WRC Poland, Assen MotoGP, Norisring DTM and more
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Checkered flag
WRC - Poland: Here's the full rundown of how they stand after SS11. The next stage kicks off in just under 20 minutes.
SS11 times:
1 Mikkelsen 3m21.7s
2 Ogier +0.4s
3 Ostberg +3.9s
4 Latvala +4.3s
5 Hirvonen +4.5s
6 Neuville +5.0s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Mikkelsen +0.5s
3 Ostberg +23.0s
4 Latvala +35.9s
5 Meeke +47.7s
6 Hanninen +54.7s
And if these brief stage times are making you think this must be a rally of superspecials - it's not. This is just a very fast event.
SS11 times:
1 Mikkelsen 3m21.7s
2 Ogier +0.4s
3 Ostberg +3.9s
4 Latvala +4.3s
5 Hirvonen +4.5s
6 Neuville +5.0s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier
2 Mikkelsen +0.5s
3 Ostberg +23.0s
4 Latvala +35.9s
5 Meeke +47.7s
6 Hanninen +54.7s
And if these brief stage times are making you think this must be a rally of superspecials - it's not. This is just a very fast event.
FR3.5 - Moscow: Just a few seconds to go before first qualifying gets underway in Russia.
Free practice yesterday offered little in the way of pointers, as the second session was red flagged three minutes from the end just as most of the field was winding up for a quick run.
Local star Sergey Sirotkin topped the times by half a second, and while he accepted that very few of the other frontrunners got a quick lap in before the stoppage, he also claimed that he had more time to find as well.
Free practice yesterday offered little in the way of pointers, as the second session was red flagged three minutes from the end just as most of the field was winding up for a quick run.
Local star Sergey Sirotkin topped the times by half a second, and while he accepted that very few of the other frontrunners got a quick lap in before the stoppage, he also claimed that he had more time to find as well.
WRC - Poland: The man most of the crowd is here to see is having a very solid run in eighth. Robert Kubica is just 10s behind his vastly more experienced (in rallying) M-Sport team leader Mikko Hirvonen.
WRC - Poland: VW's other man Jari-Matti Latvala has been off the pace so far. Yesterday lunchtime he was declaring victory impossible, but he has been slightly perkier since and is now trying to reclaim third from Mads Ostberg.
Ostberg was a bit faster on Chmielewo though and the gap is still 12.9s. Kris Meeke and Juho Hanninen are chasing them both.
It's a very strong rally from Hanninen so far in the Hyundai. And he needed that after absolutely destroying his car while running second in Italy three weeks ago.
Ostberg was a bit faster on Chmielewo though and the gap is still 12.9s. Kris Meeke and Juho Hanninen are chasing them both.
It's a very strong rally from Hanninen so far in the Hyundai. And he needed that after absolutely destroying his car while running second in Italy three weeks ago.
WRC - Poland: The leaders have just completed today's short Chmielewo opener and Andreas Mikkelsen has trimmed Volkswagen team-mate Sebastien Ogier's lead to just half a second.
This has been an incredible battle - there has barely been more than a second between the two Polos all rally so far.
Ogier held a narrow lead at the end of Friday, but Mikkelsen was fastest by four tenths on today's first stage.
This has been an incredible battle - there has barely been more than a second between the two Polos all rally so far.
Ogier held a narrow lead at the end of Friday, but Mikkelsen was fastest by four tenths on today's first stage.
Good morning and welcome back to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live for day three of our mega weekend headlined by Rally Poland, MotoGP at Assen, IndyCar's Houston double-header and Norisring DTM...
...but also including European Formula 3, BTCC at Croft, Formula Renault 3.5 in Russia, World Rallycross in Finland, Auto GP at Imola, a bit of NASCAR at Kentucky and Blancpain Endurance from Paul Ricard.
...but also including European Formula 3, BTCC at Croft, Formula Renault 3.5 in Russia, World Rallycross in Finland, Auto GP at Imola, a bit of NASCAR at Kentucky and Blancpain Endurance from Paul Ricard.
WRC - Poland: See you tomorrow, and please wish DAVID EVANS the best luck in navigating his way back to Poland through this:
Rally Poland traffic
That brings AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live's Friday to a slightly flat end, as SS7 and SS8 were due to be our last live coverage of the afternoon.
We'll be back from around 7am UK time on Saturday morning for an incredibly packed day of Rally Poland, Assen MotoGP, Houston IndyCar, Norisring DTM and European F3, Formula Renault 3.5 in Russia, BTCC at Croft, World Rallycross in Finland and more.
In the meantime, you can carry on watching live video from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and listen to tonight's two remaining Rally Poland stages with WRC Live's live radio commentary.
We'll be back from around 7am UK time on Saturday morning for an incredibly packed day of Rally Poland, Assen MotoGP, Houston IndyCar, Norisring DTM and European F3, Formula Renault 3.5 in Russia, BTCC at Croft, World Rallycross in Finland and more.
In the meantime, you can carry on watching live video from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and listen to tonight's two remaining Rally Poland stages with WRC Live's live radio commentary.
Breaking news
WRC - Poland: FIA safety delegate Jacek Bartos spoke to AUTOSPORT at the end of his run through SS8 and confirmed that it was a similar story to the already-cancelled SS7.
WRC - Poland: DAVID EVANS has confirmed from the end of SS8 that it is also going to be cancelled, so that's it for Rally Poland's trip to Lithuania.
European F3 - Norisring: We'll be out watching at the S-bend for first qualifying later on. But in the meantime we're going to salivate at some of the stunning bodywork in the paddock. AUTOSPORT's eye has so far been caught by Can-Am McLaren and Porsche, a New Man-liveried Group C Porsche, a Jagermeister BMW 635CSi.
WRC - Poland: The competitors are now being rerouted away from the called-off SS7 and heading direct to the start of SS8.
At present, it's still due to go live at 14.45 UK time as planned - although SS7 was only binned after the safety crew had gone through.
At present, it's still due to go live at 14.45 UK time as planned - although SS7 was only binned after the safety crew had gone through.
European F3 - Norisring: Tom Blomqvist and Lucas Auer are very smooth - both already know the Norisring of course. Felix Rosenqvist had a few overshoots on the brakes though. Another one very impressive at this corner is Rosenqvist's fellow Swede John Bryant-Meisner, although that's not reflected in his lap time.
European F3 - Norisring: Max Verstappen is, naturally, very very fast there, carrying in a lot of speed. He's new to the Norisring, so sometimes he runs wide, but he's just trying everything to see what works. It was hard to get a read on series leader Esteban Ocon, as he spent most of the time AUTOSPORT was standing here mired in traffic.
European F3 - Norisring: There was some very interesting viewing on the inside of the very last turn. We were able to stand close enough to almost touch some of the cars as they apexed, apart from those being driven by taxitotheapex.com customers.
European F3 - Norisring: Bavarian radio doesn't really lift the gloom either. Unless you're a Neil Diamond fan. Still, at least the sun's shining.
European F3 - Norisring: We would have watched more of free practice, had it not been for an appalling contraflow on the autobahn north of Munich holding up AUTOSPORT's Kia Rio hire car in a Bavarian bottleneck.
European F3 - Norisring: AUTOSPORT has just returned from a dusty stint trackside at the Norisring to watch the closing stages of free practice. Max Verstappen ended up top of the heap. You can catch our report very soon.
Breaking news
WRC - Poland: As our man DAVID EVANS revealed earlier, it looks like stage conditions in Lithuania are too much.
Confirmation coming through that SS7 - which is beginning now - is going to be cancelled.
The stage surface became deeply rutted earlier on during the first pass, and there are also concerns about spectator overcrowding.
So at present, our next stage is going to be SS8 in 45 minutes, but ruts were a similarly big worry on that one this morning so let's wait and see.
Confirmation coming through that SS7 - which is beginning now - is going to be cancelled.
The stage surface became deeply rutted earlier on during the first pass, and there are also concerns about spectator overcrowding.
So at present, our next stage is going to be SS8 in 45 minutes, but ruts were a similarly big worry on that one this morning so let's wait and see.
Checkered flag
MotoGP - Assen: The chequered flag is waved and Forward Racing crew celebrate. The top dozen on the grid for tomorrow's race are:
1 A. Espargaro
2 Marquez
3 Pedrosa
4 Iannone
5 Crutchlow
6 Smith
7 Dovizioso
8 Bradl
9 Lorenzo
10 Bautista
11 P. Espargaro
12 Rossi
1 A. Espargaro
2 Marquez
3 Pedrosa
4 Iannone
5 Crutchlow
6 Smith
7 Dovizioso
8 Bradl
9 Lorenzo
10 Bautista
11 P. Espargaro
12 Rossi
MotoGP - Assen: No further improvements as riders are testing out their wet weather set-ups. Bit of an anti-climax at the end of the session, but what a result for Aleix Espargaro to claim his maiden MotoGP pole position!
MotoGP - Assen: Doubtful that anyone will demote Aleix Esparagaro from the top spot with the conditions being the way they are. Some riders are taking advantage of the weather to gain some wet weather expereince.
MotoGP - Assen: The current top six:
1 A. Espargaro 1m38.789s; 2 Marquez +1.405s; 3 Pedrosa +1.943s; 4 Iannone +1.997s; 5 Crutchlow +2.007s; 6 Smith +2.029s.
Great showing by Crutchlow to be fifth at the moment after his recent struggles. He almost didn't make it through Q1!
1 A. Espargaro 1m38.789s; 2 Marquez +1.405s; 3 Pedrosa +1.943s; 4 Iannone +1.997s; 5 Crutchlow +2.007s; 6 Smith +2.029s.
Great showing by Crutchlow to be fifth at the moment after his recent struggles. He almost didn't make it through Q1!
Rain
MotoGP - Assen: The rain is getting heavier and the track is becoming much damper. And with that. everyone dives back into the pitlane with seven minutes left of the session.
MotoGP - Assen: Pedrosa is currently third and 1.943s off Aleix Espargaro's provisional pole time of 1m38.789s.
Stopwatch
MotoGP - Assen: Early lap times are in and Aleix Espargaro is a massive 1.405s ahead of second fastest Marquez!
MotoGP - Assen: Marquez is treating this like a race as he filters his way through the field. He's determined to set a lap time before anyone else does!
MotoGP - Assen: Rain flag is being waved as the riders tiptoe their way around the circuit.
Green flag
MotoGP - Assen: The rain is beginning to pick up as the 15-minute session begins. Marquez is in hurry to leave the pitlane - no queuing for him!
Rain
MotoGP - Assen: A fine rain is descending upon the circuit at the moment, so expect a rush of activity at the start of the session as everyone tries to get their banker laps in.
MotoGP - Assen: The rear of the grid has been set for tomorrow's race and it looks like this:
13 Abraham
14 Aoyama
15 Hernandez
16 Redding
17 Petrucci
18 Edwards
19 Parkes
20 Barbera
21 Laverty
22 Hayden
23 Di Meglio
13 Abraham
14 Aoyama
15 Hernandez
16 Redding
17 Petrucci
18 Edwards
19 Parkes
20 Barbera
21 Laverty
22 Hayden
23 Di Meglio
Checkered flag
MotoGP - Assen: No improvement by Hernandez, so it's Bautista and Crutchlow who advance through to Q2.
MotoGP - Assen: Crutchlow pits from second. All eyes on Hernandez...
MotoGP - Assen: Aoyama also improves and Hernandez is down to fourth. The Columbian is on an out-lap and will have just one lap to make it back into the top two. He needs to find 0.4s.
MotoGP - Assen: Top job by Crutchlow who makes it up to second and pushes Hernandez down to third!
MotoGP - Assen: Hernandez appears to be adopting a similar strategy to Bautista and is also sitting it out. The nearest man to him is Petrucci, who is 0.290s adrift in third.
MotoGP - Assen: Bautista's time looks good enough for the Gresini rider to make it through to Q2. He'll probably sit out the remaining eight minutes of the session.
MotoGP - Assen: Crutchlow's first flying lap is only good enough for sixth. The Briton is 1.464s off Bautista's pace.
Stopwatch
MotoGP - Assen: Bautista sets a benchmark time of 1m34.274s, with Hernandez and Petrucci both within a second.
MotoGP - Assen: Crutchlow is the last rider to join the action. Bautista is currently leading the field around their first few laps.
By: Dan Cross, Matt Beer, Marcus Simmons, Glenn Freeman, Andrew van Leeuwen, Sam Smith, Kevin Turner, David Evans, Mark Glendenning, Charles Bradley, AUTOSPORT staff
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