WRC Portugal
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WRC - Portugal: We're approaching the end of Evans' run, so let's take a look at who is doing what on the stage.
Kubica is 2.7s down after four splits, while Latvala is almost 10s quicker at the same point.
Al Qassimi is well down, while Hanninen is a fraction quicker than Evans after two splits. Prokop's slower, but quicker than Al Qassimi, while Mikkelsen pops in through the first checkpoint a second quicker than Evans.
Kubica is 2.7s down after four splits, while Latvala is almost 10s quicker at the same point.
Al Qassimi is well down, while Hanninen is a fraction quicker than Evans after two splits. Prokop's slower, but quicker than Al Qassimi, while Mikkelsen pops in through the first checkpoint a second quicker than Evans.
GP2 - Bahrain: The warm-up lap is underway, but without Simon Trummer who has stalled.
GP2 - Bahrain: The frontrunners are all starting on the option tyre, which is the yellow sidewalled soft-compound. The hard tyre, which Pirelli thinks could actually run an entire race distance without issues, is being used by those towards the back of the grid, so expect some guys to run long, which always creates some traffic issues.
GP2 - Bahrain: Tyre degradation is going to the big issue in this race, and how long the soft-compound tyres will last in the heat of the desert. Air temperature is 27C with track temp at a whacking 54C.
GP2 - Bahrain: Over in Bahrain, it's now time for the GP2 Series opener at Sakhir. Jolyon Palmer is on pole position for DAMS, but McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne pushed him hard in qualifying yesterday.
The big news overnight was Felipe Nasr's grid penalty, which has dropped the Williams F1 tester down to P11.
The big news overnight was Felipe Nasr's grid penalty, which has dropped the Williams F1 tester down to P11.
What we can tell you is Evans is running faster than Kubica after two splits, by about half a second, while Latvala is quicker - 2.5s up on Evans at the second checkpoint.
A momentary lull as we await some information to actually bring you! These longer runs are unkind to an as-it-happens service...
We are onto SS9 now. Elfyn Evans kicks it off.
Back to Louletano, but for rallying purposes (ish). Here's the Estadio Algarve being used "properly" (according to DAVID EVANS) in 2009.
Look at that crowd. If the stadium's capacity was only 30,000, it would look sparse. Instead, it's a hive of activity.
Anyway, WRC 2 update. The battle for the lead between Nassir Al-Attiyah and Jari Ketomaa continues.
The latter boosted his lead by 1.4s on that stage and now holds a 6.1s advantage.
The latter boosted his lead by 1.4s on that stage and now holds a 6.1s advantage.
For those busting a gut to know, Louletano play in the Campeonato Nacional de Seniores H Division. Told you it was long.
The Club was founded in 1923 and seven games into this campaign finds itself third in the table. You're welcome.
The Club was founded in 1923 and seven games into this campaign finds itself third in the table. You're welcome.
Pointless Rally Portugal fact - we are not at all far from a professional football stadium.
In fact, here's a picture of the other side of the service park…yes, our man DAVID EVANS scaled the fence to bring you a pitch-side view of Louletano Desportos's ground.
They play in the third division (the Portuguese name for that is quite long). The stadium is 10 years old this year, was built for Euro 2004 and hosted three matches.
When it's full, 30,002 people are sitting in there. AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live thinks the extra two makes all the difference.
So, that's nice and competitive isn't it?
It could all change in the next hour, though. We're not far from the start of the second stage of the day, Santana da Serra.
This will be 31.90km in length - the longest of the rally.
It could all change in the next hour, though. We're not far from the start of the second stage of the day, Santana da Serra.
This will be 31.90km in length - the longest of the rally.
Checkered flag
SS8 results:
1 Ogier 12m23.0s
2 Hirvonen +0.2s
3 Tanak +0.9s
4 Ostberg +1.1s
5 Sordo +5.2s
6 Latvala +5.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Hirvonen 1h37m28.8s
2 Tanak +4.4s
3 Ogier +6.3s
4 Ostberg +26.5s
5 Sordo +30.7s
6 Neuville +53.4s
1 Ogier 12m23.0s
2 Hirvonen +0.2s
3 Tanak +0.9s
4 Ostberg +1.1s
5 Sordo +5.2s
6 Latvala +5.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Hirvonen 1h37m28.8s
2 Tanak +4.4s
3 Ogier +6.3s
4 Ostberg +26.5s
5 Sordo +30.7s
6 Neuville +53.4s
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"It was OK, Ogier was 0.2s faster which is good because we were a few seconds down," says Hirvonen.
So, was that cautious, with an eye on conserving his lead and making sure there are no silly errors? Not a chance!
"It's just flat out, you can't manage it. It's really flat out."
OK, so what about Ogier? He reckons he has a bit in hand...what about Hirvonen?
"If he does it, we have to do the same."
Fighting talk! We love it.
So, was that cautious, with an eye on conserving his lead and making sure there are no silly errors? Not a chance!
"It's just flat out, you can't manage it. It's really flat out."
OK, so what about Ogier? He reckons he has a bit in hand...what about Hirvonen?
"If he does it, we have to do the same."
Fighting talk! We love it.
Hirvonen is second quickest - 12m23.2s from the rally leader. That's a 4.4s lead over Tanak now.
Mighty conclusion to that stage from the Finn!
Mighty conclusion to that stage from the Finn!
Tanak is 0.9s slower than Ogier - that's trimmed his advantage to 1.9s.
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Ogier is quickest so far, but he's not getting carried out: "I think it's quite fair for everyone. It looks like he [Tanak] is in a good ryhthm."
What about Tanak and Hirvonen?
The Estonian was a tenth slower after the second split, with Hirvonen a bit further back.
The Estonian was a tenth slower after the second split, with Hirvonen a bit further back.
Stopwatch
Ogier, that's how you do it. The world champion pips Ostberg by 1.1s, and goes quick with his 12m23.0s.
Stopwatch
Yep, Ostberg finishes the stage in 12m24.1s - that's a few seconds quicker than Sordo's 12m28.2s too.
Just 0.1s separated the pair before that stage. Great run from the Citroen man, who reckons he's "lacking in confidence" here as well.
Just 0.1s separated the pair before that stage. Great run from the Citroen man, who reckons he's "lacking in confidence" here as well.
Stopwatch
Sordo goes quickest, just eclipsing Latvala's time. But is Ostberg about to beat the Spaniard?
Neuville was less than a second faster than Mikkelsen.
Neuville was less than a second faster than Mikkelsen.
Through comes Neuville, and he goes second ahead of Mikkelsen.
Solberg comes through in 12m43.4s, which shows how impressive Latvala's end to the stage was. Solberg lost nine seconds!
And Ogier is quickest of anyone through the first checkpoint - but then Tanak shades him! Excellent.
Sordo and Ostberg look set to topple Latvala though, but there is only a few tenths between them at the second split!
Mikkelsen drops back from Latvala's benchmark in the final moments of the stage and ends up seven seconds slower.
Ostberg and Ogier are onto the stage.
Prokop's through, about seven seconds faster than Hanninen.
Hanninen stops the clock at 12m58.5s, which is very respectable. Still, he drops almost 30s to Latvala.
Mikkelsen continues to take time out of his team-mate's time, while Solberg, Neuville, and Sordo are all quicker through the first split.
Mikkelsen continues to take time out of his team-mate's time, while Solberg, Neuville, and Sordo are all quicker through the first split.
Al Qassimi has finished in 13m12.3s, and Hanninen is now in - but actually in quite a quick time.
He does have a left-rear puncture! That's a huge effort.
He does have a left-rear puncture! That's a huge effort.
Mikkelsen is almost a second quicker than Latvala over the first split as the Norwegian enters the stage.
Stopwatch
Latvala's time, by the way, was 12m28.7s, just a shade under 11s quicker than Evans.
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In comes Jari-Matti. "There was quite a big impact to the front so it's very nice to be back. The target is to try to enjoy it and get the feeling back. It's very difficult so I need to see what happens, drive our own pace and see where we are."
Latvala's about to show that however hard Evans drives, there's still a lot to learn (understandably).
The Finn is 6.1s quicker through the third split.
Al Qassimi is on the stage (several seconds down already), as are Juho Hanninen and Martin Prokop.
Hanninen, we are hearing, has a puncture.
The Finn is 6.1s quicker through the third split.
Al Qassimi is on the stage (several seconds down already), as are Juho Hanninen and Martin Prokop.
Hanninen, we are hearing, has a puncture.
It is interesting that, with Evans suffering his first sizable WRC shunt, M-Sport's advice was to crack on and push hard.
If in doubt, flat out...sound logic, right? Have heard that somewhere before. Oh yes, that's right.
In fact, one member of the Portuguese has sufficient levels of fever for the 1995 World Rally champion to quote Colin McRae across the back of his jacket.
The super-Scot took two victories in Portugal, winning the 1998 event for Subaru and the following year in the all-new Ford Focus WRC.
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The Pole comes through 4.7s slower than Evans. A cautious run?
"It's OK, yesterday was very, very strange. Today we hope to enjoy it, have fun and to enjoy it a bit."
"It's OK, yesterday was very, very strange. Today we hope to enjoy it, have fun and to enjoy it a bit."
Kubica drops another 0.5s to Evans as he flies through the third split.
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"Massive credit to the team," says Evans, "they have done an incredible job. The car's absolutely perfect."
He confirms that the team only got the car back after his shunt at 1am in the morning!
He confirms that the team only got the car back after his shunt at 1am in the morning!
Evans completes the stage in 12m39.6s. Latvala is 3.6s quicker at the second split.
By: Dan Cross, David Evans, Scott Mitchell, Charles Bradley
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