WRC Germany, GP2 Spa, IndyCar Pocono
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WRC - Germany: And by split two, Meeke has lost two minutes.
No dramas for Mikkelsen, he remains very comfortable in third.
Neuville is in, and a bit perturbed, saying the Hyundai was bottoming out unexpectedly and his downshifts were awkward. He's in a very tight battle with team-mate Sordo for fourth.
No dramas for Mikkelsen, he remains very comfortable in third.
Neuville is in, and a bit perturbed, saying the Hyundai was bottoming out unexpectedly and his downshifts were awkward. He's in a very tight battle with team-mate Sordo for fourth.
WRC - Germany: Meeke's misery continues, he's lost a minute to the leaders at the first split.
WRC - Germany: Decent run from Ostberg, he's within 6.4s of Ogier's pace. Is this the point where he starts moving up the points-scorers?
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WRC - Germany: After getting to within a tenth of his team-mate this morning, it's a much more muted Latvala at the end of this loop:
"Seb has been driving very well, that's it."
"Seb has been driving very well, that's it."
WRC - Germany: Very decent end to the stage from Latvala, he completes the stage just 0.1s down on Ogier.
But the damage has been done on the preceding three stages and he is now 9.5s behind overall.
But the damage has been done on the preceding three stages and he is now 9.5s behind overall.
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WRC - Germany: Ogier has completed day one of Rally Germany and he's going to go to bed with a decent lead tonight.
"I had a great afternoon, I really had fun. It's a long time since I pushed on Tarmac as in Spain last year I was just cruising and in France I had my problem. Here last year I was pushing but it didn't last very long..."
"I had a great afternoon, I really had fun. It's a long time since I pushed on Tarmac as in Spain last year I was just cruising and in France I had my problem. Here last year I was pushing but it didn't last very long..."
WRC - Germany: Latvala strikes back a touch between splits one and two, getting the deficit down to 0.6s.
WRC - Germany: Meeke won't be going through this stage very fast with his broken Citroen, but this is how his co-driver Nagle rates Mittelmosel in normal circumstances:
SS4 Mittelmosel (8.49 miles)
Some of this stage was used in 2011 and some of it was used in 2007, so it's new to Kris and I – we have new notes for this one. But it's more of the same that we had in the last stage; lots of hairpins.
These tight corners will bring the average speed down for the stages, but when you're between those hairpins, trust me, we're really not hanging around. It's flat out down some of the tightest, narrowest and bumpiest Tarmac stages of the season. A real challenge.
SS4 Mittelmosel (8.49 miles)
Some of this stage was used in 2011 and some of it was used in 2007, so it's new to Kris and I – we have new notes for this one. But it's more of the same that we had in the last stage; lots of hairpins.
These tight corners will bring the average speed down for the stages, but when you're between those hairpins, trust me, we're really not hanging around. It's flat out down some of the tightest, narrowest and bumpiest Tarmac stages of the season. A real challenge.
Lights out
WRC - Germany: The day's final stage has begun, and it's more good news from Mittelmosel for Ogier as he outpaces Latvala by 1.8s at the first split.
He's on course to end the day with a lead in double digits.
He's on course to end the day with a lead in double digits.
Crash
WRC - Germany: Kubica gets to the end of the stage minus the windscreen on his Ford, having been right through the vineyards.
"We went off, I had massive understeer. Then we had to stop to deal with the windscreen as I couldn't see anything."
That cost Kubica five minutes to add to the five-minute penalty he was already carrying from his Thursday engine change.
"We went off, I had massive understeer. Then we had to stop to deal with the windscreen as I couldn't see anything."
That cost Kubica five minutes to add to the five-minute penalty he was already carrying from his Thursday engine change.
WRC - Germany: Tanak closes to within 2s of sixth-placed M-Sport team-mate Evans on that stage, and Lefebvre hangs on to his top-10 place overall.
Breaking news
WRC - Germany: Trouble for Kubica on this stage, he's stopped in the final section.
WRC - Germany: Sordo says he was doing "maximum attack" all the way, but admits Neuville's time is "very good" and the Hyundais swap places.
Neuville is now fourth overall, just 0.7s ahead of Sordo.
Neuville is now fourth overall, just 0.7s ahead of Sordo.
WRC - Germany: Meeke loses 4m50s limping to the end.
"We're trying to get it through," he says, but that leaves him nearly seven minutes off the lead now, so he'll be somewhere in the 20s overall and likely to lose yet more time on the day's final stage.
"We're trying to get it through," he says, but that leaves him nearly seven minutes off the lead now, so he'll be somewhere in the 20s overall and likely to lose yet more time on the day's final stage.
WRC - Germany: Both Mikkelsen and Neuville had scary moments on that stage but got to the end unscathed.
Good time from Neuville, he's faster than Evans among the pack behind him and taking a few more tenths out of fourth-placed team-mate Sordo ahead.
Good time from Neuville, he's faster than Evans among the pack behind him and taking a few more tenths out of fourth-placed team-mate Sordo ahead.
Crash
WRC - Germany: Meeke's temporary fix isn't going too well - he's lost 2m50s by the middle of the stage.
The key is to keep going with a loss of less than the five minutes he'd get per stage as a Rally2 penalty if he parked.
The key is to keep going with a loss of less than the five minutes he'd get per stage as a Rally2 penalty if he parked.
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WRC - Germany: "I can't go any faster at the moment," admits a frustrated Latvala as he watches his team-mate getting away.
WRC - Germany: Latvala finishes the stage 4.7s down on Ogier, so the gap between them rises to 9.4s overall in the champion's favour.
Stopwatch
WRC - Germany: Ogier is through in 13m54.2s, that could be the performance that breaks Latvala's challenge.
"Better than this morning," Ogier declares. "I struggled quite a bit this morning but now I have a better set-up on the car and I drove better."
"Better than this morning," Ogier declares. "I struggled quite a bit this morning but now I have a better set-up on the car and I drove better."
WRC - Germany: Latvala is continuing to drop small but crucial amounts of time to Ogier, the gap now rising to 4.8s by the final split. That's going to mean an overall lead up to around 10s.
GP3 - Spa: Adderly Fong now does a Mardenborough and ruins the underside of his car by bouncing over the Eau Rouge sausage kerbs.
WRC - Germany: This is not what Latvala hoped for on this stage, he's lost 3.3s to Ogier at the first split.
Ogier is really starting to take charge now.
Ogier is really starting to take charge now.
Stopwatch
GP3 - Spa: Ghiotto returns to top spot again, 0.423s ahead of Varhaug with a time of 2m06.538s.
GP3 - Spa: Late improvements aplenty here, we've went from a Trident one-two-three to a Jenzer Motorsport one-two-three, led by Pal Varhaug.
Lights out
WRC - Germany: Ogier heads onto the stage. Can Latvala keep this lead fight alive?
WRC - Germany: At a quieter moment yesterday, Nagle talked us through the stages.
Here's his description of SS7, which is just about to begin and is very closely followed by SS8:
SS7 Moselland (14.44 miles)
This is our first taste of the vineyards and this is where the job of the co-driver steps up a notch. It's hairpin after hairpin in here, but in the middle of that there are loads of hidden junctions and corners on or just over crests.
All the work for this stage is done in the recce – you have to be so focused on those two practice runs to get everything absolutely spot on.
Much of this stage is the same as last year, except for around five kilometres [three miles] which is new.
Here's his description of SS7, which is just about to begin and is very closely followed by SS8:
SS7 Moselland (14.44 miles)
This is our first taste of the vineyards and this is where the job of the co-driver steps up a notch. It's hairpin after hairpin in here, but in the middle of that there are loads of hidden junctions and corners on or just over crests.
All the work for this stage is done in the recce – you have to be so focused on those two practice runs to get everything absolutely spot on.
Much of this stage is the same as last year, except for around five kilometres [three miles] which is new.
Breaking news
WRC - Germany: DAVID EVANS has been chasing the latest on Kris Meeke's damage.
The incident on the last stage broke a compression strut on the Citroen's front suspension. Meeke and Nagle have done their best to effect a repair for the last two stages, but a team source said "we cross our fingers and wait..."
The incident on the last stage broke a compression strut on the Citroen's front suspension. Meeke and Nagle have done their best to effect a repair for the last two stages, but a team source said "we cross our fingers and wait..."
GP3 - Spa: Another big moment as Alex Fontana sticks a wheel out on the astro turf at Blanchimont and pays the price with a huge spin, he kept it well clear of the barrier though and rejoined.
GP3 - Spa: Ghiotto is looking pretty dominant here so far. It may only be practice but he leads Fuoco by 0.569s and a five tenth gap is a five tenth gap no matter what session it is.
WRC - Germany: Two more stages to go today, starting in 10 minutes. Both are in the vineyards, and this was where Latvala was able to really attack Ogier this morning. It's also where things have gone very wrong for both of them in the past.
With Meeke down the order now, Mikkelsen can pretty much sit tight for the weekend and fine-tune his asphalt style in third. His chances of catching Ogier and Latvala are slender and with a half-minute cushion back to fourth there's no point risking squandering a podium.
Behind, there's loads to play for: from Sordo in fourth to Ostberg in ninth is a mere 20s spread, with Lefebvre and Meeke giving chase, though Meeke has nearly a minute to make up to join that pack.
With Meeke down the order now, Mikkelsen can pretty much sit tight for the weekend and fine-tune his asphalt style in third. His chances of catching Ogier and Latvala are slender and with a half-minute cushion back to fourth there's no point risking squandering a podium.
Behind, there's loads to play for: from Sordo in fourth to Ostberg in ninth is a mere 20s spread, with Lefebvre and Meeke giving chase, though Meeke has nearly a minute to make up to join that pack.
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WRC - Germany: The WRC2 field is huge but spreading out at the front now.
Home driver Armin Kremer had been keeping up with Jan Kopecky's works Skoda in his BRR-run Fabia but it hit technical problems on the way to the last stage and is out.
That elevated Craig Breen to second, but he had a high-speed spin and is now 1m06.8s off the lead.
That'll do for Breen and Peugeot for now though. Here's how he summed up his day so far to DAVID EVANS at service:
"I'm not being sarcastic, it really is good to get here. We've been taking our time this morning, this is the first time I've been here in a big car – the last time I was in the Academy (Fiesta R2), so we've just been having a look.
"There's more time to come from me, but at the same time it's really important that we get through this event.
"It's all been a bit stop-start recently, we need prolonged seat time."
Home driver Armin Kremer had been keeping up with Jan Kopecky's works Skoda in his BRR-run Fabia but it hit technical problems on the way to the last stage and is out.
That elevated Craig Breen to second, but he had a high-speed spin and is now 1m06.8s off the lead.
That'll do for Breen and Peugeot for now though. Here's how he summed up his day so far to DAVID EVANS at service:
"I'm not being sarcastic, it really is good to get here. We've been taking our time this morning, this is the first time I've been here in a big car – the last time I was in the Academy (Fiesta R2), so we've just been having a look.
"There's more time to come from me, but at the same time it's really important that we get through this event.
"It's all been a bit stop-start recently, we need prolonged seat time."
GP3 - Spa: Prior to Mardenborough's incident Artur Janosz dropped the back end of his Trident car on the entry to the Bus Stop chicane and spun.
GP3 - Spa: Huge moment for Mardenborough as he goes over the sausage kerbs at Eau Rouge, launching him briefly in the air. Could have been much worse that.
Breaking news
GP2 - Spa: While the GP3 cars are on track, pole celebrations are under way in the GP2 part of the paddock - led by Vandoorne and Rowland:
Spa GP2 qualifying report: Vandoorne resists Rowland
Spa GP2 qualifying report: Vandoorne resists Rowland
Stoffel Vandoorne takes Spa GP2 pole 2015
GP3 - Spa: Jann Mardenborough has set the early pace which is good to see following his and Carlin's struggles in the series so far this year.
GP3 - Spa: We're under way here at Spa for GP3 practice. Trident driver Luca Ghiotto currently leads the championship.
Following the summer break there will still be scores to settle between Emil Bernstorff and Ferrari Protege Antonio Fuoco after their Hungary incident we're sure.
Following the summer break there will still be scores to settle between Emil Bernstorff and Ferrari Protege Antonio Fuoco after their Hungary incident we're sure.
WRC - Germany: Here's another reason to love the R-GT class. Delecour has made a bit of a mess of his Porsche with various incidents this morning and needed a new rear wing, so team boss Richard Tuthill popped to the Nurburgring to borrow one from works Porsche GT team Manthey Racing.
Dumas now leads Delecour by 2m28s in the class as differential problems hamper the latter, though even though Dumas' car is functioning better he said it's becoming a bit excitable as more gravel gets pulled onto the road.
Dumas now leads Delecour by 2m28s in the class as differential problems hamper the latter, though even though Dumas' car is functioning better he said it's becoming a bit excitable as more gravel gets pulled onto the road.
Tuthill Porsche wing
Breaking news
WRC - Germany - SS6 summary:
* Ogier extends lead over Latvala to 4.7s
* Meeke goes off and drops from fourth to 11th
* Neuville closes on Sordo for what is now fourth
* Tanak up from ninth to seventh
* WRC debutant Lefebvre back into top 10
* Ogier extends lead over Latvala to 4.7s
* Meeke goes off and drops from fourth to 11th
* Neuville closes on Sordo for what is now fourth
* Tanak up from ninth to seventh
* WRC debutant Lefebvre back into top 10
Checkered flag
WRC - Germany - SS6 results:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 9m38.5s
2 Latvala +2.3s
3 Mikkelsen +2.8s
4 Neuville +6.8s
5 Evans +7.5s
6 Kubica +7.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +4.7s
3 Mikkelsen +21.5s
4 Sordo +51.6s
5 Neuville +53.0s
6 Evans +1m00.9s
7 Tanak +1m08.2s
8 Paddon +1m09.3s
9 Ostberg +1m11.6s
10 Lefebvre +1m25.7s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 9m38.5s
2 Latvala +2.3s
3 Mikkelsen +2.8s
4 Neuville +6.8s
5 Evans +7.5s
6 Kubica +7.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Latvala +4.7s
3 Mikkelsen +21.5s
4 Sordo +51.6s
5 Neuville +53.0s
6 Evans +1m00.9s
7 Tanak +1m08.2s
8 Paddon +1m09.3s
9 Ostberg +1m11.6s
10 Lefebvre +1m25.7s
WRC - Germany: Not quite so rapid for Lefebvre this time, but 10th-fastest on the stage coupled with Meeke going off means he's back into the top 10 overall. He's within 14s of massively-more-experienced Citroen team-mate Ostberg too.
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Jack Benyon, Scott Mitchell, Mark Glendenning
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