WRC Rally Italy
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Green flag
Our stage is underway, with Dani Sordo first on the road.
David Evans
Only a couple of minutes to go until our stage. Here's a guide from co-driver Seb Marshall.
SS16/18 Cala Flumini (8.73 miles)
"This is a tricky stage which is quote different in character to what we’ve seen before on the rally. Typically quite narrow at the start, the road is bordered by high walls and banks with no margin for error.
"There’s a short section of Tarmac in the middle but it’s wide with some easy-flat corners.
"It gets a bit more sandy towards the finish, where the road is typified by lots of short corners. Basically this whole stage is almost completely blind and one where you really need to put a lot of trust in the notes.
"There are lots of corners on this stage where cars run wide, just because it’s all so deceptive."
SS16/18 Cala Flumini (8.73 miles)
"This is a tricky stage which is quote different in character to what we’ve seen before on the rally. Typically quite narrow at the start, the road is bordered by high walls and banks with no margin for error.
"There’s a short section of Tarmac in the middle but it’s wide with some easy-flat corners.
"It gets a bit more sandy towards the finish, where the road is typified by lots of short corners. Basically this whole stage is almost completely blind and one where you really need to put a lot of trust in the notes.
"There are lots of corners on this stage where cars run wide, just because it’s all so deceptive."
Autosport
Hello and welcome back to Autosport Live for the conclusion of Rally Italy. We've had two stages this morning, here's our report to get you up to date.
Autosport
What a dramatic day of action yet again as the World Rally Championship continues to deliver a renaissance of a year in 2017.
Join us back here tomorrow at 0800hrs for a continuation of the action. Who will win Rally Italy?
Ciao for now.
Join us back here tomorrow at 0800hrs for a continuation of the action. Who will win Rally Italy?
Ciao for now.
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Information
SS15:
1 Lappi 17m35.8s
2 Neuville +0.1s
3 Tanak +1.9s
4 Latvala +6.2s
5 Ogier +12.5s
6 Sordo +21.1s
Overall after SS15:
1 Tanak 2h56m37.3s
2 Latvala +24.3s
3 Neuville +1:02.2s
4 Lappi +2:10.8s
5 Hänninen +2:42.1s
6 Ogier +3:26.1s
1 Lappi 17m35.8s
2 Neuville +0.1s
3 Tanak +1.9s
4 Latvala +6.2s
5 Ogier +12.5s
6 Sordo +21.1s
Overall after SS15:
1 Tanak 2h56m37.3s
2 Latvala +24.3s
3 Neuville +1:02.2s
4 Lappi +2:10.8s
5 Hänninen +2:42.1s
6 Ogier +3:26.1s
Quote
A statement of intent from Tanak about tomorrow: "I don't see any reason why Jari-Matti will be any quicker than us."
Stopwatch
Tanak completes and he takes 4.3s out of Latvala.
His lead overnight is 24.3s over Latvala. He's out having a look at the car.
His lead overnight is 24.3s over Latvala. He's out having a look at the car.
Crash
Tanak has hit a chicane. Has he lost time or done damage?
Quote
Latvala is still hopeful that he'll get time back for being caught in the dust of Ostberg earlier.
"We are in a good position," says Latvala. "Still a fight. Lets see what happens with the time tonight, and then we know where we are."
"We are in a good position," says Latvala. "Still a fight. Lets see what happens with the time tonight, and then we know where we are."
Stopwatch
Latvala completes, 6.2s slower than Lappi.
Could Lappi get another stage win here?
Could Lappi get another stage win here?
Stopwatch
Tanak is 5.9s up on Latvala at the third split, so Latvala has clawed a little bit back.
Quote
Ostberg has a problem with the car pulling under braking: "I had to slow down, it was dangerous," he says. He drops 25.6s to Ostberg.
Stopwatch
We're missing splits for Tanak, which is infuriating at this point.
Tanak is 6.1s quicker than Latvala at the second split.
That's excellent pace from Tanak.
Tanak is 6.1s quicker than Latvala at the second split.
That's excellent pace from Tanak.
Quote
Hanninen has lost a bumper.
"The powersteering. I don't know which point," says Hanninen. "The powersteering is gone. We had a spin near the start."
"The powersteering. I don't know which point," says Hanninen. "The powersteering is gone. We had a spin near the start."
Stopwatch
Hanninen drops 54.5s to Lappi, and in turn, loses fourth to Lappi. The Toyotas swap around.
This brilliant time from Lappi should be enough to give Hanninen's spot.
Hanninen was fourth and Lappi fifth, but the two should swap with Hanninen's issue.
Hanninen was fourth and Lappi fifth, but the two should swap with Hanninen's issue.
Despite hitting Lappi's dislodged bumper, there's no major issues for Ogier. Not according to the Frenchman.
Stopwatch
Ogier is in and drops 12.5s to Lappi, giving the Finn back the time he took on the last stage.
First and second, Tanak and Latvala, are into the stage.
Lappi confirms he was pushing hard, but also that it was clean driving. The youngster, in his second WRC event, has been a revelation this weekend.
Stopwatch
Lappi could well take that 10s back that he lost to Ogier on the previous stage.
Stopwatch
Lappi is in, 21.1s quicker than Sordo. Impressive stuff again.
Crash
Mikkelsen has something broken in the front 'diff.
Hanninen's tie loss is stable around 25s, which means he lost his time in the first split, but it's not getting worse.
Hanninen's tie loss is stable around 25s, which means he lost his time in the first split, but it's not getting worse.
Stopwatch
Ostberg is the fastest driver at the first split.
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen drops 44.4s to Sordo. His difficult weekend continues.
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen is 32.3s slower than Sordo at the final split.
Hanninen could also have issues. He's 21.9s slower than Sordo at split one.
Hanninen could also have issues. He's 21.9s slower than Sordo at split one.
Quote
Sordo is in and it's a 17m56.9s.
"We are first on the road," he says. "But to be honest we are enjoying it lot."
"We are first on the road," he says. "But to be honest we are enjoying it lot."
So, we're switching attention to SS15 now, with Lappi the pacesetter so far. He's quicker than Sordo and Ogier at the first split.
Information
SS14:
1 Tanak 16m48.1s
2 Neuville +0.8s
3 Latvala +3.5s
4 Ogier +8.3s
5 Breen 13.2s
6 Ostberg +14.4s
Overall after SS14:
1 Tanak 2h38m59.6s
2 Latvala +20s
3 Neuville +1m04s
4 Hanninen +1m49.5s
5 Lappi +2m12.7s
6 Ogier +3m15.5s
7 Ostberg +3m32.3s
8 Mikkelsen +6m44s
1 Tanak 16m48.1s
2 Neuville +0.8s
3 Latvala +3.5s
4 Ogier +8.3s
5 Breen 13.2s
6 Ostberg +14.4s
Overall after SS14:
1 Tanak 2h38m59.6s
2 Latvala +20s
3 Neuville +1m04s
4 Hanninen +1m49.5s
5 Lappi +2m12.7s
6 Ogier +3m15.5s
7 Ostberg +3m32.3s
8 Mikkelsen +6m44s
Stopwatch
Neuville goes second quickest for the second stage in a row in SS14.
David Evans
Here's a stage guide from heartbroken co-driver Seb Marshall.
SS15 Monte Lerno (18.08 miles)
"This one starts after a really short road section – like about half a mile. There might be time to do something with the tyres, but the mobile [telephone] signal’s limited up there, so we’re really on our own up there and if there’s any kind of a problem with the car we could be stuffed.
"A feature of this loop will be managing the tyres, there’s no tyre zone to give us the chance to change them like there as last season.
Into the stage and this one’s quite a bit shorter than last year, but we come to one of the season’s – and certainly this rally’s – most famous sections: Micky’s Jump. The road into this is reasonably blind, there’s a short left-hander, 50 metres and then you see the launch.
"It’s steep and a it’s a big jump. You have to turn the car a little bit to the left on take off to avoid landing in the wall like Chris Atkinson did a good few years ago. But it’s certainly not flat out, it’s nowhere near it. You brake and come down to third gear for that one.
"After that the stage is fast and flowing and starts to go downhill towards the end. The surface is quite sandy in here as well, apart from a section on some fairly broken Tarmac.
"It’s a tricky stage this one and one where, generally, we tend to see a bit of action."
SS15 Monte Lerno (18.08 miles)
"This one starts after a really short road section – like about half a mile. There might be time to do something with the tyres, but the mobile [telephone] signal’s limited up there, so we’re really on our own up there and if there’s any kind of a problem with the car we could be stuffed.
"A feature of this loop will be managing the tyres, there’s no tyre zone to give us the chance to change them like there as last season.
Into the stage and this one’s quite a bit shorter than last year, but we come to one of the season’s – and certainly this rally’s – most famous sections: Micky’s Jump. The road into this is reasonably blind, there’s a short left-hander, 50 metres and then you see the launch.
"It’s steep and a it’s a big jump. You have to turn the car a little bit to the left on take off to avoid landing in the wall like Chris Atkinson did a good few years ago. But it’s certainly not flat out, it’s nowhere near it. You brake and come down to third gear for that one.
"After that the stage is fast and flowing and starts to go downhill towards the end. The surface is quite sandy in here as well, apart from a section on some fairly broken Tarmac.
"It’s a tricky stage this one and one where, generally, we tend to see a bit of action."
Green flag
Monte Lerno is underway, the final stage of the day, with Sordo, Mikkelsen and Lappi into the stage.
Quote
Tanak arrives and he's 3.5s quicker than Latvala.
"I tried to have a very clean run," says Tanak. "It's difficult to save the tyres in these rough conditions. We just have to go in and do the same and drive the stage."
"I tried to have a very clean run," says Tanak. "It's difficult to save the tyres in these rough conditions. We just have to go in and do the same and drive the stage."
Quote
Latvala is philosophical at stage end.
"It was good but we have to be careful with the tyres,' he says. "In a way I didn't have tyres to have a spare [meaning he's saving tyres for tomorrow].
"Ott is running very hard. I know he wants to win. Lets see, you have to finish the race first."
Interesting...
"It was good but we have to be careful with the tyres,' he says. "In a way I didn't have tyres to have a spare [meaning he's saving tyres for tomorrow].
"Ott is running very hard. I know he wants to win. Lets see, you have to finish the race first."
Interesting...
Stopwatch
At the second split, Neuville is quicker than Tanak but he's too far adrift to get into a battle with Tanak and Latvala.
Latvala completes and goes fastest by 4.8s.
Latvala completes and goes fastest by 4.8s.
Stopwatch
Tanak now 4.7s up on Latvala at the third split. The Estonian is flying.
His gap to Latvala was 16.5s, which is also the rally lead after Paddon crashed out.
His gap to Latvala was 16.5s, which is also the rally lead after Paddon crashed out.
By: Matt Beer
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