WRC France, Houston IndyCar
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WRC - France: Loeb talks to AUTOSPORT about crashing out of the final day of his WRC career.
WRC - France: While a tearful Loeb signs countless autographs on the final stage, Andreas Mikkelsen is first of the top cars through Bischwiller.
WRC - France: Meanwhile the Bischwiller stage is starting. Can Sordo take more time out of Ogier?
WRC - France: The hometown crowd won't get to see Sebastien Loeb in proper action on the Haguenau stage, but he and co-driver Daniel Elena have commandeered a Citroen DS3 cabriolet road car to do a parade through the final stage to meet their fans.
WRC - France - SS18 results:
Stage: 1 Sordo 8m36.7s; 2 Neuville +0.4s; 3 Mikkelsen +2.8s; 4 Ogier +3.7s; 5 Novikov +7.2s; 6 Hirvonen +9.9s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Sordo +10.0s; 3 Latvala +23.7s; 4 Neuville +1m17.9s; 5 Novikov +3m02.3s; 6 Hirvonen +3m31.1s.
Stage: 1 Sordo 8m36.7s; 2 Neuville +0.4s; 3 Mikkelsen +2.8s; 4 Ogier +3.7s; 5 Novikov +7.2s; 6 Hirvonen +9.9s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Sordo +10.0s; 3 Latvala +23.7s; 4 Neuville +1m17.9s; 5 Novikov +3m02.3s; 6 Hirvonen +3m31.1s.
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Kimiya Sato and Vincenzo Sospiri
Auto GP - Brno: Sospiri added that he would still view the year as a success even if Sato fails to land the title this afternoon.
"I know Kimiya is a very special driver," said Sospiri. "I am not disappointed that we probably aren't going to be champions, as I think he's had a great season.
"Perhaps we could have already won it if he hadn't made the mistake at Donington. He was one second quicker than the Super Nova drivers there, but to be fair to him that was the only mistake he has made this year."
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Auto GP - Brno: In the camp of the third and final title protagonist Kimiya Sato, team boss Vincenzo Sospiri stated that divine intervention would be required for his charge to lift the Auto GP drivers' crown.
"The championship is already over," said Sospiri. "We need a miracle. Well, as Kimiya also needs to win the race [Sato will start from fifth] it’s really a double miracle."
"The championship is already over," said Sospiri. "We need a miracle. Well, as Kimiya also needs to win the race [Sato will start from fifth] it’s really a double miracle."
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Auto GP - Brno: "So Vittorio just needs a fifth place, and I really need to win, is that it," said Karthikeyan. "If only I had made the switch to Super Nova one race earlier, that would have made all of the difference. Damn!"
Ghirelli's Super Nova team-mate and fellow title hopeful Narain Karthikeyan also appeared in a positive frame of mind.
The Indian has been forced to play catchup after failing to gel with his original team Zele Racing. Karthikeyan was still smarting this moring that he hadn't elected to switch to Norfolk squad Super Nova earlier in the season.
The Indian has been forced to play catchup after failing to gel with his original team Zele Racing. Karthikeyan was still smarting this moring that he hadn't elected to switch to Norfolk squad Super Nova earlier in the season.
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WRC - France: Ogier plays down the time loss.
"Obviously I'm being cautious," he insists, "that's the strategy now."
"Obviously I'm being cautious," he insists, "that's the strategy now."
WRC - France: Hang on, this rally isn't over yet...
Sordo takes three seconds out of Ogier on this stage and the gap is down to 10s with two stages to go.
Sordo takes three seconds out of Ogier on this stage and the gap is down to 10s with two stages to go.
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Auto GP - Brno: There has been no sign of stress from championship favourite Vittorio Ghirelli this morning when AUTOSPORT encountered the Italian taking a very leisurely stroll down the Brno pitlane.
"I had a relaxed evening last night," said Ghirelli. "As long as I stay out of the mess at the start it should be alright. I am just aiming for a top-five."
"I had a relaxed evening last night," said Ghirelli. "As long as I stay out of the mess at the start it should be alright. I am just aiming for a top-five."
WRC - France: Latvala says the fight for second is over.
"I'm not good in these muddy conditions, I'm not confident," he said.
"Dani seems to have good pace so I think it's clear I will be third."
The VW is only fifth fastest, 9s off Neuville's pace.
"I'm not good in these muddy conditions, I'm not confident," he said.
"Dani seems to have good pace so I think it's clear I will be third."
The VW is only fifth fastest, 9s off Neuville's pace.
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WRC - France: "That was like cross-country driving," says Neuville, "half the car on the road and half in a field..."
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Neuville had a big slide and half-spin on that stage but comes through fastest so far.
Crash
WRC - France: Ostberg explains that his ongoing brake issues contributed to that time loss, which did turn out to be about a minute.
"We really got stuck on a junction, we didn't really go off the road.
"We've had some problems with the brakes. We worked a lot on the road section but I still only had brakes on the rear.
"I went a little bit wide and just got stuck so we needed help from spectators."
"We really got stuck on a junction, we didn't really go off the road.
"We've had some problems with the brakes. We worked a lot on the road section but I still only had brakes on the rear.
"I went a little bit wide and just got stuck so we needed help from spectators."
WRC - France: Problems for Mads Ostberg as he loses a minute to Mikko Hirvonen on this stage so far.
WRC - France: No powerstage today - that was held at the start of the rally - but we still have a reversed top 12 running order for this final loop for live television reasons.
Sebastien Ogier
Here's what's coming up on AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live over the rest of the day...
The Rally of France resumes in 20 minutes for its final loop of three stages. Can anyone do anything about Sebastien Ogier?
The Auto GP title battle will be settled with race two at Brno in just over two hours. Vittorio Ghirelli has the advantages but Narain Karthikeyan is not out of it.
IndyCar has another qualifying session and race in Houston after Saturday's incredible events. Qualifying is 2.45pm BST, the race just after 6.30pm.
Round four of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase takes place at Kansas Speedway around 7pm BST.
Crash
WRC - France: News reaches us that Prokop, who was running in ninth overall, has had a moment mid-stage and broken his suspension. He hasn't reached the end yet as the WRC 2 frontrunners begin filtering their way through.
ETCC - Brno: Czech Petr Fulin has wrapped up the ETCC Super 2000 title after taking an 8.3 win over the only man who could have denied him the crown, Slovakian Mat'o Homola.
Checkered flag
WRC - France - SS17:
Stage: 1 Ogier; 2 Hirvonen +0.3s; 3 Neuville +0.7s; 4 Latvala +1.6s; 5 Sordo +2.0s; 6 Ostberg +5.8s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Sordo +13.7s; 3 Latvala +17.1s; 4 Neuville +1m21.2s; 5 Novikov +2m58.8s; 6 Ostberg +3m19.4s.
Stage: 1 Ogier; 2 Hirvonen +0.3s; 3 Neuville +0.7s; 4 Latvala +1.6s; 5 Sordo +2.0s; 6 Ostberg +5.8s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Sordo +13.7s; 3 Latvala +17.1s; 4 Neuville +1m21.2s; 5 Novikov +2m58.8s; 6 Ostberg +3m19.4s.
WRC - France: Ostberg's time is 4m24.3s, which isn't too bad given he had problems with his brakes mid-stage. Hopefully he'll be able to diagnose and fix the problem during the short interval before this afternoon's loop of stages.
WRC - France: Hirvonen's found his form at long last as he sets a time 0.3s slower than Ogier. The Finn seems rather bemused where that time came from!
Auto GP - Brno: Manor MP Motorsport team manager Sander Dorsman believes the Dutch team's driver Daniel de Jong will concentrate exclusively on GP2 in 2014, rather than run a parrallel Auto GP campaign as was the case this year.
The team's Auto GP rookie Meindert van Buuren is keen to continue in Auto GP.
The team's Auto GP rookie Meindert van Buuren is keen to continue in Auto GP.
WRC - France: Neuville's time is 0.7s slower than Ogier's. Pity the Belgian suffered a puncture yesterday as he has been the only one keeping the rally leader honest today.
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WRC - France: "It's going to be tough this afternoon," says the rally leader. "But we'll see what happens."
Stopwatch
WRC - France: And the time we're all waiting for comes up on the timing board, which is 4m18.5s set by Ogier, who extends his overall lead to 13.7s.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Here comes Latvala, whose time is 0.4s quicker than Sordo's
"It's been the most difficult day of the rally," says the Finn. "The grip level keeps changing a lot, but everything is going according to plan."
"It's been the most difficult day of the rally," says the Finn. "The grip level keeps changing a lot, but everything is going according to plan."
WRC - France: Sordo sets a benchmark of 4m20.5s.
"It will be very difficult," he said when asked if he can catch rally leader Ogier. "But we will try."
"It will be very difficult," he said when asked if he can catch rally leader Ogier. "But we will try."
Lights out
WRC - France: Remarkably, our watch is correct and Sordo is almost at the end of the stage already.
WRC - France: Not long until the last of this morning's loop of tests gets underway. If our watch is correct, it's only three minutes to go before the 5.74-kilometre Haguenau stage goes live.
Checkered flag
WRC - France - SS16:
Stage: 1 Ogier; 2 +Neuville +0.9s; 3 Latvala +2.5s; 4 Sordo +4.4s; 5 Ostberg +5.9s; 6 Hirvonen +8.3s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Sordo +11.7s; 3 Latala +15.5s; 4 Neuville +1m20.5s; 5 Novikov +2m50.6s; 6 Ostberg 3m13.6s.
Stage: 1 Ogier; 2 +Neuville +0.9s; 3 Latvala +2.5s; 4 Sordo +4.4s; 5 Ostberg +5.9s; 6 Hirvonen +8.3s.
Overall: 1 Ogier; 2 Sordo +11.7s; 3 Latala +15.5s; 4 Neuville +1m20.5s; 5 Novikov +2m50.6s; 6 Ostberg 3m13.6s.
WRC - France: Ostberg, who is 10.9s ahead of Hirvonen in sixth, posts a time of 4m22.2s to increase the gap between the pair by 1.5s.
"Very tricky conditions, but I think we're managing quite well," he says. "I think we are doing good, but I need to increase my speed."
"Very tricky conditions, but I think we're managing quite well," he says. "I think we are doing good, but I need to increase my speed."
WRC - France: Novikov comes home 8.6s off the ultimate pace. Hirvonen does a little better and loses 8.3s to Ogier.
WRC - France: The M-Sport man's time at the end is 4m17.2s, which is 0.9s slower than Ogier. Good stuff by the Belgian.
"I enjoyed the stage and the car is good," says Nevuille. "There was some standing water, but we managed fine."
"I enjoyed the stage and the car is good," says Nevuille. "There was some standing water, but we managed fine."
WRC - France: Neuville is making his way through the stage. He's currently 0.4s down on Ogier's pace.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Team-mate Ogier is next through the finish line and sets a provisionally quickest time of 4m16.3s, which puts his lead over Sordo to 11.7s.
Stopwatch
WRC - France: Latvala's 1.9s quicker than Sordo.
"It was a good stage," he says. "I liked it, even though it was pretty damp with puddles of water."
"It was a good stage," he says. "I liked it, even though it was pretty damp with puddles of water."
WRC - France: Sordo seems pretty calm at the finish line. His time is 4m20.7s.
By: Scott Mitchell, Sam Tremayne, David Evans, Matt Beer, Peter Mills, Jamie O'Leary, Mark Glendenning, Dan Cross, Pablo Elizalde
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