WRC Finland, Red Bull Ring DTM and F3
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WRC - Finland: Ogier completes the stage with a time of 6m32.7s, 0.2s faster than Ostberg, and was content with his run.
"It was a good run. I was a little cautious about the conditions being first out but it was OK."
"It was a good run. I was a little cautious about the conditions being first out but it was OK."
WRC - Finland: Remember there was no midday service for the drivers today which means those with problems, like Evans, Tanak and Kubica, will carry those issues for the rest of the day.
WRC - Finland: It seems as though overall leader Ogier is doing a bit of a rain dance ahead of the afternoon session.
"The rain would be good news for me. The conditions would definitely be an advantage for me.
"The adrenaline here is incredible. You have to take risks but it is a pure pleasure to drive and I like to push the limits."
Ominous words from Ogier. Let's see what the afternoon holds for the Frenchman, he will be the first one through SS6 very shortly.
"The rain would be good news for me. The conditions would definitely be an advantage for me.
"The adrenaline here is incredible. You have to take risks but it is a pure pleasure to drive and I like to push the limits."
Ominous words from Ogier. Let's see what the afternoon holds for the Frenchman, he will be the first one through SS6 very shortly.
WRC - Finland: Hello and welcome back to AUTOSPORT's coverage of Rally Finland. The afternoon session kicks off with a return to Pihlajakoski for SS6.
Here is Paul Nagle's guide to the challenging stage.
"This one was used last year. And it's fast, not that that would differentiate it from any of the other stages around here – they're all either fast or very, very fast! But this one is a bit different in that it doesn't have so many jumps in. There are a few crests, but nothing like the number of jumps that we have later in the morning.
"The roads quite wide for the most part, but narrows a little bit towards the end – and there are some corners which really tighten up on you here – before it's back onto a wide road to the finish."
Here is Paul Nagle's guide to the challenging stage.
"This one was used last year. And it's fast, not that that would differentiate it from any of the other stages around here – they're all either fast or very, very fast! But this one is a bit different in that it doesn't have so many jumps in. There are a few crests, but nothing like the number of jumps that we have later in the morning.
"The roads quite wide for the most part, but narrows a little bit towards the end – and there are some corners which really tighten up on you here – before it's back onto a wide road to the finish."
Breaking news
WRC - Finland: With the field in the tyre zone, we're going to take a quick break.
Here's the full recap of the morning's events:
WRC Finland Friday am report
And we'll see you back here for more around 12.30pm UK time.
Here's the full recap of the morning's events:
WRC Finland Friday am report
And we'll see you back here for more around 12.30pm UK time.
WRC - Finland: Tough times for Kubica too, he's having to push the RK Ford into the tyre zone with its alternator trouble.
Robert Kubica, RK Ford, WRC Finland 2015
WRC - Finland: Brynildsen may be more than 10 minutes behind overall WRC2 leader Lappi but that doesn't stop him smashing Tidemand's Himos time by 1s. Great stuff from the Norwegian.
WRC - Finland: With no service today, the crews with problems are going to have to try their best on the hoof.
DAVID EVANS just caught up with Evans and co-driver Dan Barritt doing what they can to their M-Sport Ford's damaged suspension in the tyre zone.
DAVID EVANS just caught up with Evans and co-driver Dan Barritt doing what they can to their M-Sport Ford's damaged suspension in the tyre zone.
Elfyn Evans
Checkered flag
WRC - Finland - SS5 results:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 3m17.7s
2 Latvala +0.5s
3 Sordo +2.4s
4 Kubica +3.5s
5 Paddon +3.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 38m27.9s
2 Latvala +5.3s
3 Meeke +10.6s
4 Ostberg +23.1s
5 Paddon +29.1s
6 Kubica +56.9s
7 Sordo +1m07.3s
8 Neuville +1m11.1s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 3m17.7s
2 Latvala +0.5s
3 Sordo +2.4s
4 Kubica +3.5s
5 Paddon +3.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 38m27.9s
2 Latvala +5.3s
3 Meeke +10.6s
4 Ostberg +23.1s
5 Paddon +29.1s
6 Kubica +56.9s
7 Sordo +1m07.3s
8 Neuville +1m11.1s
WRC - Finland: Tidemand beats Lappi by just 0.2s through the fast Himos stage.
That won't bother Lappi too much though as he leads by 35.7s and says there is more to come from him in the afternoon.
"The car is perfect I would say. There's nothing wrong and it's really enjoyable.
"I will make some small changes for the afternoon and, hopefully, it will be even better."
That won't bother Lappi too much though as he leads by 35.7s and says there is more to come from him in the afternoon.
"The car is perfect I would say. There's nothing wrong and it's really enjoyable.
"I will make some small changes for the afternoon and, hopefully, it will be even better."
Breaking news
WRC - Finland - SS5 summary:
* Mikkelsen has, what was described by Ostberg as "a big, big crash," both driver and co-driver were out of the car and fine
* Ogier increases his overall lead to Latvala by 0.4s
* Evans loses a further 35s as his suspension woes continues
* Mikkelsen has, what was described by Ostberg as "a big, big crash," both driver and co-driver were out of the car and fine
* Ogier increases his overall lead to Latvala by 0.4s
* Evans loses a further 35s as his suspension woes continues
WRC - Finland: Kubica, with his alternator problems, comes through 3.5s off the pace for the stage and almost a minute off overall leader Ogier.
"We still have the same problem on this stage but we are trying our best to sort it."
"We still have the same problem on this stage but we are trying our best to sort it."
WRC - Finland: Tanak loses another 8s on this stage but thinks this place wasn't too bad for a car with a broken damper.
"It's not so bad when the road is smooth"
But sadly, Ott, this is the only stage all day where you don't need to go flying through the air to be quick.
Both M-Sport Fords - if they can keep going - are set to finish the day far from the points.
"It's not so bad when the road is smooth"
But sadly, Ott, this is the only stage all day where you don't need to go flying through the air to be quick.
Both M-Sport Fords - if they can keep going - are set to finish the day far from the points.
WRC - Finland: Evans isn't happy at the moment. He broke his suspension on the previous stage and as a result has struggled through SS5 and is now 2m40.3s off leader Ogier.
"The car is no better than before. I'm really struggling now if i'm honest."
"The car is no better than before. I'm really struggling now if i'm honest."
WRC - Finland: Meeke is still pretty safe in that position if he can manage the problem - he's 12s clear of Ostberg in fourth and 18s ahead of Paddon in fifth.
WRC - Finland: But Meeke's problems continue - he remains certain something isn't right in the Citroen's transmission and drops another 5s, leaving him 10s off the lead.
WRC - Finland: Latvala is staying in touch with Ogier still, a half-second time loss on this stage means the overall deficit is now 5.3s.
Crash
WRC - Finland: Ostberg says he had to back off when he saw Mikkelsen, who's had an accident.
"We were slowed down a lot when Mikkelsen crashed. A big, big crash. They're both out of the car OK and the car is outside the road."
"We were slowed down a lot when Mikkelsen crashed. A big, big crash. They're both out of the car OK and the car is outside the road."
WRC - Finland: Ostberg is 4.4s slower than Ogier there, a big loss for such a short stage.
Ostberg's brilliant run through Ouninpohja launched him up to fourth overall, so his main man to compare to is the chasing Paddon.
Ostberg's brilliant run through Ouninpohja launched him up to fourth overall, so his main man to compare to is the chasing Paddon.
Quote
WRC - Finland: Ogier is through smoothly:
"A small stage, but sometimes those are more difficult. You have to be immediately in the rhythm. I didn't take too many risks."
"A small stage, but sometimes those are more difficult. You have to be immediately in the rhythm. I didn't take too many risks."
Breaking news
WRC - Finland: Drama even on this little stage, Mikkelsen has stopped!
Lights out
WRC - Finland: And back to the overall lead battle - Ogier and Mikkelsen are both onto Himos.
WRC - Finland: There we go, Nikara is through and is up to second in WRC2 in the Autotek Ford on his first appearance of the year, albeit 27s off Lappi.
Nikara looked like the big talent who was going to be unearthed by Pirelli's old Star Driver programme. That mantle has ended up going to Paddon, but six years ago Nikara was the man. So much so that DAVID EVANS went to his house:
ARCHIVE: A high-speed ride with the WRC's next big thing
It never really happened for Nikara, his only World Rally Car outings turned out to be a few chances in Prodrive's Mini after it had lost works support, though he did take it to a fifth place in Spain in that time and flew in Finland before problems.
He's still a Finnish championship regular in a Mitsubishi, but his performance back on the big stage is a reminder of what might have been.
Nikara looked like the big talent who was going to be unearthed by Pirelli's old Star Driver programme. That mantle has ended up going to Paddon, but six years ago Nikara was the man. So much so that DAVID EVANS went to his house:
ARCHIVE: A high-speed ride with the WRC's next big thing
It never really happened for Nikara, his only World Rally Car outings turned out to be a few chances in Prodrive's Mini after it had lost works support, though he did take it to a fifth place in Spain in that time and flew in Finland before problems.
He's still a Finnish championship regular in a Mitsubishi, but his performance back on the big stage is a reminder of what might have been.
WRC - Finland: We will juuuust have time to get excited about Jarkko Nikara one more time before the World Rally Cars begin SS5. But let's be safe and let him finish SS4 first.
WRC - Finland: One more stage to complete the morning, and though it looks like a gentle come-down after Ouninpohja, it might bite, as Meeke's co-driver Nagle explains:
SS5 Himos (1.41 miles)
This is a really short stage for the spectators. It runs around the nursery slopes in a ski field at Himos. It would look pretty innocuous after the likes of Ouninpohja, but Kris and I still had a big moment in there last year.
t absolutely poured down with rain here a couple of years ago and that made it very, very tricky.
SS5 Himos (1.41 miles)
This is a really short stage for the spectators. It runs around the nursery slopes in a ski field at Himos. It would look pretty innocuous after the likes of Ouninpohja, but Kris and I still had a big moment in there last year.
t absolutely poured down with rain here a couple of years ago and that made it very, very tricky.
Plasters
WRC - Finland: Rally Finland thinks of everything, says DAVID EVANS.
Come to watch one of the world's most fever rallies and you can buy just about anything – hand things to keep your beer cold or your coffee hot, t-shirts, ice-scrapers and, er, sticking plasters. Handy.
WRC - Finland: Even though Tidemand stuffed his Skoda through a ditch backwards, the new Fabias' pace advantage is such that he's still in second place in WRC2 overall.
He's 20s clear of Lefebvre and Breen - who are now tied on absolutely identical times for third overall, though we still await Nikara.
If Tidemand has suspension damage, and he suspected he might, Lappi could find himself a minute clear of the pack already.
He's 20s clear of Lefebvre and Breen - who are now tied on absolutely identical times for third overall, though we still await Nikara.
If Tidemand has suspension damage, and he suspected he might, Lappi could find himself a minute clear of the pack already.
Crash
WRC - Finland: Drama in WRC2 as Skoda man Tidemand takes a trip through a ditch and falls over half a minute away from his class-leading team-mate Lappi.
Parn crashed out on the last stage too, so this could mean superstar returnee Nikara is up to second in class on his WRC comeback, though he's got Breen and Citroen protege Lefebvre to contend with still.
All smooth for Lappi - who is being linked with a Toyota future as well as a promotion over the VW Group pecking order in service park gossip this week - up front in WRC2, though. He's 13th overall between Prokop and Evans's World Rally Cars.
Parn crashed out on the last stage too, so this could mean superstar returnee Nikara is up to second in class on his WRC comeback, though he's got Breen and Citroen protege Lefebvre to contend with still.
All smooth for Lappi - who is being linked with a Toyota future as well as a promotion over the VW Group pecking order in service park gossip this week - up front in WRC2, though. He's 13th overall between Prokop and Evans's World Rally Cars.
Esapekka Lappi, Skoda, WRC Finland 2015
Breaking news
WRC - Finland - SS4 summary:
* Ogier sets a new Ouninpohja record and extends his lead slightly
* Latvala reckons he's finally mastered Finland's greatest stage and stays within 4.8s of the lead
* Meeke drops from second to third and thinks he has a broken driveshaft
* Ostberg flies and moves from seventh to fourth
* Kubica moves up to seventh but thinks his alternator is failing
* Tanak plunges from fourth to 11th with a broken damper
* Evans breaks his rear suspension and tumbles down the order
* Ogier sets a new Ouninpohja record and extends his lead slightly
* Latvala reckons he's finally mastered Finland's greatest stage and stays within 4.8s of the lead
* Meeke drops from second to third and thinks he has a broken driveshaft
* Ostberg flies and moves from seventh to fourth
* Kubica moves up to seventh but thinks his alternator is failing
* Tanak plunges from fourth to 11th with a broken damper
* Evans breaks his rear suspension and tumbles down the order
Checkered flag
WRC - Finland - SS4 results:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 15m53.9s
2 Latvala +0.4s
3 Ostberg +3.8s
4 Meeke +5.3s
5 Paddon +15.9s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +4.8s
3 Meeke +5.7s
4 Ostberg +18.7s
5 Paddon +25.3s
6 Mikkelsen +35.9s
7 Kubica +53.4s
8 Neuville +1m04.6s
9 Sordo +1m04.9s
10 Hanninen +1m13.8s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 15m53.9s
2 Latvala +0.4s
3 Ostberg +3.8s
4 Meeke +5.3s
5 Paddon +15.9s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +4.8s
3 Meeke +5.7s
4 Ostberg +18.7s
5 Paddon +25.3s
6 Mikkelsen +35.9s
7 Kubica +53.4s
8 Neuville +1m04.6s
9 Sordo +1m04.9s
10 Hanninen +1m13.8s
WRC - Finland: Here's Juho Hanninen, he's now 10th overall and amazingly that makes him the best of the M-Sport Fords on a rally the team certainly hoped it might grab a podium on.
M-Sport was also supposed to be running a fourth car for Alexey Lukyanek on this rally. The Russian champion stunned the European Rally Championship field a few weeks ago by winning a thrilling Rally Estonia in a Production spec Mitsubishi, so what he could've done in a World Rally Car here was an intriguing prospect.
But it'll have to remain a 'what if' as he destroyed the car in a massive testing crash a few days ago.
M-Sport was also supposed to be running a fourth car for Alexey Lukyanek on this rally. The Russian champion stunned the European Rally Championship field a few weeks ago by winning a thrilling Rally Estonia in a Production spec Mitsubishi, so what he could've done in a World Rally Car here was an intriguing prospect.
But it'll have to remain a 'what if' as he destroyed the car in a massive testing crash a few days ago.
Breaking news
WRC - Finland: But there are yet more problems for Kubica. Following his sensor problem that left him in front-wheel-drive mode, then his puncture, now he's reporting an alternator problem. He suspects his RK Ford will be giving up completely before too long.
WRC - Finland: Sure enough, Kubica pops into seventh overall.
The big gain on this one is Ostberg, though, up from a fairly muted seventh to an excellent fourth thanks to a great run of his own and other people having dramas.
The big gain on this one is Ostberg, though, up from a fairly muted seventh to an excellent fourth thanks to a great run of his own and other people having dramas.
WRC - Finland: Kubica's on course to do alright out of all this. He's keeping up a solid pace and with the M-Sport pair tumbling backwards, that should put the Pole somewhere around the region of Hyundai's struggling Neuville and Sordo duo in seventh-ish.
Crash
WRC - Finland: Tanak and his broken damper are 1m12s off the pace.
"You can imagine having to do Ouninpohja without any jumps? You have to keep the wheels on the ground all the time. It's not so easy."
He'll soon be dropping right outside the top 10, if he can even keep nursing the car on.
"You can imagine having to do Ouninpohja without any jumps? You have to keep the wheels on the ground all the time. It's not so easy."
He'll soon be dropping right outside the top 10, if he can even keep nursing the car on.
Quote
WRC - Finland: Paddon is 15.9s off the pace, which isn't at all bad compared to a lot of people and drops him behind Ostberg. It could be a lot worse (see Meeke, Tanak, Evans), but Paddon is massively frustrated:
"Disastrous, right from the start of the stage. We've had no grip all morning and on this one you just couldn't keep the rear in line. I could feel the time loss at every corner."
"Disastrous, right from the start of the stage. We've had no grip all morning and on this one you just couldn't keep the rear in line. I could feel the time loss at every corner."
WRC - Finland: Evans explains what happened:
"Right at the beginning of the stage we just went wide and the world's biggest rock was laying in a ditch. We were lucky not to roll.
"It was fine for a while but then it broke after 5kms."
"Right at the beginning of the stage we just went wide and the world's biggest rock was laying in a ditch. We were lucky not to roll.
"It was fine for a while but then it broke after 5kms."
Crash
WRC - Finland: Both M-Sport Fords are in trouble - Evans reaches the end of the stage with deranged rear suspension and having lost two minutes.
WRC - Finland: Speaking of people ending stages thinking they had a big problem, Tanak was sure he'd broken a damper on the last stage even though he was third fastest. He seems right - he's 43s off the pace here so far.
That's a real shame for the man who finished on the podium in Poland and who was firmly in the top five early on in Finland.
The lack of a midday service today is really going to hurt some major podium contenders at this rate.
That's a real shame for the man who finished on the podium in Poland and who was firmly in the top five early on in Finland.
The lack of a midday service today is really going to hurt some major podium contenders at this rate.
Breaking news
WRC - Finland: Meeke is 5.3s slower than Ogier at the end of the stage and immediately leaps out of the car. What's going on?
"A driveshaft's gone. Something's certainly not right. I think it's a driveshaft but with transmission things you never know. For the last 7-8kms I think I only had three-wheel-drive."
And with no service today that would surely be Meeke's victory shot over if he's right!
He didn't lose too much time there and is still third overall, but that's an ominous prospect.
"A driveshaft's gone. Something's certainly not right. I think it's a driveshaft but with transmission things you never know. For the last 7-8kms I think I only had three-wheel-drive."
And with no service today that would surely be Meeke's victory shot over if he's right!
He didn't lose too much time there and is still third overall, but that's an ominous prospect.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Mitchell Adam, Mark Glendenning, Jack Benyon
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