WRC Rally of Portugal
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Neuville now 3.1s up at the fourth split. Mikkelsen is the fastest of all so far through split three.
In contrast to the previous stage - where Ogier was dynamite despite his tricky road position - the timing screen is a sea of green at the moment. That looser surface is hurting Ogier a fair bit more on SS4.
No third split yet for Neuville, who is currently 1.2s up on Ogier. The M-Sport man in turn is now through the fourth split.
Ogier is also through the third split. He's on an asphalt stretch of the road now, but will shortly head back on to gravel.
Mikkelsen and Sordo now also on the stage.
Ogier is through the first and second splits on the stage in a time of 5m53.6s. Neuville is 1.4s up through the first.
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While things are (relatively) quiet on Ponte de Lima, here's a quick rundown of times from the previous stage:
SS2 leading times
1 Meeke 10m35.1s
2 Ogier +1.1s
3 Neuville +1.2s
4 Sordo +1.7s
5 Mikkelsen +3.5s
6 Breen +3.7s
Overall classification
1 Meeke 28m43.3s
2 Paddon +1.6s
3 Sordo +3.6s
4 Breen +7.5s
5 Evans +8.5s
6 Ogier +9.1s
7 Suninen +9.3s
8 Neuville +10.9s
SS2 leading times
1 Meeke 10m35.1s
2 Ogier +1.1s
3 Neuville +1.2s
4 Sordo +1.7s
5 Mikkelsen +3.5s
6 Breen +3.7s
Overall classification
1 Meeke 28m43.3s
2 Paddon +1.6s
3 Sordo +3.6s
4 Breen +7.5s
5 Evans +8.5s
6 Ogier +9.1s
7 Suninen +9.3s
8 Neuville +10.9s
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Ogier is, incidentally, up and running on SS4. Here's one final stage guide for you from WRC2 contender Greensmith:
SS4 Ponte de Lima (17.11 miles)
Definitely the most difficult stage of the loop. If you get a good flow in there then you can make up time, but it will be really rough one the second pass of this one.
The flow comes from the notes. If you have good notes and you get into a good rhythm for this stage then it will work – but it’s vital to do that. I re-wrote the notes in here for this year and we’ll see how it worked. But suspension is crucial in this stage, it does get rough and you need to be able to carry the speed.
SS4 Ponte de Lima (17.11 miles)
Definitely the most difficult stage of the loop. If you get a good flow in there then you can make up time, but it will be really rough one the second pass of this one.
The flow comes from the notes. If you have good notes and you get into a good rhythm for this stage then it will work – but it’s vital to do that. I re-wrote the notes in here for this year and we’ll see how it worked. But suspension is crucial in this stage, it does get rough and you need to be able to carry the speed.
Those Ponte de Lima conditions will no doubt thrill Ogier...
Paddon adds that he had tyre wear in the first stage, and was trying to manage his tyres on SS3. He's seventh fastest on the stage.
David Evans
Ponte de Lima at just after eight this morning. The Autosport Audi has deliberately missed the apex in order to show just how loose the right line through the corner is.
Our man David Evans was up nice and early to inspect the roads on SS4 this morning...
We've got a bit of a crossover now, so we're going to keep one eye on SS3 while turning our attentions to the next test - the last of the morning loop - Ponte de Lima.
Breen is in now and sixth quickest.
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Evans confirms there was no timing glitch - he's rotated his car on the stage.
"I had a spin. I just went a bit deep, and when I went on the throttle it just kept rotating."
"I had a spin. I just went a bit deep, and when I went on the throttle it just kept rotating."
Evans is in and goes slowest of all - 9.2s slower than Meeke.
If that's not a glitch, he's lost a chunk of time in the final sector - he was only 0.3s slower than his compatriot at the final split.
If that's not a glitch, he's lost a chunk of time in the final sector - he was only 0.3s slower than his compatriot at the final split.
So another Toyota-shaped gap in the running order now. Evans will be the next man in, then we'll have Breen's time.
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Tanak has made his way back to the service park. Looks like Latvala will be joining him soon, too.
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Lappi - the last of the surviving Toyotas, it would appear - is slowest of all so far.
"I just can't do any better unfortunately," he says. "I don't know why.
"The car is working perfectly, I just can't come any faster without going off."
"I just can't do any better unfortunately," he says. "I don't know why.
"The car is working perfectly, I just can't come any faster without going off."
Stopwatch
Meeke's time is up now. He went 1.1s faster than Ogier on the stage, but said he lost his intercom midway through.
Crash
Another Toyota is stopped! Latvala is out of the car and assessing the front right of his car.
Meeke is at the stage end, but there's no time showing for him so far...
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"At the beginning of the stage I was a little bit too careful," says Sordo. "We have an important stage in front, so we will try to do better."
Meeke is still improving though. He's 1.6s faster than Ogier at the final split.
Sordo can't maintain his pace and is 0.6s slower than Ogier at stage end.
A few more matches of green on the timing screens now. Sordo will be next in and looks like he could eclipse Ogier. Meeke - behind him on the road - is fastest of all at the third split.
Mikkelsen is at stage end now and 2.3s slower than his team-mate Neuville.
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"This one was OK. I tried to do my best," says Neuville. "I'm on a big, big rhythm."
Neuville loses that advantage at the stage end and comes through 0.1s slower than Ogier.
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Very similar message from Ogier at the end of SS3 to the one he offered after this morning's first stage.
"It's going to be difficult to limit the damage," he says. "But like I've said, I can't do more."
"It's going to be difficult to limit the damage," he says. "But like I've said, I can't do more."
Stopwatch
Ogier completes the stage in 10m36.2s.
Stopwatch
Neuville has clawed back time on Ogier, and is now 0.2s faster at the fourth and final split.
Remember, there's a bit of a Tanak-sized gap back from the top two on the road at the moment. That means Sordo - now the fourth car on the road - is only just up and running on SS3.
Neuville is now 1.1s slower at the second split, while Ogier is through the fourth in 8m00.7s.
Ogier is through the first couple of splits in 4m12.1s. No time from Neuville through there yet, but the Belgian was 0.7s slower than Ogier through the first split.
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Toyota suggests that rock hit was the main contributing factor in Tanak's demise.
"We know Ott hit a rock and damaged the cooling system of the car," says sporting director Kaj Lindstrom.
"We know Ott hit a rock and damaged the cooling system of the car," says sporting director Kaj Lindstrom.
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Green flag
Ogier is up and running again now on SS3.
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Almost SS3 time. Here's another guide from Greensmith.
SS3/6 Caminha (11.25 miles)
I really like this stage, it’s brilliant. The first kilometer or kilometer and a half is on pretty big marbles and quite slippery – much quicker on the second pass. This stage flows much more than the first one and I really like that. There’s a section about 14km (8.6 miles) in which is touch-and-go flat corners for the next couple of kilometres, this is just awesome. This is where [Stephane] Lefebvre crashed last year.
Then, for the final part of this stage, it goes down into the trees where it’s a bit more technical, you have to slow it down and be a bit more cautious down there.
SS3/6 Caminha (11.25 miles)
I really like this stage, it’s brilliant. The first kilometer or kilometer and a half is on pretty big marbles and quite slippery – much quicker on the second pass. This stage flows much more than the first one and I really like that. There’s a section about 14km (8.6 miles) in which is touch-and-go flat corners for the next couple of kilometres, this is just awesome. This is where [Stephane] Lefebvre crashed last year.
Then, for the final part of this stage, it goes down into the trees where it’s a bit more technical, you have to slow it down and be a bit more cautious down there.
By: Matt Beer
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