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WRC - Poland: Meeke says his tyre wear was too high, plus he went off the road.
"We were off into a field. Completely no grip. The left rear was letting go everywhere."
That's dropped him towards the bottom of the top 10, just ahead of Ostberg.
"We were off into a field. Completely no grip. The left rear was letting go everywhere."
That's dropped him towards the bottom of the top 10, just ahead of Ostberg.
WRC - Poland: Need to get Paddon and Kubica in to see where Neuville's time (just in) will place the Belgian, but he's pleased with how he managed the tyre wear and is only 5s off the pace.
Crash
WRC - Poland: Reports from on the stage that Meeke has been through a field. He'd already dropped to eighth on the last stage.
WRC - Poland: Evans is half a minute off the pace as he gets to the stage end, and that will drop him to about 11th when all this shakes out. He has very severe tyre wear on three of his four Michelins.
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WRC - Poland: Latvala's verdict on that strong performance:
"I'm really, really happy. That's what we should be doing. It's amazing how you can push the tyres even when they have no tread left."
"I'm really, really happy. That's what we should be doing. It's amazing how you can push the tyres even when they have no tread left."
WRC - Poland: Evans continues to drop time, he's now 19s off the pace mid-stage.
Stopwatch
WRC - Poland: That won't be a stage win for Ostberg, Latvala comes in 1.4s faster.
That keeps him within 8.1s of the rally lead in this really tight group.
That keeps him within 8.1s of the rally lead in this really tight group.
WRC - Poland: Mikkelsen completes the stage two tenths slower than Ogier, putting the world champion's lead at 1.9s - subject to what Tanak does.
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WRC - Poland: Ostberg is absolutely baffled by his sudden transformation from midfield struggler to stage pacesetter.
"Did he slow down or did I do something? The feeling was very similar to what I've done previously, but the time is good. Maybe someone hit me?"
"Did he slow down or did I do something? The feeling was very similar to what I've done previously, but the time is good. Maybe someone hit me?"
WRC - Poland: Possible trouble for Evans, he's 10s down at split one and everyone else has been pretty evenly matched.
Stopwatch
WRC - Poland: So as Ogier had no problems, it seems Ostberg has resolved his troubles, because he's just beaten Ogier's time by six tenths of a second.
Stopwatch
WRC - Poland: Ogier is through and declares himself happy with his day. No dramas for the leader.
WRC - Poland: Looks like Ostberg's got fast (from nowhere, again) rather than Ogier getting slow, as Mikkelsen's down on Ostberg's time too.
WRC - Poland: Ogier's first split is half a second down on Ostberg. And Ostberg's been off the pace all day. Trouble for Ogier? Or has Ostberg found his missing pace?
WRC - Poland: Fans of the underdog among you will have been disappointed to see Tanak fall from first to third on the last stage.
But... we do still have a top three covered by just 2.4s and Tanak is still in it.
And we still have no retirements so Ogier is still going to have to sweep the road tomorrow morning at this rate.
Wide open? Maybe not wide, but certainly more than ajar.
But... we do still have a top three covered by just 2.4s and Tanak is still in it.
And we still have no retirements so Ogier is still going to have to sweep the road tomorrow morning at this rate.
Wide open? Maybe not wide, but certainly more than ajar.
Lights out
WRC - Poland: We're back in business for the final part of the afternoon, with one normal stage and then a superspecial to round the day off.
Here's Paul Nagle's quide to...
SS8 Goldap (9.16 miles)
This stage has more junctions than the first one and they will tend to slow down the rhythm and the flow of the road. But don't get me wrong, between those junctions it's still incredibly fast.
Not far after the start we turn square left at some trees and just behind the trees – or even in the trees – is the Russian border. We'll not be thinking too much about that, though.
Here's Paul Nagle's quide to...
SS8 Goldap (9.16 miles)
This stage has more junctions than the first one and they will tend to slow down the rhythm and the flow of the road. But don't get me wrong, between those junctions it's still incredibly fast.
Not far after the start we turn square left at some trees and just behind the trees – or even in the trees – is the Russian border. We'll not be thinking too much about that, though.
WRC - Poland: The next stage, SS8, starts at 1545 PM BST. Join us a few minutes before for all the latest from Poland.
WRC - Poland: Such is the nature of the running order, WRC2 second place man Karl Kruuda has only just completed the first split, even though leader Lappi completed some time ago.
Kruuda is down on Lappi in that split. The gap between the two was 28.9s starting this stage, so the Skoda should be safe.
Kruuda is down on Lappi in that split. The gap between the two was 28.9s starting this stage, so the Skoda should be safe.
WRC - Poland: We're always alluding to our 'man in the service area' DAVID EVANS. Here's a picture of him and Kris Meeke.
Here's why there is a picture of him:
Meeke might have had a torrid time of it at yesterday’s shakedown stage, rolling his car seven times and all that – but at least he could look back on a successful Sunday in West Sussex.
With the help (really?) of AUTOSPORT's David Evans, Meeke set a new benchmark time for Goodwood’s forest stage.
He and Evans were almost three seconds faster than the previous record holder (a certain S. Loeb from France…) around the 1.7-mile stage.
Meeke/Evans/FestivalofSpeed
Here's why there is a picture of him:
Meeke might have had a torrid time of it at yesterday’s shakedown stage, rolling his car seven times and all that – but at least he could look back on a successful Sunday in West Sussex.
With the help (really?) of AUTOSPORT's David Evans, Meeke set a new benchmark time for Goodwood’s forest stage.
He and Evans were almost three seconds faster than the previous record holder (a certain S. Loeb from France…) around the 1.7-mile stage.
WRC - Poland: Lappi comes through 10.9s up on Tidemand. We're still waiting for Karl Kruuda, but Lappi should be safely in the lead with that time.
The car has had a decent time of late, Freddy Loix gave the Fabia R5 its first major rally win on Rally Ypres in the European Rally Championship. Read about it HERE.
The car has had a decent time of late, Freddy Loix gave the Fabia R5 its first major rally win on Rally Ypres in the European Rally Championship. Read about it HERE.
WRC - Poland: While we wait for the WRC2 runners, Ogier and the rest of the WRC runners will head to SS8 - Goldap. It starts in just under an hour.
WRC - Poland: Next up is the WRC2 battle. Tidemand is the fastest through SS7 so far, but there are more to come...
Breaking news
WRC - Poland: Wow, it doesn't get more changeable in the top 10 than that in the WRC! Here's an impossible round up of the stage, which could be a 10,000 word essay...
*Ogier takes the lead from Tanak, who drops to third behind Mikkelsen. the lead gap is 1.7s.
*Almost the whole field took soft tyres and struggled in the heat.
*A poor stage for Meeke gives Paddon fifth, Neuville is 3.3s back in seventh and Kubica a further 0.3s back in the tight mid-top 10 battle. Meeke finished SS6 fifth and after SS7, he's seventh.
*Ogier takes the lead from Tanak, who drops to third behind Mikkelsen. the lead gap is 1.7s.
*Almost the whole field took soft tyres and struggled in the heat.
*A poor stage for Meeke gives Paddon fifth, Neuville is 3.3s back in seventh and Kubica a further 0.3s back in the tight mid-top 10 battle. Meeke finished SS6 fifth and after SS7, he's seventh.
WRC - Poland: After SS7:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 18m58s
2 Latvala +1.2s
3 Mikkelsen +4.4s
4 Paddon +6s
5 Kubica +9s
6 Neuville +9.5s
Overall:
1 Ogier 1h8m16.7s
2 Mikkelsen +1.7s
3 Tanak 2.4s
4 Latvala +9.5s
5 Paddon +31.8s
6 Neuville +35.1s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 18m58s
2 Latvala +1.2s
3 Mikkelsen +4.4s
4 Paddon +6s
5 Kubica +9s
6 Neuville +9.5s
Overall:
1 Ogier 1h8m16.7s
2 Mikkelsen +1.7s
3 Tanak 2.4s
4 Latvala +9.5s
5 Paddon +31.8s
6 Neuville +35.1s
WRC - Poland: Kubica comes through 9s down on Ogier and goes fifth fastest on the stage.
That leaves him seventh overall and 0.3s behind Neuville. A brilliant effort for the home-favourite and privateer. To be that close to an updated Hyundai isn't bad at all.
That leaves him seventh overall and 0.3s behind Neuville. A brilliant effort for the home-favourite and privateer. To be that close to an updated Hyundai isn't bad at all.
WRC - Poland: That drops Tanak to third behind Ogier and Mikkelsen, he's had an issue.
"No brakes, no tyres," says Tanak. Ominous, we'll try and find out more on the Estonian's problems.
"No brakes, no tyres," says Tanak. Ominous, we'll try and find out more on the Estonian's problems.
WRC - Poland: Tanak has lost loads of time through the final split and the end of the stage.
OGIER TAKES THE LEAD!
OGIER TAKES THE LEAD!
WRC - Poland: Kubica and Tanak are going pretty well during the stage. Kubica is fighting for fifth overall, with Tanak the erstwhile leader heading into the stage.
Looking at the splits, Tanak was 4.3s down at the last recorded point. He'll keep the lead overall, but Ogier is coming.
Looking at the splits, Tanak was 4.3s down at the last recorded point. He'll keep the lead overall, but Ogier is coming.
WRC - Poland: Paddon reckons he lost time in the first part of the stage, but is happy with the finish.
WRC - Poland: Paddon jumps Neuville and Meeke to take fifth overall, for now. He's took the correct tyre choice there with two hards and two softs. On the stage, he's fourth fastest.
WRC - Poland: Sordo is only fractionally quicker than Meeke, but the Spaniard is quite a way down in tenth.
Paddon is next through and barring any problems he should comfortably take the fourth fastest stage time. At least until Tanak come through, as his splits have been very similar to Paddon so far.
Paddon is next through and barring any problems he should comfortably take the fourth fastest stage time. At least until Tanak come through, as his splits have been very similar to Paddon so far.
WRC - Poland: Someone we haven't mentioned is Kris Meeke. He started the stage fifth but he's 23.2s off Ogier.
That will drop him into that sixth placed battle and behind Neuville, so he will drop to at least seventh and probably worse. His tyres are also destroyed.
"Wrong choice of tyre. Halfway through I tried to save them, but we just hemorrhaged time."
That will drop him into that sixth placed battle and behind Neuville, so he will drop to at least seventh and probably worse. His tyres are also destroyed.
"Wrong choice of tyre. Halfway through I tried to save them, but we just hemorrhaged time."
WRC - Poland: Neuville comes through fourth and appears to have preserved his tyres well in that stage. Perhaps he's saving a bit there.
"I drove very, very smooth but fast!" Sounds good Thierry!
"I drove very, very smooth but fast!" Sounds good Thierry!
WRC - Poland: Elfyn Evans isn't happy at the end of the stage. He has four warn tyres and not a lot to show for it, he's 38.2s slower than the benchmark.
WRC - Poland: In the battle for sixth, Paddon looks to be the quickest so far with Kubica fractionally slower. Neuville, Paddon and Kubica in that order were split by 0.6s entering this test.
WRC - Poland: Latvala is through now and he is also slower than Ogier, by 1.2s.
He had a "big impact" in that stage but all seems well and he didn't lose much time.
Tanak is second fastest as he crosses the first split, but he's still 0.6s off Ogier.
He had a "big impact" in that stage but all seems well and he didn't lose much time.
Tanak is second fastest as he crosses the first split, but he's still 0.6s off Ogier.
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WRC - Poland: Mikkelsen's time is 19m02.4s.
"It was a clean stage. I decided to drop to 98% and just tried to be a little bit clever in the stage," says Mikkelsen. He's trying not to make any mistakes.
"It was a clean stage. I decided to drop to 98% and just tried to be a little bit clever in the stage," says Mikkelsen. He's trying not to make any mistakes.
WRC - Poland: Ostberg is 16.1s down on Ogier, but the Norwegian we are really interested in is Mikkelsen.
He comes through 4.4s slower than Ogier and that's enough to give Ogier second!
He comes through 4.4s slower than Ogier and that's enough to give Ogier second!
Stopwatch
WRC - Poland: Ogier has completed in 18m58s.
He has his usual walk around the car to check his tyres, a staple of this season, and he isn't pleased despite that brilliant effort.
"I'm not happy [with the tyre choice] I was a little bit to aggressive there."
His front right is down to the canvas. Just a reminder - he took four softs and a hard this afternoon.
He has his usual walk around the car to check his tyres, a staple of this season, and he isn't pleased despite that brilliant effort.
"I'm not happy [with the tyre choice] I was a little bit to aggressive there."
His front right is down to the canvas. Just a reminder - he took four softs and a hard this afternoon.
WRC - Poland: Sordo comes through the first split fourth fastest as the Spaniard looks to move up from his 10th place overall.
Mikkelsen has lost time through the fourth, and he won't be happy with this. It's 2.8s deficit to his French team-mate now, that's enough to give Ogier provisional second. Anything can happen, though.
Mikkelsen has lost time through the fourth, and he won't be happy with this. It's 2.8s deficit to his French team-mate now, that's enough to give Ogier provisional second. Anything can happen, though.
By: Matt Beer, Jack Benyon, Gary Watkins, AUTOSPORT staff, Alex Kalinauckas, Edd Straw
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