiting Sebastien Chardonnet are 15s behind in third and fourth.
Karl Kruuda and Citroen's next star-in-waiting Sebastien Chardonnet are 15s behind in third and fourth.
WRC - Finland: The leaders are now off to Jouhtikyla, a 6.437-mile stage that begins in just over 20 minutes.
In the meantime the WRC2 field are completing SS1, and it's going to be a huge head-to-head between Autotek team-mates Ott Tanak and Jari Ketomaa this weekend.
In the meantime the WRC2 field are completing SS1, and it's going to be a huge head-to-head between Autotek team-mates Ott Tanak and Jari Ketomaa this weekend.
Breaking news
WRC - Finland: So to summarise SS1...
* Latvala takes immediate lead
* Ogier only third behind flying Meeke - and only just ahead of Hanninen
* Low-key start for Mikkelsen in seventh
* Latvala takes immediate lead
* Ogier only third behind flying Meeke - and only just ahead of Hanninen
* Low-key start for Mikkelsen in seventh
Checkered flag
WRC - Finland - SS1 results:
1 Latvala 11m17.3s
2 Meeke +2.6s
3 Ogier +3.1s
4 Hanninen +4.6s
5 Hirvonen +7.7s
6 Ostberg +11.7s
7 Mikkelsen +13.2s
8 Neuville +16.7s
9 Solberg +18.0s
10 Kubica +21.3s
1 Latvala 11m17.3s
2 Meeke +2.6s
3 Ogier +3.1s
4 Hanninen +4.6s
5 Hirvonen +7.7s
6 Ostberg +11.7s
7 Mikkelsen +13.2s
8 Neuville +16.7s
9 Solberg +18.0s
10 Kubica +21.3s
WRC - Finland: Lots of intrigue about how M-Sport's guest star Jarkko Nikara is going to fare on his return to World Rally Car action this weekend. He's running the still-developing Pirelli tyres and is optimistic of a top six finish - but he's only 12th on SS1.
"In the beginning it was OK, but after the middle of the stage it was so, so slippery - a lot of water in those ruts."
"In the beginning it was OK, but after the middle of the stage it was so, so slippery - a lot of water in those ruts."
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WRC - Finland: Robert Kubica comes through in 10th place.
"It wasn't easy," he says. "Quite a good stage to warm up actually! A smooth stage. I was not risking things. We had some heavy rain near the end, but all OK."
"It wasn't easy," he says. "Quite a good stage to warm up actually! A smooth stage. I was not risking things. We had some heavy rain near the end, but all OK."
WRC - Finland: Hanninen puts the Hyundai into an excellent fourth, 0.9s behind Ogier, and four seconds off leader Latvala.
"A reasonable start..." reckons Hanninen.
"A reasonable start..." reckons Hanninen.
WRC - Finland: Very rapid split times from Juho Hanninen in the Hyundai through now...
Bibendum
WRC - Finland: Back in the storm-lashed service park, realising his is not the most aerodynamic of profiles, Bibendum sought refuge - with a cheery wave - in the press office.
WRC - Finland: Elfyn Evans - a man with a lot of learning to do here - now brings up the rear, around half a minute adrift of Latvala.
Current order is Latvala-Meeke-Ogier-Hirvonen-Ostberg-Mikkelsen.
Current order is Latvala-Meeke-Ogier-Hirvonen-Ostberg-Mikkelsen.
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WRC - Finland: We've also had Thierry Neuville's Hyundai in, but the Belgian was slowest so far, 17s off the lead.
"I didn't have the perfect one - especially in the beginning, I was too slow. But I got better. We'll try to improve, but definitely not the perfect start."
"I didn't have the perfect one - especially in the beginning, I was too slow. But I got better. We'll try to improve, but definitely not the perfect start."
WRC - Finland: Outstanding start to this rally from Kris Meeke - his time is 2.6s down on Latvala and that pops him into second, ahead of Ogier.
"The rain before the start of the stage was something else, it was difficult to see the road section. Any advantage we would've got from the starting position has obviously disappeared, but what a fantastic stage to drive a rally car on," says Meeke.
Citroen, incidentally, has told Meeke and Ostberg they've got three rallies to prove themselves as it considers its 2015 options. Meeke has certainly started in the right fashion...
"The rain before the start of the stage was something else, it was difficult to see the road section. Any advantage we would've got from the starting position has obviously disappeared, but what a fantastic stage to drive a rally car on," says Meeke.
Citroen, incidentally, has told Meeke and Ostberg they've got three rallies to prove themselves as it considers its 2015 options. Meeke has certainly started in the right fashion...
Stopwatch
WRC - Finland: The ever-excellent WRC timing service has just suggested Elfyn Evans has completed this 23km stage in around three minutes, putting him in the rally lead by seven minutes...
...and unsurprisingly, that time has now been delayed. Evans is still mid-stage.
...and unsurprisingly, that time has now been delayed. Evans is still mid-stage.
Quote
WRC - Finland: Mikko Hirvonen now goes into third, 7.7s down on Latvala and feeling very bullish.
"Pretty good, pretty good. It was a bit slippery at the end, so Jari-Matti pulled away a bit there. But we are there in the fight."
"Pretty good, pretty good. It was a bit slippery at the end, so Jari-Matti pulled away a bit there. But we are there in the fight."
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Marcus Simmons, Mark Glendenning, Dan Cross, Andrew van Leeuwen, Kevin Turner, Peter Mills
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