WRC Rally of Portugal
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"It's going to be a long day but it's always good to start well. I had a clean drive, I'm happy with the car, let's hope it keeps going this way," says Ogier.
"I'm always completely relieved at the end of Friday when I know I'm going to have a better road position."
"I'm always completely relieved at the end of Friday when I know I'm going to have a better road position."
Autosport
Nothing to choose between Tanak and Ogier at split two, they set identical times there.
This is about to turn into an all-M-Sport lead battle it seems.
This is about to turn into an all-M-Sport lead battle it seems.
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"I'm missing traction on this stage," says Neuville. "The road was very polished."
Ogier comes in fastest so far by 0.2s over Evans, and that means he's now 7.9s ahead of Neuville overall.
Ogier comes in fastest so far by 0.2s over Evans, and that means he's now 7.9s ahead of Neuville overall.
Ogier is definitely grabbing second from Sordo now, he's 2.6s quicker at split two and they'd only been 0.4s apart at the start of the day.
Neuville is second quickest to Evans at the stage end, 1.6s slower.
That means they're now 5.6s apart, in Neuville's favour, in likely fourth and fifth places overall.
That means they're now 5.6s apart, in Neuville's favour, in likely fourth and fifth places overall.
Breen says his relative lack of pace on that stage comes down to inexperience - everyone else did it last year, he didn't.
In fairness, looking at the splits, it was only really in the first section that he was substantially slower, but that's cost him a place overall.
In fairness, looking at the splits, it was only really in the first section that he was substantially slower, but that's cost him a place overall.
Stopwatch
Rally leader Tanak is now the fastest man of all at split one - he's 1.6s than nearest rival Sordo there and 0.9s up on Ogier.
Ogier's on course to take second from Sordo here at the moment.
Ogier's on course to take second from Sordo here at the moment.
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"It was a good run overall," says Evans. "A little bit to much sliding in a few places but on the whole not too bad."
And that time has taken Evans past Breen into what should be fifth overall by 3.2s.
And that time has taken Evans past Breen into what should be fifth overall by 3.2s.
Stopwatch
Evans comes in fastest so far, 10s up on Latvala. At split two, Evans has taken 1.4s out of Neuville - they were two places and 7.2s apart starting the day.
Both Hanninen and Lappi are around 3s off Toyota team leader Latvala as they come through with times just 0.3s apart.
Hanninen now leads Lappi by 20.6s in their sort of battle for seventh overall.
Hanninen now leads Lappi by 20.6s in their sort of battle for seventh overall.
Stopwatch
Ogier is fastest so far at split one, by 0.2s over Evans and 1.1s over Neuville.
Breen picks up his pace between splits one and two but is still losing 5.8s to Evans there.
Ogier and Sordo are onto the stage now too, then it'll be rally leader Tanak.
The frontrunners are now onto the stage and Breen's first split is not good - he's lost 6.7s to the chasing Evans there. Breen was only 5.4s ahead of Evans in fifth at the start of the day.
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"I feel very weak, I have had a fever since the shakedown," says Latvala. "I haven't been sleeping. But I try to keep going."
He didn't mention it much while in the lead battle yesterday, but there had been a few signs during the week that Latvala wasn't at all well at the moment.
He didn't mention it much while in the lead battle yesterday, but there had been a few signs during the week that Latvala wasn't at all well at the moment.
Ostberg comes through 2s slower than that.
Stopwatch
Latvala finishes the stage with an absolutely equal time to Paddon - both doing 10m56.6s.
Apologies, Meeke IS back out, he's just at the other end of the start order, running just after rally leader Tanak comes through. Meeke is classified 33rd right now, just 4.2s behind Paddon.
Doubt they'll be battling up the order in unison though as Paddon is first on the road and Meeke is 16th.
Doubt they'll be battling up the order in unison though as Paddon is first on the road and Meeke is 16th.
The cleaning effect isn't too huge - either that or Paddon's going very fast.
Even though two Citroens and an old-spec car come through between Paddon and the next of the truly competitive cars, Ostberg and Latvala are only 0.6s and 0.5s respectively quicker than Paddon at split one and Lappi is 0.9s slower.
At split two Latvala is just a second quicker than Paddon despite three cars' worth of sweeping happening between them.
Even though two Citroens and an old-spec car come through between Paddon and the next of the truly competitive cars, Ostberg and Latvala are only 0.6s and 0.5s respectively quicker than Paddon at split one and Lappi is 0.9s slower.
At split two Latvala is just a second quicker than Paddon despite three cars' worth of sweeping happening between them.
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"The car's working really, really nicely," says Paddon as he reaches the finish. "Apart from the [loose] gravel, the car's a pleasure to drive."
He throws in a bit of praise for his crew for doing a complete wiring loom change in under two hours too.
He throws in a bit of praise for his crew for doing a complete wiring loom change in under two hours too.
Stopwatch
Even with the road-cleaning effect from being second onto the stage, Paddon is rattling along at a comfortably faster pace than everyone else who's in so far - Gorban, the additional Citroen for Al-Qassimi, the crash-delayed Citroen of Lefebvre and the returning Prokop's old-spec Ford.
Latvala and Ostberg have now started the stage.
Latvala and Ostberg have now started the stage.
Information
Meeke is not back out today, but he's still semi-present in Autosport Live as his co-driver Paul Nagle provides our stage guides today:
SS10 Vieira do Minho (10.83 miles)
This stage was part of the final day last year. It's pretty much the same as it was in 2016, except there's about 400 metres which has been changed at the start and the last section, the last couple of kilometres we turn right instead of turning left, so that's a new road.
The nature of the road is pretty similar all the way through to be honest, it's narrow and tricky and can be quite rocky in places – Ogier got a puncture here last time.
SS10 Vieira do Minho (10.83 miles)
This stage was part of the final day last year. It's pretty much the same as it was in 2016, except there's about 400 metres which has been changed at the start and the last section, the last couple of kilometres we turn right instead of turning left, so that's a new road.
The nature of the road is pretty similar all the way through to be honest, it's narrow and tricky and can be quite rocky in places – Ogier got a puncture here last time.
First on the road is the old Mini of Valeriy Gorban, which we'll definitely run a picture of in Autosport Live at some point today for literally no reason bar novelty value.
There's a three-minute gap in the start order after that to make sure Paddon doesn't catch Gorban on the road.
Although Paddon made it back to service under his own steam last night after those multiple electrical problems, Hyundai then officially retired him from leg one to give it chance to replace his i20's wiring loom in an effort to fully cure the problem. That's why he's quite so many minutes behind.
There's a three-minute gap in the start order after that to make sure Paddon doesn't catch Gorban on the road.
Although Paddon made it back to service under his own steam last night after those multiple electrical problems, Hyundai then officially retired him from leg one to give it chance to replace his i20's wiring loom in an effort to fully cure the problem. That's why he's quite so many minutes behind.
David Evans
After yesterday afternoon when everybody seemed to take a different – and deeply confusing – combination of hard and soft tyres, this morning is much more straightforward: it’s all soft.
For the Michelin runners, every driver except Stephane Lefebvre has taken five LTX Force S5s.
DMACK-wise Elfyn Evans and Mads Ostberg are running with five softs too.
Ground temperatures are expected to rise to the mid-30s this afternoon, which would seriously stretch the working window for DMACK's soft (which, don't forget, is harder than Michelin's soft). But if it works, it could offer an advantage for the boys on the British rubber.
For the Michelin runners, every driver except Stephane Lefebvre has taken five LTX Force S5s.
DMACK-wise Elfyn Evans and Mads Ostberg are running with five softs too.
Ground temperatures are expected to rise to the mid-30s this afternoon, which would seriously stretch the working window for DMACK's soft (which, don't forget, is harder than Michelin's soft). But if it works, it could offer an advantage for the boys on the British rubber.
Information
This is how the WRC field stands right now:
1 Tanak
2 Sordo +4.6s
3 Ogier +5.0s
4 Neuville +11.1s
5 Breen +12.9s
6 Evans +18.3s
7 Hanninen +52.0s
8 Lappi +1m12.3s
(9 Mikkelsen + 3m17.8s WRC2)
10 Ostberg +3m50.0s
13 Latvala +4m51.2s
19 Lefebvre +8m39.4s
32 Paddon +20m55.6s
1 Tanak
2 Sordo +4.6s
3 Ogier +5.0s
4 Neuville +11.1s
5 Breen +12.9s
6 Evans +18.3s
7 Hanninen +52.0s
8 Lappi +1m12.3s
(9 Mikkelsen + 3m17.8s WRC2)
10 Ostberg +3m50.0s
13 Latvala +4m51.2s
19 Lefebvre +8m39.4s
32 Paddon +20m55.6s
At one stage yesterday we had an eight car lead battle with the whole group covered by 8.9s.
Then Latvala rolled while second, Paddon's car cut out for 11 minutes while third and Meeke broke his suspension while fifth.
That split things up a bit, but we still have five cars within 12.9s up front after Neuville's time adjustment.
Then Latvala rolled while second, Paddon's car cut out for 11 minutes while third and Meeke broke his suspension while fifth.
That split things up a bit, but we still have five cars within 12.9s up front after Neuville's time adjustment.
Good morning and welcome back to Autosport Race Centre Live, as the Rally of Portugal gets back under way for a second leg that surely can't be as mad as its first.
Autosport
Here's the full summary of everything that went on through that crazy afternoon and evening. We'll be back here to see what Saturday holds at 9am UK time tomorrow. 
Information
And the day ends with a one-two on the stage for two pretty dispirited people as the delayed Paddon and Ostberg both pop in late quick times.
SS9 results
Leading stage times:
1 Ostberg 1m46.5s
2 Paddon +0.4s
3 Evans +0.6s
= Ogier +0.6s
5 Tanak +0.8s
6 Neuville +0.9s
7 Sordo +1.1s
8 Lefebvre +1.5s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Sordo +4.6s
3 Ogier +5.0s
4 Breen +12.9s
5 Evans +18.3s
6 Neuville +22.7s
SS9 results
Leading stage times:
1 Ostberg 1m46.5s
2 Paddon +0.4s
3 Evans +0.6s
= Ogier +0.6s
5 Tanak +0.8s
6 Neuville +0.9s
7 Sordo +1.1s
8 Lefebvre +1.5s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Sordo +4.6s
3 Ogier +5.0s
4 Breen +12.9s
5 Evans +18.3s
6 Neuville +22.7s
Sordo is only fourth fastest on the stage, but he's within 0.5s of Ogier and that means he cling onto second place overnight by 0.4s over the champion.
Tanak will lead into Saturday by 4.6s from Sordo.
Tanak will lead into Saturday by 4.6s from Sordo.
Tanak drops 0.2s to Ogier as he goes second fastest. That means the two M-Sport Fords are 5.0s apart overnight. Is that a Tanak-led one-two or is Sordo between them? Sordo's on the stage now.
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Neuville is second to Ogier, 0.3s down. And now he's off to barter for the time he lost behind Latvala on SS7.
"If the stewards do their job well we'll be the podium positions tonight," declares Neuville, who will most likely be officially classified fifth at the end of this one.
"If the stewards do their job well we'll be the podium positions tonight," declares Neuville, who will most likely be officially classified fifth at the end of this one.
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Latvala loses another 4.7s to Ogier as his battered car finishes Braga. He'll be about 13th to begin Saturday having led for much of Friday.
"We'd been leading the rally and for sure this is not nice but the main thing is we know the Toyota is fast and you can fight for victories with the Toyota," says the surprisingly perky Finn.
"We'd been leading the rally and for sure this is not nice but the main thing is we know the Toyota is fast and you can fight for victories with the Toyota," says the surprisingly perky Finn.
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"I'm happy with my stage once again. I'm happy with my day whatever," says Ogier as he completes the stage in 1m47.1s
Green flag
Right, we're doing it again. Ogier begins the second run with an eye on pinching Sordo's second place in the overnight order.
Information
First run of Braga complete, here are the results:
Leading stage times:
1 Ogier 1m48.8s
2 Neuville +0.2s
3 Paddon +0.5s
4 Tanak +1.0s
5 Evans +1.4s
6 Sordo +1.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Sordo +4.3s
3 Ogier +5.2s
4 Breen +12.1s
5 Evans +18.5s
6 Neuville +22.6s
Leading stage times:
1 Ogier 1m48.8s
2 Neuville +0.2s
3 Paddon +0.5s
4 Tanak +1.0s
5 Evans +1.4s
6 Sordo +1.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Tanak
2 Sordo +4.3s
3 Ogier +5.2s
4 Breen +12.1s
5 Evans +18.5s
6 Neuville +22.6s
Ogier is still the pacesetter on this stage and on that sort of form you have to suspect he might overhaul Sordo on the second run in a quarter of an hour and give M-Sport an overnight one-two.
There's still a rally lead battle going on, and despite having that bent something on his car, Tanak goes third quickest and adds seven tenths to his lead over Sordo.
Top three with another crack at the street stage still to come is: 1 Tanak, 2 Sordo +4.3s, 3 Ogier +5.2s
Top three with another crack at the street stage still to come is: 1 Tanak, 2 Sordo +4.3s, 3 Ogier +5.2s
Neuville is second quickest to Ogier on this run, just 0.2s adrift.
That puts them 17.4s apart in the overall standings, but that might be academic if Neuville is later handed a chunk of time back.
That puts them 17.4s apart in the overall standings, but that might be academic if Neuville is later handed a chunk of time back.
By: Matt Beer
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