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WRC - France: Ogier is a bit slower than Loeb, so that could be Loeb's 900th WRC stage win...
That puts Loeb back ahead of Ogier in fourth.
That puts Loeb back ahead of Ogier in fourth.
Quote
WRC - France: "Much better," says Loeb, "the first stage this morning where we've had no problems. And a good drive.
"I don't need any points, I'll just drive how I feel."
"I don't need any points, I'll just drive how I feel."
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Ok, that is a great time from Loeb. He beats Latvala's time by 2.9s, so is nearly 6s faster than Neuville.
If only he hadn't spun 9s away on the last stage...
If only he hadn't spun 9s away on the last stage...
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Good time from Latvala, he's quickest so far, a second up on Sordo and 3.5s faster than Neuville.
That's despite Latvala feeling he was being too aggressive in the downhill braking errors and costing himself time.
That's despite Latvala feeling he was being too aggressive in the downhill braking errors and costing himself time.
WRC - France: Some of the splits are suggesting Loeb is blowing everyone away by 10s. Some aren't. We're inclined to feel this is the timing system being bonkers again.
WRC - France: That small error has hurt Neuville a bit, with Sordo coming to the finish 2.5s faster.
Quote
WRC - France: Neuville comes through OK despite a minor scare:
"I was a bit lucky there, it was much more slippery than I expected and I went wide and had to take the handbrake."
"I was a bit lucky there, it was much more slippery than I expected and I went wide and had to take the handbrake."
Rain
WRC - France: ...but now rain is starting to fall on the middle of the stage. This one's going to be a mixed bag.
Lights out
WRC - France: SS10 is now up and running. Looking less slippery than the previous two.
Vittorio Ghirelli
With Loeb saying goodbye, Ogier becoming champion and Neuville being a downright superstar, the Rally of France is naturally monopolising AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live's attention today.
But there's single-seater action coming up too, with the first race of Auto GP's four-way title decider at Brno later this morning.
Points leader Vittorio Ghirelli (pictured) took pole yesterday, leaving season-long title combatants Sergio Campana and Kimiya Sato on the back foot.
And keep an eye on long-shot contender Narain Karthikeyan too: third on the grid and winner of three of the last five races.
WRC - France: So Neuville is looking more and more comfortable, Latvala and Sordo are just a tenth apart in second and third, Ogier and Loeb are just a tenth apart in fourth and fifth, Novikov is lonesome, and then only nine seconds blankets Hirvonen, Ostberg and Mikkelsen.
The Soultzeren stage starts in a few minutes and will round the morning off.
The Soultzeren stage starts in a few minutes and will round the morning off.
WRC - France: Kubica's uneventful but dominant WRC 2 run continues through SS9.
He's 11th overall so also stands to score an overall point if any of the WRC field drops out.
He's 11th overall so also stands to score an overall point if any of the WRC field drops out.
WRC - France: After being a bit over-cautious on SS8, Novikov has now woken up and instantly fought back against the chasing Hirvonen.
He outpaced the Finn by 8.7s on that stage so the gap between sixth and seventh is back up to 26s.
Andreas Mikkelsen slid off the road under braking on that stage, so he's now fallen to ninth behind Mads Ostberg.
He outpaced the Finn by 8.7s on that stage so the gap between sixth and seventh is back up to 26s.
Andreas Mikkelsen slid off the road under braking on that stage, so he's now fallen to ninth behind Mads Ostberg.
Checkered flag
WRC - France - SS9 results:
Stage: 1 Ogier 8m27.4s; 2 Neuville + 1.1s; 3 Latvala +2.4s; 4 Sordo +2.8s; 5 Loeb +10.6s; 6 Novikov +11.3s.
Overall: 1 Neuville; 2 Latvala +16.6s; 3 Sordo +16.7s; 4 Ogier +26.1s; 5 Loeb +26.2s; 6 Novikov +1m41.9s.
Stage: 1 Ogier 8m27.4s; 2 Neuville + 1.1s; 3 Latvala +2.4s; 4 Sordo +2.8s; 5 Loeb +10.6s; 6 Novikov +11.3s.
Overall: 1 Neuville; 2 Latvala +16.6s; 3 Sordo +16.7s; 4 Ogier +26.1s; 5 Loeb +26.2s; 6 Novikov +1m41.9s.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: That spin cost Loeb 9s, and as Ogier takes another stage win, they swap positions.
Ogier is now just one tenth ahead of Loeb in fourth place.
Ogier is now just one tenth ahead of Loeb in fourth place.
Crash
WRC - France: Problems for Loeb, he spun on the exit of a hairpin and had to reverse back into place.
Quote
WRC - France: Latvala's time is between Neuville and Sordo, and he didn't find the slippery road too bad.
"Better than I expected. Surprisingly good in some places."
"Better than I expected. Surprisingly good in some places."
WRC - France: Sordo loses another second to Neuville on that stage. Latvala heading to the finish now.
WRC - France: Although take those splits with a pinch of salt as they keep changing and Neuville says he was getting no info from the timing system...
He also found the stage pretty challenging.
"A very dangerous stage. Very fast and the Tarmac was like ice in some places."
He also found the stage pretty challenging.
"A very dangerous stage. Very fast and the Tarmac was like ice in some places."
WRC - France: Ogier blasts off the line. Early splits have Neuville slightly quicker than the other drivers on the stage.
Rain
WRC - France: This stage looks wetter than the previous one. And the bollards have not gone missing!
Lights out
WRC - France: It's straight onto SS9, Vallee du Munster, and the top cars have begun the stage.
This morning's three stages are repeated this afternoon, along with the bonus Mulhouse spectator stage to round things off.
This morning's three stages are repeated this afternoon, along with the bonus Mulhouse spectator stage to round things off.
Robert Kubica
WRC - France: Robert Kubica isn't quickest in WRC 2, but he doesn't have to be as he is over three minutes clear of second-placed Eflyn Evans following the Welshman's tough Friday. Evans is 12s faster on the stage.
Checkered flag
WRC - France - SS8 results:
Stage: 1 Ogier 14m37.7s; 2 Neuville +1.5s; 3 Latvala +5.0s; 4 Loeb +6.0s; 5 Sordo +6.6s; 6 Hirvonen +17.5s.
Overall: 1 Neuville; 2 Sordo +15.0s; 3 Latvala +15.3s; 4 Loeb +16.7s; 5 Ogier +27.2s; 6 Novikov +1m31.7s.
Stage: 1 Ogier 14m37.7s; 2 Neuville +1.5s; 3 Latvala +5.0s; 4 Loeb +6.0s; 5 Sordo +6.6s; 6 Hirvonen +17.5s.
Overall: 1 Neuville; 2 Sordo +15.0s; 3 Latvala +15.3s; 4 Loeb +16.7s; 5 Ogier +27.2s; 6 Novikov +1m31.7s.
WRC - France: Ostberg is another driver who finds the disappearance of the anti-corner-cutting bollards puzzling. He thinks they must've been removed by officials rather than spectators or cars ahead.
"It must've taken them all night..." Ostberg muses.
"It must've taken them all night..." Ostberg muses.
WRC - France: Hirvonen passes Mikkelsen on that stage and takes 12s out of the gap to Novikov, but he's very unhappy with the missing bollards and how much their absence has changed the stage compared to the recce.
WRC - France: No worries for Novikov from Mikkelsen, he's short on confidence in an understeering VW and loses a second to the Russian.
WRC - France: Evgeny Novikov loses half a minute on that stage. He says he was very careful in the foggy and wet conditions. Let's see if pursuers Andreas Mikkelsen, Mikko Hirvonen and Mads Ostberg are able to gain ground on him.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Ogier is back in the hunt. He takes the stage win by 1.5s over Neuville.
That still leaves the champion, who is much happier with his VW today, 27s off the lead, but now he's only 10s behind fourth-placed Loeb.
That still leaves the champion, who is much happier with his VW today, 27s off the lead, but now he's only 10s behind fourth-placed Loeb.
Quote
WRC - France: Loeb has a bit too much oversteer, and asked if he can catch Neuville, he replies "at the moment... no."
WRC - France: And Loeb is slower than Neuville too! He loses four seconds. The M-Sport Ford man is driving an incredible rally.
WRC - France: Latvala is 3.1s slower than the flying Neuville.
The VW man says he wasn't confident in the early part of the stage as he wasn't sure how much the tyres would've cooled during the delay before the start.
The VW man says he wasn't confident in the early part of the stage as he wasn't sure how much the tyres would've cooled during the delay before the start.
WRC - France: Sordo comes through five seconds slower than Neuville. He wasn't enjoying the foggy sections.
Quote
WRC - France: Neuville completes the stage and says some of the bollards put in to prevent corner-cutting have already gone missing.
"There were more cuts than I expected, it changed a lot compared to the recce. I don't know if the spectators changed the bollards or the organisation, but we had to change the pace notes a little bit."
"There were more cuts than I expected, it changed a lot compared to the recce. I don't know if the spectators changed the bollards or the organisation, but we had to change the pace notes a little bit."
WRC - France: Based on the splits so far, Neuville is on course to extend his lead a little bit.
WRC - France: The stage doesn't look as sodden as overnight forecasts suggested would be the case today, but it is very, very misty on the higher sections.
Lights out
WRC - France: Neuville, Dani Sordo, Jari-Matti Latvala and Loeb are all onto the stage, with Ogier heading for the startline.
Rain
Thierry Neuville
WRC - France: As expected, rain has arrived. Yesterday was damp in places but generally fairly dry, and it was Thierry Neuville who got the tyre choice just right and opened up a lead.
And at the end of day one of a rally that was supposed to be all about Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier, neither of the home heroes was even in the top three...
Rally of France Friday pm report
WRC - France: There's a slight delay to our first stage of the morning due to crowd congestion on the Hohlandsbourg test.
Good morning from AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live on a wet Saturday October 5 2013 in France.
By: Scott Mitchell, Sam Tremayne, David Evans, Matt Beer, Peter Mills, Jamie O'Leary, Mark Glendenning, Dan Cross, Pablo Elizalde
Published:
Lap:
