WRC Rally Mexico
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Ostberg is 2.7s slower than Mikkelsen's pace-setting time.
Mikkelsen goes slightly quicker than his team-mate by 0.2s.
We have a bit of a strange set up on this stage, with the usual three-minute gap between runs meaning Mikkelsen, the second man on the road, is yet to start SS6.
Stopwatch
Sure enough, Ogier is through in a time of 1m19.2s.
Green flag
Ogier is now on the stage, so be ready for a stage time shortly.
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Before that, quickly, here's a look at Neuville's Hyundai i20 after his earlier off...
Here's another preview from Latvala, who will be looking to consolidate his advantage with a break ahead of the evening loop coming up shortly.
SS6 Street Stage Leon (0.86 miles)
This has changed a little bit from last year. Last year it was up and down around some cones. Now they have marked some lines and made a road you have to follow. There are a couple of little jumps and that’s the only question for me: how will it work on the jumps when there is a turn soon after. Will the car kick? We will see. It’s quite nice because you have a little room to play with the car on this stage.
SS6 Street Stage Leon (0.86 miles)
This has changed a little bit from last year. Last year it was up and down around some cones. Now they have marked some lines and made a road you have to follow. There are a couple of little jumps and that’s the only question for me: how will it work on the jumps when there is a turn soon after. Will the car kick? We will see. It’s quite nice because you have a little room to play with the car on this stage.
Just a few minutes before the start of SS6, which is an incredibly short run through Leon itself.
David Evans
Ogier celebrates his 100th WRC start in Mexico this week. And the Frenchman’s admitted the rocky North American roads are full of fond memories; world rally number one was here in Leon and he started with a JWRC win and an astonishing eighth overall in a Citroen C2 S1600 in 2008.
“It’s kind of like a love story with this rally,” Ogier admitted. “I really like this one. It’s a funny story to come back here for the 100th rally.”
“It’s kind of like a love story with this rally,” Ogier admitted. “I really like this one. It’s a funny story to come back here for the 100th rally.”
You may have missed it earlier, but Rally Mexico marks a significant milestone for championship leader Ogier...
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Here's a quick look at how the WRC2 runners stack up. Just seven cars running at the moment, but it looks as though we'll have a decent enough battle for the lead between Fuchs, Suninen and Kremer.
WRC2 Leaderboard:
1 Nicolas Fuchs 57m0.3s
2 Teemu Suninen +15.1s
3 Armin Kremer +15.4s
4 Radik Shaymiev +2m57.1s
5 Abdulaziz Al-Kuwar +3m56.4s
6 Max Rendina +4m1.7s
7 Hubert Ptaszek +8m17.9s
Ricardo Trivino, who is the eighth car registered in the class, did not start SS5.
WRC2 Leaderboard:
1 Nicolas Fuchs 57m0.3s
2 Teemu Suninen +15.1s
3 Armin Kremer +15.4s
4 Radik Shaymiev +2m57.1s
5 Abdulaziz Al-Kuwar +3m56.4s
6 Max Rendina +4m1.7s
7 Hubert Ptaszek +8m17.9s
Ricardo Trivino, who is the eighth car registered in the class, did not start SS5.
David Evans
British drivers are absent from factory World Rally Championship seats for the first time since Rally GB, 2013 in Mexico this week. Kris Meeke won’t compete in Mexico or Argentina, spending his time on the development of Citroen’s 2017 C3 WRC instead. The Northern Irishman was in Mexico briefly, completing the pre-event recce before heading home before the start.
Elfyn Evans didn’t make the trans-Atlantic trip – the Welshman’s challenge to become the second member of his family to win the British Rally Championship (his father Gwyndaf won it in 1996) starts on this weekend’s Mid Wales Stages. Evans Jr is, however, likely to be back in Argentina, demonstrating the rough road abilities of the Ford Fiesta R5 in South America.
“I’d definitely be up for Argentina,” Evans told Autosport. “As you can imagine, confidence is fairly high with two [WRC2 wins] from two. Last year, Argentina was pretty rough, but from what I’ve seen with the R5 Evo, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Elfyn Evans didn’t make the trans-Atlantic trip – the Welshman’s challenge to become the second member of his family to win the British Rally Championship (his father Gwyndaf won it in 1996) starts on this weekend’s Mid Wales Stages. Evans Jr is, however, likely to be back in Argentina, demonstrating the rough road abilities of the Ford Fiesta R5 in South America.
“I’d definitely be up for Argentina,” Evans told Autosport. “As you can imagine, confidence is fairly high with two [WRC2 wins] from two. Last year, Argentina was pretty rough, but from what I’ve seen with the R5 Evo, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Stopwatch
A good time from Fuchs now, who has the jump on WRC2 rivals Suninen and Kremer after today's two stages by 15s.
We have a bit of a break now before SS6, a street stage in Leon, which starts in just over half an hour.
Before that we'll of course be keeping an eye on WRC2, and have a little bit more insight from David Evans coming your way.
Before that we'll of course be keeping an eye on WRC2, and have a little bit more insight from David Evans coming your way.
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Suninen is the latest WRC2 driver in - and takes the lead of the class by 0.3s from Kremer.
"In the first stage we lost a lot of time because we were driving 15 kilometres behind another car," says Suninen.
The mood changes when he's told he's into the WRC2 lead, though: "Oh, thank you!"
"In the first stage we lost a lot of time because we were driving 15 kilometres behind another car," says Suninen.
The mood changes when he's told he's into the WRC2 lead, though: "Oh, thank you!"
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SS5 summary:
* Leader Latvala is quickest again
* Ogier second fastest despite running first
* Paddon escapes without major damage after hitting a wall
* Home runner Guerra stops after mid-stage jump
* Leader Latvala is quickest again
* Ogier second fastest despite running first
* Paddon escapes without major damage after hitting a wall
* Home runner Guerra stops after mid-stage jump
SS5 stage times:
1 Latvala 11m0.1s
2 Ogier 11m3.5s
3 Mikkelsen 11m5.8s
4 Sordo 11m11.2s
5 Ostberg 11m16.2s
6 Tanak 11m34..7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Latvala 54m8s
2 Ogier +22.4s
3 Sordo +34.0s
4 Mikkelsen +45.3s
5 Ostberg +1m27.6s
6 Paddon +1m35.5s
7 Tanak +2m13.7s
8 Prokop +2m27.8s
1 Latvala 11m0.1s
2 Ogier 11m3.5s
3 Mikkelsen 11m5.8s
4 Sordo 11m11.2s
5 Ostberg 11m16.2s
6 Tanak 11m34..7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Latvala 54m8s
2 Ogier +22.4s
3 Sordo +34.0s
4 Mikkelsen +45.3s
5 Ostberg +1m27.6s
6 Paddon +1m35.5s
7 Tanak +2m13.7s
8 Prokop +2m27.8s
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WRC2 leader Kremer is also the first WRC2 car through and has reached the stage end 51.5s down on Latvala's time.
"I think the stage was quite good for us, the feeling from the car and the tyres," says Kremer. "I'm happy we can do good running.
"I think the time is really good and I'm not [pushing] 100 per cent - maybe 99!"
"I think the stage was quite good for us, the feeling from the car and the tyres," says Kremer. "I'm happy we can do good running.
"I think the time is really good and I'm not [pushing] 100 per cent - maybe 99!"
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After the gap left by Guerra, Bertelli is through and the last of the WRC cars to complete the stage, 41.2s down on Latvala's benchmark.
"Benito was... exactly after the big jump he was stopped on the road, I think he damaged something there.
"It's OK, we're just getting through without trouble."
"Benito was... exactly after the big jump he was stopped on the road, I think he damaged something there.
"It's OK, we're just getting through without trouble."
© McKlein
That's a shame for the privateer Mexican, who was eighth on his home rally ahead of SS5.
We don't know if, or indeed when, we'll next see his Ford Fiesta - so to at least be fair he's a shot of his wonderfully liveried Ford Fiesta RS.
We don't know if, or indeed when, we'll next see his Ford Fiesta - so to at least be fair he's a shot of his wonderfully liveried Ford Fiesta RS.
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Stopwatch
Camilli and Prokop are next through, dropping 42.5s and 37.9s respectively.
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Latvala is a very happy Finn at the stage end.
"I think we did a very, very good choice," says Latvala of his tyres. "I have to be thankful for the information we discussed with the people around me.
"It's difficult to say but it's possible it will be cleaning a little bit, there might be some benefit still [of running further down the road]."
"I think we did a very, very good choice," says Latvala of his tyres. "I have to be thankful for the information we discussed with the people around me.
"It's difficult to say but it's possible it will be cleaning a little bit, there might be some benefit still [of running further down the road]."
Stopwatch
After a bit of a break, Latvala is now through and extends his advantage at the front by 3.4s.
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A quick WRC2 update, as Peruvian Nicolas Fuchs goes fastest on SS4 - 1.2s up on Kremer in his Skoda Fabia R5.
Tanak is through and 31.2s down on Ogier. No one yet making an impression on the Frenchman's time - although we're yet to see any splits from Latvala.
Sordo is third quickest at the moment, 7.7s slower than Ogier.
"It is cleaning a little bit," he says. He's feels he could be getting a little bit more out of it at the moment.
"It is cleaning a little bit," he says. He's feels he could be getting a little bit more out of it at the moment.
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Paddon indeed has bent leftt-rear suspension and a scuff on the wheel - he's obviously hit something fairly hard.
"We just very slightly grazed a wall on the outside of a corner," is what we can make out.
He's crabbing a bit but is OK to continue.
"We just very slightly grazed a wall on the outside of a corner," is what we can make out.
He's crabbing a bit but is OK to continue.
Stopwatch
Blimey. Has Paddon got a problem of some sort? 42.4s is what he's lost on SS5.
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"The road gained more grip but it's not easy on the hard tyres," says Ostberg.
"It's probably one of the biggest tyre mistake I have ever done - but we are still here and some are not."
"It's probably one of the biggest tyre mistake I have ever done - but we are still here and some are not."
Paddon is the slowest man through the first split, and by the second has lost 21s to Ogier.
Ostberg is 12.7s down on the Volkswagen at the end of that stage.
Ostberg is 12.7s down on the Volkswagen at the end of that stage.
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Mikkelsen is fairly happy with that run: "I think I've made a good improvement when you look at my times here last year.
"We drove very clever on the last stage," he continues. "I'm trying to drive myself in on this rally because it's a little bit difficult. I'm learning before I tackle anything hard."
"We drove very clever on the last stage," he continues. "I'm trying to drive myself in on this rally because it's a little bit difficult. I'm learning before I tackle anything hard."
Mikkelsen comes through 2.3s down on his team-mate. Ostberg again looks as though he'll be a fair chunk slower than the Volkswagens.
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"I'm happy to be where I am now because I have to try and beat the guys who are behind me and not at such an advantage," says Ogier. "I'm very happy - on this one I had a much better drive."
Stopwatch
Ogier is through in a time of 11m3.5s, while Mikkelsen has lost time at the second split.
Ogier is through the first two splits on Las Minas in a time of 7m59.4s. Mikkelsen is slightly further back, but 1.5s up through the first split.
David Evans
M-Sport will be relying on Max Rendina and Radik Shaymiev to defend a 100 per cent record established by Elfyn Evans on the first two WRC2 rounds of the season (Evans is on BRC duty in Wales).
The Cumbrian firm’s R5 Evo has certainly carried the fight to what was increasingly seen as the class car: Skoda’s Fabia R5. The impressive performance of Evans and the R5 Evo (launched at the start of the season) has been reflected in the order books. “If you place an order with us for a new R5 car now, we’re looking at a delivery time at the end of May,” said M-Sport team principal Malcolm Wilson. “We knew the evolution would be good for the car, but this sort of demand is incredible – it’s the same as when we were the first to launch an R5 car mid-way through 2013.” As well as building new cars, M-Sport has also updated 43 R5 engines to R5 Evo specification, with a further 30 booked in.
The Cumbrian firm’s R5 Evo has certainly carried the fight to what was increasingly seen as the class car: Skoda’s Fabia R5. The impressive performance of Evans and the R5 Evo (launched at the start of the season) has been reflected in the order books. “If you place an order with us for a new R5 car now, we’re looking at a delivery time at the end of May,” said M-Sport team principal Malcolm Wilson. “We knew the evolution would be good for the car, but this sort of demand is incredible – it’s the same as when we were the first to launch an R5 car mid-way through 2013.” As well as building new cars, M-Sport has also updated 43 R5 engines to R5 Evo specification, with a further 30 booked in.
By: Matt Beer
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