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An Ogier vs Neuville update. There's 0.1s difference at the second split, in Neuville's favour.
This battle is on a knife-edge.
This battle is on a knife-edge.
Ostberg's splits don't look great for his assault on Paddon's fifth place. He's 2.5s down at the third split, though he recoups some of that loss to be 1.0s down at the fourth split.
Breen completed Monte Lerno while we were focusing on battles for first and third, setting an 18m22.4s. Paddon then goes much faster with an 18m10.9s.
Latvala responds to Lappi's pace at second split. He turns his early 2.0s deficit at split one into a 0.8s advantage. There's only 4.5s between them heading into Monte Lerno. This could go either way.
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As Neuville gets the tail of his Hyundai i20 out momentarily, a clear sign he's giving it everything, something else is clear from the helicopter camera. Ruts are forming. Ogier won't like that.
Stopwatch
Lappi's setting the pace once more, 2.0s up on Latvala at the first split and 4.0s ahead of Paddon at second split. This Finn is flying.
Evans arrives at stage end with an 18m29.3s stage time. He's fastest by default, but he won't stay atop the times for long.
Stopwatch
Paddon's setting the pace through Monte Lerno so far, 10.4s up on Breen and 14.2s faster than Evans at fourth split.
Image: McKlein/LAT
Monte Lerno is especially famous for one thing; Micky's Jump. That iconic launch site where Chris Atkinson nosedived his Subaru and nearly hit a wall back in 2006. Here's Robert Kubica launching a Fiesta WRC over that same jump back in 2014 (above), for reference.
Back on Monti di Ala, our remaining WRC crews have wrapped up their penultimate Saturday stage. Ott Tanak went fourth quickest with a 16m31.9s.
He could gain another position before the day is done, as he's only 13.5s behind Martin Prokop in ninth place, who is driving a 2016-specification Fiesta WRC.
He could gain another position before the day is done, as he's only 13.5s behind Martin Prokop in ninth place, who is driving a 2016-specification Fiesta WRC.
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SS12/16 Monte Lerno (18.08 miles)
We start this stage after just 600 metres of road section from Monte di Ala – don’t forget this used to be one really long stage. I remember from last year we had a problem in these two stages because there was no chance to cool the brakes. I lost the brakes at the end of the first stage, but then there was no road section to get any air flow at all. We are in a hurry, but we do normally have time to bleed the brakes.
Because it’s quite the same road, the nature of the start of this stage is very similar to the end of the first one.
Once we’re into Monte Lerno, it’s a little bit more in the forest, it’s not quite so much in the open. Of course a lot of this stage is about the Micky’s Jump, this is the famous one where some people have flown for a long way. There’s a short new section before the jump, but when you come for lift-off then you have to be careful – you kind of pop over the top. I’ll come in fourth gear for this place. Fourth gear… not the fifth gear!
We start this stage after just 600 metres of road section from Monte di Ala – don’t forget this used to be one really long stage. I remember from last year we had a problem in these two stages because there was no chance to cool the brakes. I lost the brakes at the end of the first stage, but then there was no road section to get any air flow at all. We are in a hurry, but we do normally have time to bleed the brakes.
Because it’s quite the same road, the nature of the start of this stage is very similar to the end of the first one.
Once we’re into Monte Lerno, it’s a little bit more in the forest, it’s not quite so much in the open. Of course a lot of this stage is about the Micky’s Jump, this is the famous one where some people have flown for a long way. There’s a short new section before the jump, but when you come for lift-off then you have to be careful – you kind of pop over the top. I’ll come in fourth gear for this place. Fourth gear… not the fifth gear!
Green flag
There's no rest for us here, as Elfyn Evans is already into Monte Lerno's afternoon pass. What will the drivers face here? Jari-Matti Latvala took a moment to dissect it for us.
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It's not just Ogier and Neuville duking it out to watch out for. All three of those head-to-head battles are getting closer. Could we see a complete reshuffle of our top six in the next stage?
Classification after SS15 (Monti di Ala 2)
1. Ogier 2h44m27.4s
2. Neuville +4.3s
3. Latvala +48.7s
4. Lappi +50.3s
5. Paddon +1m40.4s
6. Ostberg +1m43.0s
7. Breen +2m40.7s
Classification after SS15 (Monti di Ala 2)
1. Ogier 2h44m27.4s
2. Neuville +4.3s
3. Latvala +48.7s
4. Lappi +50.3s
5. Paddon +1m40.4s
6. Ostberg +1m43.0s
7. Breen +2m40.7s
There's no extenuating circumstances here. When asked if he's tyre saving, Ogier replies with a straight "no."
It's pure pace. Two title rivals at the limit. WRC doesn't get much better than this.
It's pure pace. Two title rivals at the limit. WRC doesn't get much better than this.
Ogier finishes with a 16m29.8s stage time. 2.5s slower than Neuville. There's still that Monte Lerno test to go, in which he lost so much time this morning. This is going to be good.
Neuville says he's struggling with the rear a little but otherwise fine. He has no spares left, but dismisses any concerns about pushing causing another puncture (again).
Let's see if Ogier can reply...
Let's see if Ogier can reply...
Stopwatch
Neuville has arrived, and he's fastest. 16m27.3s. 2.0s up on Ogier at their last comparative split.
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Latvala is second fastest, but he's 2.9s down on Lappi. Their gap is down to 1.6s.
"Lappi did a very good time on this stage," admits Latvala.
"I had to back off because I had a couple of nasty hits. I didn't think Esapekka would attack more but he did. Monte Lerno is next, let's see what type of tyres he has.
Maybe Lappi was right about the age thing after all.
"Lappi did a very good time on this stage," admits Latvala.
"I had to back off because I had a couple of nasty hits. I didn't think Esapekka would attack more but he did. Monte Lerno is next, let's see what type of tyres he has.
Maybe Lappi was right about the age thing after all.
Stopwatch
Lappi now sets the fastest time, a 16m30.9s. That's 17.7s faster than next quickest Ostberg! He cheekily mentions he should be faster than team-mate Latvala because he's younger. Not entirely sure that's how it works, Esapekka.
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Unlike Paddon, Ostberg dared not try softs. He's already got a full set fitted to his Citroen.
"I already have the hard tyres on the car. I will just swap them around and have another go," he says at stage end.
"It's a bit more tricky with such a narrow line. I tend to lose the rear quite a lot so I try to be more tidy, which doesn't feel as fast."
It's working, though. He's now only 2.6s behind overall in their battle for fifth place.
"I already have the hard tyres on the car. I will just swap them around and have another go," he says at stage end.
"It's a bit more tricky with such a narrow line. I tend to lose the rear quite a lot so I try to be more tidy, which doesn't feel as fast."
It's working, though. He's now only 2.6s behind overall in their battle for fifth place.
Stopwatch
Ostberg arrives, gaining 2.9s on Paddon with our fastest time so far, a 16m48.6s.
Stopwatch
A first split for our rally leader Sebastien Ogier. He's up 0.5s on Neuville.
Paddon arrives with a 16m51.5s, 0.2s behind Breen.
Stopwatch
Thierry Neuville is on his way and setting the pace now, 1.0s up on both Lappi and Latvala at second split.
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Breen, settled in a comfortable seventh place, takes time to reflect on how his C3 WRC has evolved over the past 12 months.
"Tricky, but quite a turnaround from 12 months ago. Those were similar conditions [to last year], and the car apart from one or two places is a pleasure to drive."
"Tricky, but quite a turnaround from 12 months ago. Those were similar conditions [to last year], and the car apart from one or two places is a pleasure to drive."
Breen's absolutely smashed Evans' time, a 16m51.3s enough to be 20.3s faster.
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"A bit better. There were some sections that are cleaner with more bedrock, but for sure some sections are still slippery," says Evans, giving us some insight into how crews behind him may fare.
"I don't think there's so many loose rocks about, but there's always the hard ones embedded in the ground."
"I don't think there's so many loose rocks about, but there's always the hard ones embedded in the ground."
Meanwhile, at stage end, Elfyn Evans pulls in with a 17m11.6s.
Stopwatch
Latvala's now quickest through our first split, 0.3s up on team-mate Lappi and 2.0s up on Ostberg.
Stopwatch
Ostberg is 1.2s up on Paddon at our first split and fastest so far. That's a good start!
Ostberg sets off. There's a good omen ahead for him too. His Citroen team-mate Breen is now up on Paddon by 0.5s at the second split. Can he do likewise or better?
Anything you can do, I can do better. Paddon is 0.1s up on Breen at first split. It's Ostberg immediately behind him in the road order he'll be most concerned about, though. 5.5s separates them in their battle for fifth right now.
Breen's in stage and doing well, 11.2s up on Evans at the second split.
Green flag
Elfyn Evans kicks off stage 15 for us, and immediately runs a bit wide on a left-right chicane. Only a second or two lost though.
Oliver Ciesla celebrates his 50th birthday. Is there any better present than an Ogier vs Neuville battle royale?
David Evans
Team principals and journalists helped celebrate WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla’s 50th birthday earlier today. Undoubtedly the best present for the German is the spectacle the sport is presenting this weekend.
“Isn’t it fantastic?” he said. “The competition between Seb [Ogier] and Thierry [Neuville] is so close, this really is one of the best.”
It’s hard to argue with that.
“Isn’t it fantastic?” he said. “The competition between Seb [Ogier] and Thierry [Neuville] is so close, this really is one of the best.”
It’s hard to argue with that.
It's less than 10 minutes until Evans will head onto Monti di Ala. Just enough time for a quick catch-up on a couple of points. A senior paddock figure is celebrating an important anniversary today, and this Ogier vs Neuville battle is the best present he could have asked for, as DAVID EVANS explains.
Ciamin comes in with an 8m23.1s. That's handy for Ott Tanak, as he moves up to 10th overall, 9.9s ahead of Ciamin overall and sure to streak further ahead.
Checking in with our WRC2 support category runners, Jan Kopecky crosses the finish line with an 8m17.5s. He still holds an unassailable lead, almost three minutes ahead of Nicolas Ciamin in second.
By: Matt Beer
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