WRC Rally Finland
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Here's our report from an exciting Rally Finland, thanks for joining us! 
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Thierry Neuville still leads the championship standings, but with a reduced margin over Sebastien Ogier of just 21 points. Tanak, with his second win of the year is 46 points adrift in third.
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Overall results after SS23 (Power Stage)
1. Tanak 2h35m18.12. Ostberg +32.7
3. Latvala +35.5
4. Paddon +1:35.6
5. Ogier +2:15.0
6. Suninen +2:19.2
7. Evans +2:29.5
8. Breen +3:08.4
9. Neuville +3:51.8
10. Mikkelsen +8:37.4
1. Tanak 2h35m18.12. Ostberg +32.7
3. Latvala +35.5
4. Paddon +1:35.6
5. Ogier +2:15.0
6. Suninen +2:19.2
7. Evans +2:29.5
8. Breen +3:08.4
9. Neuville +3:51.8
10. Mikkelsen +8:37.4
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Fantastic performance from Tanak, who takes the five points for the Power Stage victory.
Here are your Power Stages results then:
1. Tanak 5m26.22. Ostberg +.0.53. Latvala +0.84. Neuville +1.2
5. Breen +1.7
6. Ogier +1.7
7. Evans +2.9
8. Suninen +5.1
9. Paddon +5.3
10. Mikkelsen +7.4
Here are your Power Stages results then:
1. Tanak 5m26.22. Ostberg +.0.53. Latvala +0.84. Neuville +1.2
5. Breen +1.7
6. Ogier +1.7
7. Evans +2.9
8. Suninen +5.1
9. Paddon +5.3
10. Mikkelsen +7.4
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"Perfect weekend for us, the first day was really tough as you know. After that we just increased our gap, obviously can't complain," Tanak says.
"The team has done a perfect preparation. There is full support behind us, I think that's how it's to be done."
"The team has done a perfect preparation. There is full support behind us, I think that's how it's to be done."
Just a slight smile from your victor as he is joined on the roof of his Yarris by team boss Tommi Makkinen
Checkered flag
OTT TANAK WINS RALLY FINLAND!
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To prove this, Tanak goes and beats Ostberg's time by half a second. It's been a perfect weekend from the Estonian. Full points for the Toyota man, some performance!
The dominant event winner, Tanak has been insurmountable all weekend. He's now 0.5s up on Ostberg at the second split.
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Tanak, who has nothing to lose here, is fastest at the first split by 0.4s! Someone tell him to calm down.
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Ostberg visibly over the moon with that time:
"I cannot believe that. Wow, that means a lot to me. That was a really good stage and I'm just so happy to be fighting again.
To be able to pull that off at the end of the rally was just amazing."
"I cannot believe that. Wow, that means a lot to me. That was a really good stage and I'm just so happy to be fighting again.
To be able to pull that off at the end of the rally was just amazing."
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Ostberg goes fastest! And with it, the Citroen man secures second place overall. A great result for the Norwegian and the whole team this weekend!
The gap between the two coming into the stage was 2.5s in Ostberg's favour remember.
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And the Norwegian is 0.3s up on Latvala after the first split!
Ostberg into the stage. Here we go!
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At the very least, it's a third place at home for Latvala. Can it be better?
"I came flat-out at the end. I can tell it was not easy to drive. Depending if [Mads] has the same problem with the tyres, it will be close."
"I came flat-out at the end. I can tell it was not easy to drive. Depending if [Mads] has the same problem with the tyres, it will be close."
This is going to be so close. Jari-Matti gets a round of applause from his team and he deserves it after that effort.
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Latvala really giving it some at the end of the stage. He's set a time of 5m27.4 to go fastest!
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Latvala 0.1s up on Ogier at the first split but drops 0.3 at the second
Right, coming up next is the first leg in the battle for second place. Jari-Matti Latvala is into the stage and pushing!
Paddon is 4.1 seconds down on Neuville. Job done for the Kiwi!
It's been a promising rally for the Kiwi, who has used his superior road position to be the highest placed Hyundai to deny Ogier key championship points.
Neuville will no doubt be helped out by Hyundai team-mate Hayden Paddon, who is 0.8 seconds slower at the first split.
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Ogier still reduces the deficit in the points to Neuville despite finishing behind his rival in this one.
"The whole weekend, I gave everything. There wasn't so much more we could do."
"It's the most important that we make a step in the right direction. We would have liked to have been higher up."
"The whole weekend, I gave everything. There wasn't so much more we could do."
"It's the most important that we make a step in the right direction. We would have liked to have been higher up."
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Oh Ogier just misses out!! He's slower than Neuville by half a second. He's sporting a bit of front-end damage and that might just have proven crucial. That was some effort!
Ogier sending his Fiesta all manners of sideways! He's pressing the loud pedal harder than ever right now in search of the top spot.
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Next up is world champion Ogier. The Frenchman sets his stall out early by matching Neuville at the first split!
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Suninen definitely playing the team game this morning but he's not happy with it!
"Somehow it's nice to let Ogier past me but it would be good to get the good results this year."
"Somehow it's nice to let Ogier past me but it would be good to get the good results this year."
Suninen finishes the stage just under four seconds slower than Neuville, but deserves full points for that MASSIVE jump at the finish!
As for M-Sport team-mate Suninen, the Finn is 1.2 seconds slower than Neuville at the first split.
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Evans has had decent speed this weekend but has also had to play the team game for Ogier.
"The result is obviously not what we came here for but it is what it is," says a diplomatic Evans post-stage.
"The result is obviously not what we came here for but it is what it is," says a diplomatic Evans post-stage.
No, not quite! Evans loses 1.7 seconds to Neuville and is third
Elfyn Evans now approaching stage end. He was tied with Neuville at the first split but lost half a second at the next Can he do Ogier a huge favour a depose the Belgian at the top of the times?
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It's been another topsy-turvy weekend for Breen who can't wait to get onto tarmac now.
"On speed it's been a good weekend. Just frustrated with another Friday with difficulties and then sweeping the road on Saturday. It's a bit monotonous after a while.
"We've got Germany next and I love tarmac."
"On speed it's been a good weekend. Just frustrated with another Friday with difficulties and then sweeping the road on Saturday. It's a bit monotonous after a while.
"We've got Germany next and I love tarmac."
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Breen gritting his teeth nearing stage end as he makes a slight mistake. He crosses the flying finish behind Neuville by half a second! Phew that was a thrilling ride.
Craig Breen giving it full beans in this stage in the Citroen. The Irishman is in touch at the first split, just 0.5 seconds back from Neuville.
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Neuville: "We tried. Obviously, a difficult weekend for us but we knew that before. The team has done a great job fixing the car from Friday.
"Ogier had a little bit of an advantage due to his team-mate who could help him in the fight."
"Ogier had a little bit of an advantage due to his team-mate who could help him in the fight."
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Neuville across the flying finish fully lit with a 5m27.4! He absolutely blitzed that last split and is a full 6.9 seconds faster than Mikkelsen
He's extended that to nearly two seconds at the second split. Strong points looking a tall order in this one.
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Neuville attacking the stage now and is 1.1 seconds up on his team-mate at the first split.
By: Matt Beer
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