WRC France, Houston IndyCar
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Breaking news
IndyCar - Houston: More scraps of news from Houston, this time concerning next year's edition of the race. Word is that like this year's, it will probably be a double-header. Unlike this year's, it could be under lights. This would be a welcome development: it's ridiculously hot today.
Red flag
ALMS - Virginia: Tommy Milner's crashed in one of the Chevrolets, and looks like there was fluid at fault. One of the SRTs spun too, and the session's been red-flagged.
Stopwatch
ALMS - Virginia: Well, Malucelli was atop the times! Maxime Martin brings the second BMW onto provisional GT pole with a 1m45.978s.
ALMS - Virginia: The first flying laps are in, and Matteo Malucelli is atop the times in the Risi Ferrari. 1m46.113s is the benchmark, which Dirk Muller has fallen 0.06s shy of in his BMW Z4.
ALMS Virginia GT
ALMS - Virginia: Faulkner hangs on for the GTC pole, 0.40s clear of Bleekemolen. Pumpelly winds up third.
ALMS - Virginia: Faulkner has nicked ahead to take provisional GTC pole with a 1m52.213s. Spencer Pumpelly had slotted into second ahead of Bleekemolen, but the latter's managed to regain that spot on the class grid despite a scruffy lap.
ALMS - Virginia: Qualifying is now well underway, with the GTC element up first. Jeroen Bleekemolen heads Damien Faulkner by 0.21s with half the session remaining.
Twitter
ALMS - Virginia: Some of the drivers are getting a bit ahead of themselves. We've not even started qualifying yet, and even before practice Ryan Briscoe was looking ahead to tomorrow's race.
@Ryan_Briscoe: "So far so good at VIR for @almsnotes. This place is pretty crazy, super fast and fun! Traffic will be torture in the race."
@Ryan_Briscoe: "So far so good at VIR for @almsnotes. This place is pretty crazy, super fast and fun! Traffic will be torture in the race."
ALMS - Virginia: Second practice has finished in Virginia, with Klaus Graf on top for Pickett Racing, setting a best time of 1m32.226s. Ryan Briscoe (P2); Mike Guasch (PC); Marco Holzer (GT) and Nelson Canache Jr (GTC) set the pace in their respective classes.
Breaking news
IndyCar - Houston: Schedule alterations aside, there was also huge 2014 news confirmed.
Chip Ganassi Racing will expand to a four-car team next year, with the arrival of Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan.
That will coincide with the team switching from Honda power to Chevrolet, aligning the manufacturers for Ganassi's IndyCar and NASCAR programmes.
The 2013 season's not even finished yet, and already next year looks like a mouth-watering prospect.
Breaking news
IndyCar - Houston: Before we start, though, there's been plenty of noise coming out of the latest IndyCar round at Houston.
First practice was delayed by three hours as organisers sought to address a serious issue with the track on the approach to Turn 1 that had caused Pirelli World Challenge cars to launch into the air.
That's been rectified by the installation of a temporary chicane, which allowed first practice to take place, and be topped by Will Power.
However, the delays mean qualifying has been postponed until Saturday morning.
Welcome back to Race Centre Live's continued coverage of this motorsport weekend. Friday night (if you're in Europe) takes us to Virginia and Kansas for ALMS and NASCAR qualifying respectively.
AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live will return this evening at 8pm BST for coverage of IndyCar practice at Houston, as well as NASCAR and ALMS qualifying
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Auto GP - Brno: Looking ahead to the weekend's races, Ghirelli revealed he would be unconcerned if front row starter Kevin Giovesi won on Saturday.
"If I do a good start, then the race should be all downhill," said Ghirelli. "Even if Giovesi wins, it is not a problem, as he is behind in the championship, but my main objective is to finish in the top-three.
"I could win the championship tomorrow, which would be even better. In that case, everyone can go out and party on Saturday night! But now we have to stay focused on everything and hopefully it will go well."
"If I do a good start, then the race should be all downhill," said Ghirelli. "Even if Giovesi wins, it is not a problem, as he is behind in the championship, but my main objective is to finish in the top-three.
"I could win the championship tomorrow, which would be even better. In that case, everyone can go out and party on Saturday night! But now we have to stay focused on everything and hopefully it will go well."
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Auto GP - Brno: Auto GP championship favourite Vittorio Ghirelli gave his reaction to securing his second pole position of the season on Friday, in a qualifying session disrupted by a late red flag.
"There was only one lap [possible on the retsart], everyone knew it, and there was not enough time to bring the temperatures in on the tyres," said Ghirelli.
"I was on a good lap when the red flag came out and had done two good ones before. I was there [on the pace] straightaway. In practice we focused on setting up the car rather than doing a super lap. I gave it all I had and it’s a good result."
"There was only one lap [possible on the retsart], everyone knew it, and there was not enough time to bring the temperatures in on the tyres," said Ghirelli.
"I was on a good lap when the red flag came out and had done two good ones before. I was there [on the pace] straightaway. In practice we focused on setting up the car rather than doing a super lap. I gave it all I had and it’s a good result."
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Auto GP - Brno: Former grand prix driver Inoue told AUTOSPORT: "I don't think we'll complain to the stewards, as what has happened has happened, but Kimiya said not one lap wasn't adversely affected by traffic.
"Kimiya let Ghirelli go to get some clear space, and then Josef Kral slotted in between them and started weaving to warm up his tyres."
"Kimiya let Ghirelli go to get some clear space, and then Josef Kral slotted in between them and started weaving to warm up his tyres."
Auto GP - Brno: Championship protagonist Kimiya Sato has reportedly complained to his team that he suffered traffic problems in qualifying, according to Euronova Racing's Taki Inoue.
Sato is set to start from eighth on Saturday's race one grid, after ending Friday afternoon's qualifying session 1.571s adrift of pole-sitter Vittorio Ghirelli.
Sato is set to start from eighth on Saturday's race one grid, after ending Friday afternoon's qualifying session 1.571s adrift of pole-sitter Vittorio Ghirelli.
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Auto GP - Brno: "Did they really need to stop that session?" asked Karthikeyan, who will start Saturday's race from third on the grid.
"I was fastest in the first sector, only 0.1s off my best time in the middle sector and was likely to improve. For sure that lap was good enough for pole. Of course, the championship is not over until it's over!"
"I was fastest in the first sector, only 0.1s off my best time in the middle sector and was likely to improve. For sure that lap was good enough for pole. Of course, the championship is not over until it's over!"
Auto GP - Brno: Championship outsider Narain Karthikeyan has expressed his frustration at missing out on a fifth consecutive pole position.
The Indian was lighting up the timing screens with purple sectors when the red flags were flown for an incident involving debutant Josef Kral with three minutes of qualifying remaining.
The Indian was lighting up the timing screens with purple sectors when the red flags were flown for an incident involving debutant Josef Kral with three minutes of qualifying remaining.
Dyson
As the European racing day ends with Neuville leading the WRC's rally of the year and Ghirelli shading his Auto GP title rivals, AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live will be taking a break until the American action kicks off in earnest.
We'll be back from 8.15pm BST with American Le Mans Series qualifying at Virginia, where Dyson's top drivers are back to try to beat Pickett, and second IndyCar practice from the revived Houston street track. See you then.
Breaking news
WRC - France: The full story of how Neuville stole the Sebastiens' thunder.
Rally of France Friday afternoon report
Rally of France Friday afternoon report
Checkered flag
Auto GP - Brno: There were no changes to the order on the restart, so Vittorio Ghirelli confirms his status as title favourite by securing pole position.
1 Ghirelli; 2 Giovesi; 3 Karthikeyan; 4 Visoiu; 5 Campana; 6 Kiss.
1 Ghirelli; 2 Giovesi; 3 Karthikeyan; 4 Visoiu; 5 Campana; 6 Kiss.
Green flag
Auto GP - Brno: Kral's car has been cleared away behind a tyre wall and the session has restarted. The provisional top six:
1 Ghirelli, 1m42.833s; 2 Giovesi, 1m43.082; 3 Karthikeyan, 1m43.337s; 4 Robert Visoiu; 5 Sergio Campana; 6 Kiss, 1m44.134s.
1 Ghirelli, 1m42.833s; 2 Giovesi, 1m43.082; 3 Karthikeyan, 1m43.337s; 4 Robert Visoiu; 5 Sergio Campana; 6 Kiss, 1m44.134s.
WRC - France: A safe run through for Robert Kubica, whose WRC 2 lead is probably now reaching Dakar proportions.
He's keen to point out that the lead wouldn't be that big if Elfyn Evans hadn't had a puncture, though, and he's committed to carrying on pushing as he doesn't think going slowly is any good for learning. Good man.
He's keen to point out that the lead wouldn't be that big if Elfyn Evans hadn't had a puncture, though, and he's committed to carrying on pushing as he doesn't think going slowly is any good for learning. Good man.
Checkered flag
WRC - France - SS7 results:
Stage: 1 Neuville 18m36.6s; 2 Ogier +4.0s; 3 Sordo +6.2s; 4 Latvala +7.7s; 5 Loeb +9.6s; 6 Novikov +15.3s.
Overall: 1 Neuville; 2 Sordo +9.8s; 3 Latvala +11.8s; 4 Loeb +12.2s; 5 Ogier +28.7s; 6 Novikov +1m03.6s.
Stage: 1 Neuville 18m36.6s; 2 Ogier +4.0s; 3 Sordo +6.2s; 4 Latvala +7.7s; 5 Loeb +9.6s; 6 Novikov +15.3s.
Overall: 1 Neuville; 2 Sordo +9.8s; 3 Latvala +11.8s; 4 Loeb +12.2s; 5 Ogier +28.7s; 6 Novikov +1m03.6s.
Red flag
Auto GP - Brno: Josef Kral has beached his Zele Racing machine at Turn 7, bringing out the red flags.
Moments before the stoppage, championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli grabbed provisional pole, ahead of Kevin Giovesi.
Moments before the stoppage, championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli grabbed provisional pole, ahead of Kevin Giovesi.
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WRC - France: Loeb's summary at the end of the day:
""We expected the rain today but... no rain. Soft tyres and long dry stages... [Neuville] was fast and he had five hard tyres. For sure we couldn't match his speed."
""We expected the rain today but... no rain. Soft tyres and long dry stages... [Neuville] was fast and he had five hard tyres. For sure we couldn't match his speed."
Auto GP - Brno: Karthikeyan moves into provisional pole, thanks to a great lap of 1m43.337s.
All 17 cars are on track, so more changes are surely to follow.
All 17 cars are on track, so more changes are surely to follow.
WRC - France: Loeb is 9s slower than Neuville on the stage and he's fallen down to fourth!
WRC - France: At the final split, even Loeb is 7s down on Neuville.
WRC - France: Hirvonen's terrible day continues. He has now particular problems but is 35s slower than Neuville.
WRC - France: Here's another man who's dropping time to Neuville: Dani Sordo. He is 6s slower through the stage.
That means both Sordo and Latvala will be around 10s behind the Belgian at the start of Saturday's stages.
Can Loeb at least stay in touch?
That means both Sordo and Latvala will be around 10s behind the Belgian at the start of Saturday's stages.
Can Loeb at least stay in touch?
WRC - France: Loeb was flying earlier on the stage, but at the halfway point he's lost four seconds to Neuville.
Auto GP - Brno: Roberto La Rocca and Michela Cerruti are the only drivers on track, as the majority of runners fit fresh rubber.
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WRC - France: Latvala drops 7s to Neuville and is kicking himself over his VW's set-up.
"I must admit I am disappointed with the performance on the long stage. I stayed too soft on the set-up. The conditions were so dry, I should've gone stiffer. It was my mistake.
"There was a three kilometre section of dampness that was a bit more demanding. Other than that it was dry."
"I must admit I am disappointed with the performance on the long stage. I stayed too soft on the set-up. The conditions were so dry, I should've gone stiffer. It was my mistake.
"There was a three kilometre section of dampness that was a bit more demanding. Other than that it was dry."
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WRC - France: Neuville reckons his amazing performance is down to M-Sport's weather crew:
"We had the best information today from our weather guy, he did a great job. We had the right tyre choice and after that I just pushed quite hard..."
"We had the best information today from our weather guy, he did a great job. We had the right tyre choice and after that I just pushed quite hard..."
WRC - France: Neuville finishes the stage and he's four seconds faster than Ogier.
That means our world champion will start day two of his home rally at least 28s off the lead.
That means our world champion will start day two of his home rally at least 28s off the lead.
Auto GP - Brno: The top six at the midway point of qualifying:
1 Vittorio Ghirelli; 2 Narain Karthikeyan; 3 Kevin Giovesi; 4 Tamas Pal Kiss; 5 Kimiya Sato; 6 Robert Visoiu.
1 Vittorio Ghirelli; 2 Narain Karthikeyan; 3 Kevin Giovesi; 4 Tamas Pal Kiss; 5 Kimiya Sato; 6 Robert Visoiu.
Quote
WRC - France: Ogier completes the stage and confesses he wasn't properly focused this morning after his title-clincher last night.
"It was difficult to wake up this morning. I tried to react as I was too slow this morning, but we didn't have the right tyre choice."
"It was difficult to wake up this morning. I tried to react as I was too slow this morning, but we didn't have the right tyre choice."
By: Scott Mitchell, Sam Tremayne, David Evans, Matt Beer, Peter Mills, Jamie O'Leary, Mark Glendenning, Dan Cross, Pablo Elizalde
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