WRC France, Houston IndyCar
Live Text
Sort by
Green flag
Auto GP - Brno: Free practice two is green. Ghirelli stated before the session that he will try a set of soft tyres that have covered 60km in preparation for qualifying this afternoon.
Quote
Vittorio Ghirelli
Auto GP - Brno: The cold temperatures at Brno also affected double 2013 Auto GP race winner and sometime GP2 driver Ghirelli's approach to practice.
"With it being this cold, the tyres don't come [into their optimum temperature range] until your sixth or seventh lap, and you can't push too hard or otherwise you'll [ruin] the tyres, scrub them, which is not good," said Ghirelli.
Quote
Auto GP - Brno: Auto GP championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli is confident there is more pace to come after trailing Super Nova team-mate and title outsider Narain Karthikeyan in this morning's opening free practice session.
"I didn't know the circuit, and I was just getting my reference points," explained Ghirelli. "I was also on very old mediums, which had done more than 80kms, so I am sure there is a good margin to improve."
"I didn't know the circuit, and I was just getting my reference points," explained Ghirelli. "I was also on very old mediums, which had done more than 80kms, so I am sure there is a good margin to improve."
WRC - France: On the weekend that Seb #1 departs and Seb #2 gets his first title, we should keep an eye on Seb #3.
Sebastien Chardonnet - yes, he's French and a Citroen protege - leads WRC 3 by 27 points over Keith Cronin.
But like WRC 2, drivers count six rallies each year, and this will be Chardonnet's sixth (courtesy of him being basically the only person in the category to bother turning up in Monte Carlo), where Cronin and most of the rest will still have one more to count in Spain or Wales.
Right now it's Quentin Gilbert leading by 12s from Chardonnet, with Cronin a minute adrift in third. These three and Christian Riedmann are WRC 3's class acts this year.
Sebastien Chardonnet - yes, he's French and a Citroen protege - leads WRC 3 by 27 points over Keith Cronin.
But like WRC 2, drivers count six rallies each year, and this will be Chardonnet's sixth (courtesy of him being basically the only person in the category to bother turning up in Monte Carlo), where Cronin and most of the rest will still have one more to count in Spain or Wales.
Right now it's Quentin Gilbert leading by 12s from Chardonnet, with Cronin a minute adrift in third. These three and Christian Riedmann are WRC 3's class acts this year.
Quote
Josef Kral
Auto GP - Brno: Zele Racing team boss Michael Zele expressed his satisfaction with new recruit Josef Kral's free practice form.
The Czech, who is making his Auto GP debut, took a surprise fifth fastest in FP1.
"Josef was telling us he hasn't raced anything since September last year - not even club stuff," said Zele. "He's a quick driver, though, and it obviously helps that he knows his way around here."
WRC - France: We would list results in WRC 2 as well, but they can be shortened to...
1 Kubica; everyone else + several mins.
His nearest rival Rashid Al-Ketbi is 3m03s behind.
This isn't the strongest WRC 2 field of the season, but the main reason for the big gap is that Elfyn Evans - who should be Kubica's main rival - had a puncture this morning.
Robert Barrable would have been closer than that too but he's already crashed out.
1 Kubica; everyone else + several mins.
His nearest rival Rashid Al-Ketbi is 3m03s behind.
This isn't the strongest WRC 2 field of the season, but the main reason for the big gap is that Elfyn Evans - who should be Kubica's main rival - had a puncture this morning.
Robert Barrable would have been closer than that too but he's already crashed out.
WRC - France: In case anyone hadn't heard, that picture is Loeb - he's got a special livery for his final WRC outing.
Breaking news
Sebastien Loeb
WRC - France: Here's the full story of Loeb's charge to the front this morning.
Rally of France Friday morning report
WRC - France - SS4 results:
Stage: 1 Loeb 19m08.7s; 2 Neuville +0.9s; 3 Latvala +0.9s; 4 Sordo +6.4s; 5 Ogier +20.2s; 6 Novikov +21.6s.
Overall: 1 Loeb; 2 Latvala +3.7s; 3 Neuville +4.7s; 4 Sordo +6.2s; 5 Ogier +22.3s; 6 Novikov +46.5s.
Stage: 1 Loeb 19m08.7s; 2 Neuville +0.9s; 3 Latvala +0.9s; 4 Sordo +6.4s; 5 Ogier +20.2s; 6 Novikov +21.6s.
Overall: 1 Loeb; 2 Latvala +3.7s; 3 Neuville +4.7s; 4 Sordo +6.2s; 5 Ogier +22.3s; 6 Novikov +46.5s.
WRC - France: Robert Kubica wasn't a huge fan of his performance on that stage but he remains firmly in control of WRC 2.
WRC - France: For most of the last decade, it's fair to say a lot of rally fans have sighed as Loeb took the lead of events.
But this weekend there is so, so much goodwill around the world for rallying's departing superstar. Anyone who actually beats Loeb to this win will probably be pretty unpopular.
We'll bring you the leading positions when the timing system remembers how to supply times.
But this weekend there is so, so much goodwill around the world for rallying's departing superstar. Anyone who actually beats Loeb to this win will probably be pretty unpopular.
We'll bring you the leading positions when the timing system remembers how to supply times.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Loeb is fastest on the stage and into the rally lead!
WRC - France: Sordo is through and is no longer the leader as Latvala's blistering time puts him in front...
...but what will Loeb do?
...but what will Loeb do?
Auto GP - Brno: Full report from this morning's opening practice session, in which title outsider Narain Karthikeyan set the pace.
WRC - France: Hirvonen admits his stage was "really bad". He's not wrong, he's lost 34s to the leaders. Not for the first time this year, there's not much confidence in the cockpit of that Citroen.
WRC - France: Bless Latvala. After the year he's had, he could be a bit cocky about trouncing his new champion team-mate by 19s over 34km, but instead he suggests his pace is just because his pre-rally test had some damp running and Ogier's didn't.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Latvala finishes the stage and equals Neuville's time. They're both a massive 19s quicker than Ogier.
The Finn was on hard tyres all round while Neuville had two of each type.
The Finn was on hard tyres all round while Neuville had two of each type.
Quote
WRC - France: Neuville's in. While we have the traditional urge to throw biscuits at the new-for-2013 timing system, here's what he's saying:
"It was a good stage. I didn't push too much, I knew I had a good tyre choice. At the end I should've pushed a bit more in the dry section but the car started to slide. It's OK, that's a good time."
"It was a good stage. I didn't push too much, I knew I had a good tyre choice. At the end I should've pushed a bit more in the dry section but the car started to slide. It's OK, that's a good time."
WRC - France: Ogier's now onto the English media, and he says Neuville's pace is just because of his mix of hard and soft tyres, whereas the new champion wasn't comfortable on hards in what turned out to be pretty damp weather.
WRC - France: Ogier reaches the finish and is immediately swamped by the French media. AUTOSPORT's memories of GCSE French 18 years allow us to know he found it "difficult".
WRC - France: Neuville is storming this stage. He is now 17s up on Ogier on the splits and started the stage four seconds off the lead. But it's only Ogier dropping that much time.
WRC - France: Loeb is onto the stage too, and if the conditions are varying as much as they seem to be, that road position he was concerned about might turn out to be an advantage.
Quote
Auto GP - Brno: Manor MP Motorsport team manager Sander Dorsman reported his drivers Meindert van Buuren and Daniel de Jong were on "very old" tyres in FP1.
"I think Karthikeyan was on softs in that session, but we will try fresher tyres in FP2," said Dorsman.
"Hopefully we can then get closer, as at the minute Narain is miles away. The cold track temperatures are also causing problems, there is no grip. To be honest, it feels worse on the pitwall, it feels like some sort of punishment!"
"I think Karthikeyan was on softs in that session, but we will try fresher tyres in FP2," said Dorsman.
"Hopefully we can then get closer, as at the minute Narain is miles away. The cold track temperatures are also causing problems, there is no grip. To be honest, it feels worse on the pitwall, it feels like some sort of punishment!"
WRC - France: Conditions really changeable in SS4. It's not raining, but the start of the stage looks very wet from the live coverage. Sordo getting particularly out of shape braking for one square left. Having said that, as I type, rain arriving on Ogier's screen...
WRC - France: Problems for Ogier on SS4? He's dropped time on the early splits, with Neuville 13s quicker.
Auto GP - Brno: Exhaust problems are reported to have hampered championship protagonist Kimiya Sato's FP1 efforts.
The Japanese racer, who is just 11 points adrift of championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli, struggled to 13th fastest time in FP1 this morning.
The Japanese racer, who is just 11 points adrift of championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli, struggled to 13th fastest time in FP1 this morning.
Ogier
WRC - France: Predictably huge coverage of Sebastien Ogier's second world rally championship title (first one was JWRC in 2008) here in Strasbourg. French newspaper L'Equipe giving over the entire cover and pages two and three to the Gap man.
For those interested... there's also a story on P9 with Bernard Laporte reporting that he doesn't want RFC Toulon to be seen as a retirement home for ageing rugby players. Bit of a backlash following the European champs' loss to Oyonnax last weekend.
Enough rugby, back to the rally.
WRC - France: And Kubica already half a minute up on nearest WRC 2 rival, Rashid Al-Ketbi. Elfyn Evans 10th and last in the class. He's 2m46s behind Kubica's Citroen after stopping to change that puncture on his Fiesta.
WRC - France: Here are the overall standings heading onto the final stage of this first loop:
1 Sordo; 2 Loeb +0.2s; 3 Ogier +2.3s; 4 Latvala +3.0s; 5 Neuville +4.0s; 6 Hirvonen +13.1s.
The Vosges - Pays d'Ormont stage is also delayed by 10 minutes because of the knock-on effect from the earlier hold-up.
1 Sordo; 2 Loeb +0.2s; 3 Ogier +2.3s; 4 Latvala +3.0s; 5 Neuville +4.0s; 6 Hirvonen +13.1s.
The Vosges - Pays d'Ormont stage is also delayed by 10 minutes because of the knock-on effect from the earlier hold-up.
WRC - France: Drivers approach start of SS4 and hoping for very different conditions. Neuville wants rain and lots of it for his soft Michelins, while all VW and Citroen men want dry for their hard covers.
Checkered flag
Auto GP - Brno: FP1 results:
1 Narain Karthikeyan; 2 Vittorio Ghirelli; 3 Tamas Pal Kiss; 4 Robert Visoiu; 5 Josef Kral; 6 Andrea Roda.
1 Narain Karthikeyan; 2 Vittorio Ghirelli; 3 Tamas Pal Kiss; 4 Robert Visoiu; 5 Josef Kral; 6 Andrea Roda.
WRC - France: Evans said: "I don't know what caused it the puncture. I'm disappointed." Barrable reported to be off the road.
Auto GP - Brno: There's been a shake-up of the order moments before the chequered flag.
Ghirelli and Kiss have exchanged the second fastest time and series debutant Josef Kral has produced an impressive final lap to move into fifth.
Ghirelli and Kiss have exchanged the second fastest time and series debutant Josef Kral has produced an impressive final lap to move into fifth.
WRC - France: Evans stopped to change front-right puncture.
WRC - France: WRC 2 driver Robert Barrable reported stopped in the stage, not too far off the startline. Elfyn Evans lost lot of time on the final split. The Welshman is moving, but is thought to have lost more than two minutes.
Auto GP - Brno: It is a Super Nova 1-2 at the head of the Auto GP free practice standings.
Championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli has closed to within 0.894s of Karthikeyan's 1m44.514s fastest lap.
Championship leader Vittorio Ghirelli has closed to within 0.894s of Karthikeyan's 1m44.514s fastest lap.
Auto GP - Brno: Super Nova racer Karthikeyan has been in command throughout the opening practice session at a bright but cold Brno.
The former grand prix driver is the only man to have lapped in the 1m44s, and is 1.3s faster than Zele Racing's returnee Tamas Pal Kiss.
The former grand prix driver is the only man to have lapped in the 1m44s, and is 1.3s faster than Zele Racing's returnee Tamas Pal Kiss.
Rain
WRC - France: More weather news... rain has been and gone through SS4. That doesn't mean it won't come back though. Or maybe it won't. Who knows?
WRC - France: Dumas clear of the stage after a risk-free run in his Fiesta.
WRC 2 leader Kubica also at the finish:
"It was very slippery. It rained from the start, not a lot to begin with, but then it was difficult - it was very dark in the forest. It was difficult on the hard tyres."
WRC 2 leader Kubica also at the finish:
"It was very slippery. It rained from the start, not a lot to begin with, but then it was difficult - it was very dark in the forest. It was difficult on the hard tyres."
Green flag
Auto GP - Brno: The session has restarted, and Meindert van Buuren has closed to within 0.030s of Karthikeyan's benchmark.
Championshp leader Vittorio Ghirelli is 12th, his nearest rival Kimiya Sato 16th and Sergio Campana, the third of the title protagonists, is eighth.
Championshp leader Vittorio Ghirelli is 12th, his nearest rival Kimiya Sato 16th and Sergio Campana, the third of the title protagonists, is eighth.
By: Scott Mitchell, Sam Tremayne, David Evans, Matt Beer, Peter Mills, Jamie O'Leary, Mark Glendenning, Dan Cross, Pablo Elizalde
Published:
Lap:
