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WRC - Poland: Latvala is powering through SS7 now, he's now the only man quicker than Ogier so far. It's only 0.3s in the third split, but still a lead none the less.
WRC - Poland: Neuville and Meeke have also cleared the first sector now as we wait for Ogier to reach the final split.
WRC - Poland: Another man pulling back time is Mikkelsen, 0.2s recovered through the third.
That's vital as he leads Ogier by 2.7s, and had reduced the deficit on this stage to 2.1s.
That's vital as he leads Ogier by 2.7s, and had reduced the deficit on this stage to 2.1s.
WRC - Poland: Latvala has pulled the 0.7s he lost to Ogier in the first split and the two are tied at the second.
WRC - Poland: Elfyn Evans is next through the first split and is slowest so far, 3.1s down.
The Welshman has struggled to match team-mate and rally leader Ott Tanak's pace so far
The Welshman has struggled to match team-mate and rally leader Ott Tanak's pace so far
WRC - Poland: Mikkelsen has lost more time in the second split, 2.3s down on his French team-mate.
It certainly looks like Ogier will steal second from Mikkelsen on this stage if he continues at this rate of knots.
The more cars come through, the more impressive Ogier's time looks.
It certainly looks like Ogier will steal second from Mikkelsen on this stage if he continues at this rate of knots.
The more cars come through, the more impressive Ogier's time looks.
WRC - Poland: At the second split, Citroen's Mads Ostberg is 5.9s down on Ogier's time. It doesn't look like the Norwegian will fight for a stage win here.
However, Latvala has passed the first split 0.7s down on Ogier, that's the closest to him so far.
However, Latvala has passed the first split 0.7s down on Ogier, that's the closest to him so far.
WRC - Poland: Wow, Mikkelsen is also down on Ogier, by 1.4s. The gap between the two (second and third) was only 2.7s at the start of the stage...
WRC - Poland: Ostberg is through that first split now, 2.1s off Ogier.
Mikkelsen will be the next car through, he's 2.7s ahead of Ogier and second overall.
Mikkelsen will be the next car through, he's 2.7s ahead of Ogier and second overall.
WRC - Poland: Ogier's first split in, 3m25.7s. It doesn't mean much until we get the rest of the runners, but we like to be thorough here at Race Centre Live.
WRC - Poland: Ostberg is also into the stage now. Could this be another 'where did he come from' rally, where he starts of out of contention and works his way up slowly onto the podium?
He's 11th entering SS7.
He's 11th entering SS7.
WRC - Poland: We have five splits to analyse during this stage, providing they all update as planned.
As well as the lead battle, we're looking at the battle for sixth, which is split by 0.8s. Neuville currently holds the spot ahead of Paddon and Kubica.
As well as the lead battle, we're looking at the battle for sixth, which is split by 0.8s. Neuville currently holds the spot ahead of Paddon and Kubica.
WRC - Poland: Ogier begins SS7, looking to put in another damage limitation time that will keep him within the lead battle while sweeping the road for at least the rest of today.
WRC - Poland: Not much of a gap before we get SS7 under way, we have a stage description from a good friend of RCL, Paul Nagle.
SS7 Stanczyki (24.30 miles)
This is the biggest stage of the rally and it’s got a bit of everything in there: fast, technical stuff, junctions – every bit of character this rally has is in this stage somewhere.
In this kind of stage, the tempo of the pace notes can change quite a lot – you use the tone of voice a lot when you’re slowing the driver down from a fast and flowing section into a square or hairpin corner.
SS7 Stanczyki (24.30 miles)
This is the biggest stage of the rally and it’s got a bit of everything in there: fast, technical stuff, junctions – every bit of character this rally has is in this stage somewhere.
In this kind of stage, the tempo of the pace notes can change quite a lot – you use the tone of voice a lot when you’re slowing the driver down from a fast and flowing section into a square or hairpin corner.
Breaking news
WRC - Poland - SS6 summary:
* Ogier starts his charge with a stage win
* Mikkelsen has a brief trip off-course and loses a few seconds to both Tanak and Ogier
* That means Tanak actually extends his overall lead to 10.9s
* Kubica flies to second fastest time - though he stays eighth overall
* Just 0.8s covers Neuville/Paddon/Kubica in sixth to eighth now
* Ogier starts his charge with a stage win
* Mikkelsen has a brief trip off-course and loses a few seconds to both Tanak and Ogier
* That means Tanak actually extends his overall lead to 10.9s
* Kubica flies to second fastest time - though he stays eighth overall
* Just 0.8s covers Neuville/Paddon/Kubica in sixth to eighth now
Checkered flag
WRC - Poland - SS6 results:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 7m01.4s
2 Kubica +1.5s
3 Latvala +2.2s
4 Meeke +2.3s
5 Tanak +3.1s
6 Paddon +4.1s
7 Mikkelsen +4.7s
8 Neuville +5.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +10.9s
3 Ogier +13.6s
4 Latvala +21.9s
5 Meeke +32.7s
6 Neuville +39.2s
7 Paddon +39.4s
8 Kubica +40.0s
9 Evans +44.9s
10 Sordo +1m01.5s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 7m01.4s
2 Kubica +1.5s
3 Latvala +2.2s
4 Meeke +2.3s
5 Tanak +3.1s
6 Paddon +4.1s
7 Mikkelsen +4.7s
8 Neuville +5.2s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +10.9s
3 Ogier +13.6s
4 Latvala +21.9s
5 Meeke +32.7s
6 Neuville +39.2s
7 Paddon +39.4s
8 Kubica +40.0s
9 Evans +44.9s
10 Sordo +1m01.5s
WRC - Poland: That doesn't gain Kubica any places, but it makes the sixth place battle even tighter. Now just 0.8s covered Neuville, Paddon and Kubica in sixth to eighth.
Kubica hints unsubtly that he's gambled on tyre choice:
"I think we did choose different tyres to the others. I was not sure if it would work, but after this stage I'm sure it will be fine."
After some banter, he suggests he's got hards. A super-rapid early time would normally hint at softs, but a hard Pirelli is softer than a hard Michelin (hope that makes sense).
Tyre wars are great.
Kubica hints unsubtly that he's gambled on tyre choice:
"I think we did choose different tyres to the others. I was not sure if it would work, but after this stage I'm sure it will be fine."
After some banter, he suggests he's got hards. A super-rapid early time would normally hint at softs, but a hard Pirelli is softer than a hard Michelin (hope that makes sense).
Tyre wars are great.
WRC - Poland: Superb stage from Kubica! He's only 1.5s slower than Ogier and second quickest.
WRC - Poland: Tanak says the brake worries he had earlier seem solved, but he's not so happy with tyre wear.
WRC - Poland: So that's going to leave our leaderboard looking like:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +10.9s
3 Ogier +13.6s
So on paper, that's a bigger lead. But Ogier is an ominous man.
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +10.9s
3 Ogier +13.6s
So on paper, that's a bigger lead. But Ogier is an ominous man.
WRC - Poland: Rally leader Tanak is in. He's lost 3.1s to Ogier but gained 1.6s on nearest rival Mikkelsen.
WRC - Poland: Kubica just matched the VWs at split one. Excellent!
WRC - Poland: Paddon loses a bit to Meeke but gains a bit to Neuville. He'll stay seventh.
The Kiwi has gone for mostly hard tyres this afternoon (right now he has softs on the rear, hards up front). He acknowledges most others have gone a different route, but says he didn't like the handling of the soft tyres this morning so knows he is comfortable with this plan.
The Kiwi has gone for mostly hard tyres this afternoon (right now he has softs on the rear, hards up front). He acknowledges most others have gone a different route, but says he didn't like the handling of the soft tyres this morning so knows he is comfortable with this plan.
WRC - Poland: Rally leader Tanak is 1.8s slower than third-placed stage pacesetter Ogier at split one, and four tenths down on Mikkelsen (though Mikkelsen explored the scenery later on the stage).
WRC - Poland: Sordo is reporting similar angst to Ostberg today - both think they're driving OK then get to the stage end and really everyone else is massively faster. They're getting cut adrift in 10th and 11th.
WRC - Poland: Good time from Meeke, he's third fastest and just a tenth off Latvala's second-place pace. It's taken a fair bit out of his soft tyres, though.
That pulls Meeke 6s clear of Neuville so potentially a bit more secure in fifth, though we need to see what Paddon does too as those three are tightly packed.
That pulls Meeke 6s clear of Neuville so potentially a bit more secure in fifth, though we need to see what Paddon does too as those three are tightly packed.
WRC - Poland: Here's something Ogier might need to bear in mind.
Before the season started he complained bitterly that as points leader he'd be running first on the road throughout every Friday and every Saturday.
But under the 2015 rules, any Friday retirees coming back on Saturday under Rally 2 are out first for day two, so he's had a road-sweeper or two (or three or four or five) clearing the way for him by leg two.
In Poland, though, no one has dropped out yet. Still a few stages to go today, but usually by now we've lost a few.
If everyone behaves till tonight, Ogier will find himself back to square one dust-wise when Saturday begins.
Before the season started he complained bitterly that as points leader he'd be running first on the road throughout every Friday and every Saturday.
But under the 2015 rules, any Friday retirees coming back on Saturday under Rally 2 are out first for day two, so he's had a road-sweeper or two (or three or four or five) clearing the way for him by leg two.
In Poland, though, no one has dropped out yet. Still a few stages to go today, but usually by now we've lost a few.
If everyone behaves till tonight, Ogier will find himself back to square one dust-wise when Saturday begins.
WRC - Poland: Latvala doesn't gain as much as he might've wanted there, he's 2.2s quicker than Mikkelsen but a similar amount slower than Ogier.
That leaves him 8.3s behind Ogier and probably still fourth overall.
Latvala has gone for a harder tyre compound than Ogier and thinks that will pay off in the upcoming long stage - we're running the stages in a different order this afternoon so the big one that finished the morning is up second this time.
That leaves him 8.3s behind Ogier and probably still fourth overall.
Latvala has gone for a harder tyre compound than Ogier and thinks that will pay off in the upcoming long stage - we're running the stages in a different order this afternoon so the big one that finished the morning is up second this time.
Crash
WRC - Poland: Mikkelsen is in, he's 4.7s slower than Ogier and that means he's only 2.7s ahead.
Mikkelsen said he had a brief trip off the road there.
"We were into the field and trying to get back onto the road," he admitted - but he's much concerned about where some of the spectators were standing on that one.
"Some people are just in really bad positions. That's all I can say. Some people on the outside of corners... Lucky."
Mikkelsen said he had a brief trip off the road there.
"We were into the field and trying to get back onto the road," he admitted - but he's much concerned about where some of the spectators were standing on that one.
"Some people are just in really bad positions. That's all I can say. Some people on the outside of corners... Lucky."
WRC - Poland: DAVID EVANS with heatwave news:
The WRC's Polish weather expert – the same fella who won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix – Robert Kubica was ready to give AUTOSPORT readers a special insight into what to expect in the Masurian Lakes over the next three days.
"Hot," said Kubica. "And this is not normal for Poland. I don't know when I was last this hot – maybe 30 years ago, I don't know."
Fortunately, his current and historical meteorological analysis isn't about to do Lucy Verasamy out of a job.
And it is hot, by the way. Very hot. We're definitely heading north of 30 degrees today. Much too hot.
The WRC's Polish weather expert – the same fella who won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix – Robert Kubica was ready to give AUTOSPORT readers a special insight into what to expect in the Masurian Lakes over the next three days.
"Hot," said Kubica. "And this is not normal for Poland. I don't know when I was last this hot – maybe 30 years ago, I don't know."
Fortunately, his current and historical meteorological analysis isn't about to do Lucy Verasamy out of a job.
And it is hot, by the way. Very hot. We're definitely heading north of 30 degrees today. Much too hot.
WRC - Poland: At the middle of the stage, Ogier is 5s faster than Mikkelsen - he could take second already!
Got a long while to wait to see how Ogier compares to overall leader Tanak, the M-Sport man is 11th on the road.
Got a long while to wait to see how Ogier compares to overall leader Tanak, the M-Sport man is 11th on the road.
Stopwatch
WRC - Poland: Ogier is in, and on the early splits he's quicker than Mikkelsen.
Ogier ended the morning third, 7s behind Mikkelsen ahead.
The dust-clearing won't be so much of an issue for Ogier now, the main layer of loose gravel having been cleared through the morning running.
"The road is much cleaner," Ogier confirms. "Let's see, it will be an interesting loop."
Ogier ended the morning third, 7s behind Mikkelsen ahead.
The dust-clearing won't be so much of an issue for Ogier now, the main layer of loose gravel having been cleared through the morning running.
"The road is much cleaner," Ogier confirms. "Let's see, it will be an interesting loop."
Lights out
Welcome back to AUTOSPORT Live - we're back in WRC business for the Poland afternoon. Ogier is onto the stage.
WRC - Poland: With the field heading to a tyre change and regroup area now, we're taking a break.
Back in action on AUTOSPORT Live for SS6 at 1.15pm UK time.
Back in action on AUTOSPORT Live for SS6 at 1.15pm UK time.
Breaking news
WRC - Poland - SS5 summary:
* Tanak extends lead again despite brake trouble
* Ogier hangs on in third behind Mikkelsen
* Slower time for Paddon drops him from fifth to seventh
* Kubica still in the mix in eighth
* Tanak extends lead again despite brake trouble
* Ogier hangs on in third behind Mikkelsen
* Slower time for Paddon drops him from fifth to seventh
* Kubica still in the mix in eighth
Checkered flag
WRC - Poland - SS5 results:
Stage times:
1 Tanak 19m27.3s
2 Mikkelsen +4.4s
3 Ogier +6.2s
4 Latvala +10.6s
5 Meeke +14.6s
6 Neuville +16.8s
7 Kubica +19.5s
8 Evans +19.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +9.3s
3 Ogier +16.7s
4 Latvala +22.8s
5 Meeke +33.5s
6 Neuville +37.1s
7 Paddon +38.4s
8 Kubica +41.6s
9 Evans +42.1s
10 Sordo +55.1s
Stage times:
1 Tanak 19m27.3s
2 Mikkelsen +4.4s
3 Ogier +6.2s
4 Latvala +10.6s
5 Meeke +14.6s
6 Neuville +16.8s
7 Kubica +19.5s
8 Evans +19.8s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Mikkelsen +9.3s
3 Ogier +16.7s
4 Latvala +22.8s
5 Meeke +33.5s
6 Neuville +37.1s
7 Paddon +38.4s
8 Kubica +41.6s
9 Evans +42.1s
10 Sordo +55.1s
WRC - Poland: Quick word for one of the stars of the event so far: Craig Breen.
No, he's not driving, but the ERC points leader is here in a stage-end reporter capacity for the official WRC radio service and he's excellent.
Gems so far include his declaration that he could swear on-air provided it was a level of swearing used on Father Ted, and the revelation that his ex-Peugeot team-mate turned Hyundai WRC driver Abbring's nickname is 'Pancakes'.
More plus points for Breen last weekend when his response to crashing out of Ypres while fighting for a fourth straight ERC win was to fly back to Ireland and drive a Ford Escort Mk2 on the Ravens Rock Rally next day. Top man.
No, he's not driving, but the ERC points leader is here in a stage-end reporter capacity for the official WRC radio service and he's excellent.
Gems so far include his declaration that he could swear on-air provided it was a level of swearing used on Father Ted, and the revelation that his ex-Peugeot team-mate turned Hyundai WRC driver Abbring's nickname is 'Pancakes'.
More plus points for Breen last weekend when his response to crashing out of Ypres while fighting for a fourth straight ERC win was to fly back to Ireland and drive a Ford Escort Mk2 on the Ravens Rock Rally next day. Top man.
Quote
WRC - Poland: Kubica is really holding his own among the Hyundai/Evans crowd here. Seventh fastest on the stage keeps him eighth overall.
"A challenging stage," says Kubica with a laugh. "Tough in some places, blind corners over crests, all OK and a good morning for us."
"A challenging stage," says Kubica with a laugh. "Tough in some places, blind corners over crests, all OK and a good morning for us."
Stopwatch
WRC - Poland: Tanak is in, fastest by 6.7s and 4s quicker than Mikkelsen.
He leads by 9.3s overall - and then reveals the brake problems have continued and "in places I only have front brakes"!
Lucky you don't have to slow down too often in Poland.
He leads by 9.3s overall - and then reveals the brake problems have continued and "in places I only have front brakes"!
Lucky you don't have to slow down too often in Poland.
WRC - Poland: Tougher stage for Paddon, who says things "didn't click" and drops behind both Meeke and Neuville from fifth to a likely seventh.
By: Matt Beer, Jack Benyon, Gary Watkins, AUTOSPORT staff, Alex Kalinauckas, Edd Straw
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