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WRC Italy, Barcelona MotoGP
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Moto2 - Barcelona: Now he's ahead, Rins isn't exactly storming away from Rabat. Lowes is with them too, and after his rough first lap Zarco is closing in to make it a four-bike train.
WRC - Italy: Evans, Neuville and Paddon are all on the stage. None of them are pushing for powerstage points here, they just want fourth, third and second overall in the bag. Absolutely incredible weekend for Paddon.
Moto2 - Barcelona: Rins slides down the inside of Rabat into Turn 4 and takes the lead as the race approaches half-distance.
WRC - Italy: An exhausted Ostberg is relieved to at least get fifth after his disastrous morning.
"I could've pushed more actually..." he sort-of-smiles.
"I could've pushed more actually..." he sort-of-smiles.
WRC - Italy: Ostberg hangs on - he's 50s slower than Latvala and that keeps him fifth overall by 16.6s.
WRC - Italy: Ostberg hasn't been entirely clear about what he broke on his Citroen but his initial comments suggested brakes are the main worry. With third gone, he's probably not that fussed whether this ends up being fifth or sixth.
Quote
WRC - Italy: Latvala on his performance there:
"We had a very good run, there were a couple of places where I was a liiiiittle bit too careful, but it would be good to get some points here."
"We had a very good run, there were a couple of places where I was a liiiiittle bit too careful, but it would be good to get some points here."
Moto2 - Barcelona: Rins is still all over the back of Rabat as they inch slightly clear of Lowes.
Stopwatch
WRC - Italy: Latvala pips Mikkelsen by three tenths of a second. Will that be enough for the powerstage win, and for fifth overall...?
WRC - Italy: At the split - which is not quite halfway - Ostberg has lost 23s of his 1m06s advantage over Latvala for fifth overall. Anxious times.
Moto2 - Barcelona: Rins is a man with a point to prove. Probably the Moto3 title favourite starting last year, he ended up being overshadowed by Monlau team-mate and eventual champion Alex Marquez.
But it's Rins who's thrived in Moto2. As Marquez struggles at Marc VDS, Rins has flown for Pons and was fourth, third, second in his first three races in the category.
Mathematical logical suggested a win would follow. It didn't. Two crashes and one lacklustre race did. But maybe today... Though first he needs to complete an outbraking move on Rabat, and that's proved tough so far.
But it's Rins who's thrived in Moto2. As Marquez struggles at Marc VDS, Rins has flown for Pons and was fourth, third, second in his first three races in the category.
Mathematical logical suggested a win would follow. It didn't. Two crashes and one lacklustre race did. But maybe today... Though first he needs to complete an outbraking move on Rabat, and that's proved tough so far.
Stopwatch
WRC - Italy: The VW powerstage battle is on - Latvala equals Mikkelsen's pace at the mid-stage split.
Moto2 - Barcelona: Now Rins demotes Lowes to third and sets about attacking Rabat for the lead. The top three are absolutely together.
WRC - Italy: Tanak has a good go at this, but ends up 2.2s down on Mikkelsen. The Estonian was on for a podium before his Ford's gearbox disagreed yesterday.
Moto2 - Barcelona: Rabat retakes the lead from Lowes. The champion's decision to defend his title didn't look so sharp as he struggled for pace in the early rounds, but that Mugello win might've been a springboard.
Moto2 - Barcelona: Lowes has still got Rabat on his tail, though, and now star rookie Alex Rins has passed Aegerter for third place.
Zarco and Folger are back in sixth and 11th having been out-jostled by the late-braking Lowes into Turn 1.
Zarco and Folger are back in sixth and 11th having been out-jostled by the late-braking Lowes into Turn 1.
Moto2 - Barcelona: Lowes is through into the lead and trying to make a break.
WRC - Italy: Looks decent for Mikkelsen to salvage a bonus point or two so far, none of the other Rally 2 runners are on his pace.
With Hyundai men Paddon and Neuville making clear they'll be taking it easy to ensure their podium finishes, this is surely going to be an all-VW fight for the extra three points.
With Hyundai men Paddon and Neuville making clear they'll be taking it easy to ensure their podium finishes, this is surely going to be an all-VW fight for the extra three points.
Stopwatch
WRC - Italy: Mikkelsen has set a benchmark time of 7m20.0s, 9s up on Kubica, who's had so many problems on this rally he's been reduced to giggling about them much of the weekend.
But then no one - except Ogier - has had a smooth one here.
But then no one - except Ogier - has had a smooth one here.
Lights out
Moto2 - Barcelona: The second division race is about to begin in Spain. Championship leader Johann Zarco starts on pole ahead of Jonas Folger and last year's title winner Tito Rabat.
It's Rabat who makes the best start while the pack behind are banging shoulders into Turn 1, which proves particularly costly for Folger.
Sam Lowes bursts through to second ahead of Dominique Aegerter, and now Lowes is doing his utmost to take the lead from Rabat.
It's Rabat who makes the best start while the pack behind are banging shoulders into Turn 1, which proves particularly costly for Folger.
Sam Lowes bursts through to second ahead of Dominique Aegerter, and now Lowes is doing his utmost to take the lead from Rabat.
WRC - Italy: So what is there left to look for here?
* WRC versus Sardinia - this rally has been smashing cars and sending drivers off the road constantly all weekend. Seven more miles could mean more upsets yet.
* Powerstage points - the delayed VW men are particularly keen to salvage something here. Mikkelsen and Latvala would love, mainly for pride, to stop Ogier getting a perfect 28 score.
* Will Ostberg hold on? The Norwegian is limping along in a broken Citroen after his earlier error. He's only 1m06s clear of sixth-placed Latvala and that won't be enough unless he can raise his pace.
* WRC2!! Just half a second behind Protasov and home hero Andreucci starting this one.
* WRC versus Sardinia - this rally has been smashing cars and sending drivers off the road constantly all weekend. Seven more miles could mean more upsets yet.
* Powerstage points - the delayed VW men are particularly keen to salvage something here. Mikkelsen and Latvala would love, mainly for pride, to stop Ogier getting a perfect 28 score.
* Will Ostberg hold on? The Norwegian is limping along in a broken Citroen after his earlier error. He's only 1m06s clear of sixth-placed Latvala and that won't be enough unless he can raise his pace.
* WRC2!! Just half a second behind Protasov and home hero Andreucci starting this one.
Lights out
WRC - Italy: The powerstage has begun, Mikkelsen leads the field in and is optimistic he can win the bonus points even though he's first on the road.
Twitter
MotoGP - Barcelona: Casey Stoner enjoyed that:
"Great race again by @DannyKent52! He read the race perfectly and put himself exactly where he needed to be."
Stoner's hanging out at Barcelona this weekend in connection with Honda launching what it describes as a MotoGP bike for the road.
"Great race again by @DannyKent52! He read the race perfectly and put himself exactly where he needed to be."
Stoner's hanging out at Barcelona this weekend in connection with Honda launching what it describes as a MotoGP bike for the road.
Checkered flag
Moto3 - Barcelona - result:
1 Kent
2 Bastianini
3 Vazquez
4 Antonelli
5 Oliveira
6 Navarro
7 Vinales
8 Fenati
9 Binder
10 Oettl
Quartararo ended up 14th.
Kent collects a British flag and gets on with his celebrations.
1 Kent
2 Bastianini
3 Vazquez
4 Antonelli
5 Oliveira
6 Navarro
7 Vinales
8 Fenati
9 Binder
10 Oettl
Quartararo ended up 14th.
Kent collects a British flag and gets on with his celebrations.
Trophy
Moto3 - Barcelona: Kent juuuust fends off Bastianini, clinching his fourth win of the season by 0.035s on the line.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Bastianini takes a look at Kent into Turn 10 but can't make it.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Half a lap to go, Kent leads from Bastianini, Antontelli, Vazquez, Navarro and Oliveira.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Vazquez moves into the lead but Antontelli is back on him over the line and moves back to the front.
Kent goes round the outside of everyone and appears in second!
Now Kent takes the lead into Turn 4. Great stuff.
Kent goes round the outside of everyone and appears in second!
Now Kent takes the lead into Turn 4. Great stuff.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Antontelli manages to stay ahead from the last corner to the first as they begin the penultimate lap. Kent is now at the back of the queue, jostling with Navarro.
And 1980 F1 world champion Alan Jones tweets: "Bastanini/Kent my pick"
Moto3: all the legends love it.
And 1980 F1 world champion Alan Jones tweets: "Bastanini/Kent my pick"
Moto3: all the legends love it.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Antontelli gets into the lead, while Kent rubs shoulders with team-mate Vazquez and is down to fifth in the six-bike pack.
Hanika has crashed out of the next group.
Hanika has crashed out of the next group.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Same again there, Kent pulls a gap in the corners, yet finds himself fifth by the end of the straight.
Four laps left and it's getting spicier - Antontelli throwing his weight around under braking, while Oliveira leads before Bastianini outbrakes him into Turn 10.
Four laps left and it's getting spicier - Antontelli throwing his weight around under braking, while Oliveira leads before Bastianini outbrakes him into Turn 10.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Interesting. That time Kent pulled a little bit of a gap through the twisty bits and had a bike-length or two cushion out of the last corner.
Yet still he was down to fourth at Turn 1 as Oliveira, Bastianini and Vazquez drafted.
However, as they crossed the line, Kent pretty much still had it... so it might be possible to lead out of the final corner and still win if you can nail the quick right-handers.
Yet still he was down to fourth at Turn 1 as Oliveira, Bastianini and Vazquez drafted.
However, as they crossed the line, Kent pretty much still had it... so it might be possible to lead out of the final corner and still win if you can nail the quick right-handers.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Now it's a Leopard one-two into the first corner - Vazquez drafts to the front, Kent follows him and then outbrakes his team-mate into Turn 4.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Bastianini gets into the lead, Vazquez drafts back past, and then Oliveira takes a turn as well. Eight laps left, Kent, Antonelli and Navarro right in contention too.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Who fancies a photo finish for the win? That's what they're building up to as they go four abreast over the line that time. Vazquez reaches Turn 1 in front.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Antontelli and Bastianini both drafted through on Kent before Turn 1 that time, and he's now shuffled down to fifth behind Oliveira and Vazquez too.
Moto3 - Barcelona: Half distance in the Moto3 thrash and our lead group is distilling.
It's Kent leading Bastianini, Antonelli, Oliveira, Vazquez and Navarro, and they've broken clear.
Isaac Vinales heads the next four-bike pack, while it's been a tough race for Quartararo and he's back in 11th.
Oliveira aside, the usually rapid Ajo lot are having a low-key day too - Brad Binder is ninth and Karel Hanika 12th.
It's Kent leading Bastianini, Antonelli, Oliveira, Vazquez and Navarro, and they've broken clear.
Isaac Vinales heads the next four-bike pack, while it's been a tough race for Quartararo and he's back in 11th.
Oliveira aside, the usually rapid Ajo lot are having a low-key day too - Brad Binder is ninth and Karel Hanika 12th.
Checkered flag
WRC - Italy - SS22 results:
Stage times:
1 Latvala 7m56.3s
2 Meeke +1.8s
3 Sordo +2.9s
4 Kubica +7.4s
5 Neuville +7.5s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Paddon +2m34.1s
3 Neuville +4m05.3s
4 Evans +5m22.0s
5 Ostberg +6m56.0s
6 Latvala +8m02.9s
Stage times:
1 Latvala 7m56.3s
2 Meeke +1.8s
3 Sordo +2.9s
4 Kubica +7.4s
5 Neuville +7.5s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Paddon +2m34.1s
3 Neuville +4m05.3s
4 Evans +5m22.0s
5 Ostberg +6m56.0s
6 Latvala +8m02.9s
WRC - Italy: This is all setting up nicely for a more dramatic than expected powerstage. Ogier is clearly massively up for smashing his rivals and getting a maximum 28-point score, but Mikkelsen and Latvala would rather he didn't.
Ostberg - who is cross with himself for that error that's proved so costly - will have to limp the DS 3 as fast as it will limp to stay clear of Latvala and at least retain a top five place.
And in WRC2... wow. Andreucci has struck back and is just half a second behind Protasov for seventh overall and the class win.
Ostberg - who is cross with himself for that error that's proved so costly - will have to limp the DS 3 as fast as it will limp to stay clear of Latvala and at least retain a top five place.
And in WRC2... wow. Andreucci has struck back and is just half a second behind Protasov for seventh overall and the class win.
WRC - Italy: Ostberg is in, and he's lost 1m17s to Latvala, so the gap is now just 1m06s with another similar length stage to go! Heartbreak for the Citroen man.
By: Matt Beer, Jack Benyon, David Evans, AUTOSPORT staff, Mark Glendenning, Peter Mills, Alex Kalinauckas
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