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WRC Rally of Portugal
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Good first split from Ostberg, who's 2.2s faster than Lappi.
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Latvala is now in too and goes second-fastest on the leaderboard, 1.9s slower than his team-mate.
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"Surprisingly positive," says Lappi of his first weekend. "It was a shame what happened yesterday but the the speed is so incredibly high you have to try and be faster to improve yourself. We are still learning but it's been a very good weekend to be honest. The jump was a bit big from me."
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Lappi is through and though the final stage of his first start in Toyota's WRC car is a little scruffy, and spectacular, he goes fastest by 5.5s overall.
Three minutes between cars on the road at the moment, though that's set to increase to four between Ostberg (who's just headed onto the stage) and next starter Hanninen.
Lappi goes fastest of all through the first split, 2.1s up on Meeke's effort.
Al Qassimi and Lefebvre are also on the stage, while Lappi is the first of the next batch of faster cars having a go at this one and has also taken the start.
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"It was OK," says Meeke at the finish. "The jump seems a bit different this year and seems to be kicking all the cars up on the right-hand side."
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Meeke comes through the finish and perhaps surprisingly goes fastest - the effects of road cleaning showing there, you'd expect. He's 0.8s clear for now.
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"It's cleaning a lot, more so than I thought," says Paddon, who was fastest on the first run of Fafe earlier. "It was very slippery, sliding a lot from the rear. Not the fastest but it was a lot of fun."
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Meeke is 2.3s down through the first split, while Paddon is now at the stage end and completes in a time of 6m46.3s.
So, first split time in from Paddon. He's through in 3m49.8s.
They certainly are, Seb.
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Paddon looks properly on it - before attention turns to the lead battle, can he add a third win from four stages on this final day?
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GO, GO, GO! Paddon is on his way.
Slight change in the order, this time, with Paddon running first and Meeke second. Just two minutes until stage start.
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Stage goes live in just five minutes' time, so here for one last time today is a stage guide form Seb Marshall for you - this one's a repeat of this morning's opener:
SS19 Fafe (6.94 miles)
What do we need to say about this stage? It’s a legend. It might not be the longest stage of the event, but by God it’s fast. The first section’s really nice; it’s quite technical and narrow, but it’s full of short, fast corners that link together. Then you get up onto the wind farm section and over the jump where [Jari] Ketomaa crashed a few years ago. After that it’s down to the main road where the big Saltire’s painted - obviously quite a special place for any rally fan – and then into the hairpin right back onto gravel. While I’ve done the recce for this stage a few times, I’ve never actually competed on it – I can only imagine the atmosphere’s going to be pretty special.
SS19 Fafe (6.94 miles)
What do we need to say about this stage? It’s a legend. It might not be the longest stage of the event, but by God it’s fast. The first section’s really nice; it’s quite technical and narrow, but it’s full of short, fast corners that link together. Then you get up onto the wind farm section and over the jump where [Jari] Ketomaa crashed a few years ago. After that it’s down to the main road where the big Saltire’s painted - obviously quite a special place for any rally fan – and then into the hairpin right back onto gravel. While I’ve done the recce for this stage a few times, I’ve never actually competed on it – I can only imagine the atmosphere’s going to be pretty special.
RIGHT. Powerstage. Let's do this.
Bit of a lull in proceedings for the time being, so we're going to take a quick break and recharge before the final stage of the rally. Join us back here shortly for that.
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"I don't need a win in this Powerstage but I would like some extra points," says Ogier. "I'm not in a position to risk it all. A win would feel really good here."
Bit of a breather for the drivers at the moment ahead of the final power stage. They all seem rather disconcertingly calm.
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SS18 times:
Leading stage times:
1 Paddon 5m51.7s
2 Meeke +2.1s
3 Evans +3.4s
4 Lappi +3.6s
5 Hanninen +4s
6 Neuville +4.1s
Overall classification:
1 Ogier 3h36m15.1s
2 Neuville +17.5s
3 Sordo +1m00.1s
4 Tanak +1m32.5s
5 Breen +1m54.7s
6 Evans +3m11.4s
7 Hanninen +3m43.4s
8 Ostberg +5m28.8s
Leading stage times:
1 Paddon 5m51.7s
2 Meeke +2.1s
3 Evans +3.4s
4 Lappi +3.6s
5 Hanninen +4s
6 Neuville +4.1s
Overall classification:
1 Ogier 3h36m15.1s
2 Neuville +17.5s
3 Sordo +1m00.1s
4 Tanak +1m32.5s
5 Breen +1m54.7s
6 Evans +3m11.4s
7 Hanninen +3m43.4s
8 Ostberg +5m28.8s
About 40 minutes until the Powerstage still, so looks like we won't have too many problems sticking to the schedule.
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SS18 summary:
* Stage delayed as a result of Gilbert's roll
* Troubled runners Paddon and Meeke first and second on stage
* Ogier only ninth but maintains healthy lead
* Neuville sixth on stage and trails by 17.5s with one stage to run
* Stage delayed as a result of Gilbert's roll
* Troubled runners Paddon and Meeke first and second on stage
* Ogier only ninth but maintains healthy lead
* Neuville sixth on stage and trails by 17.5s with one stage to run
Stopwatch
Two more results to add, significant to the stage results (if nothing else). Paddon collects another fastest stage time with a run of 5m51.7s, with Meeke 2.1s slower and second on stage.
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Stopwatch
Ogier is now in as well and only seventh fastest, but that still leaves the M-Sport man with a handsome 17.5-second advantage over Neuville with just one stage to run.
Stopwatch
Neuville completes the stage and is fourht, 0.7s behind Evans' current benchmark.
A few more drivers in now, with Breen, Tanak and Sordo slotting into seventh, sixth and fifth respectively.
That does little in the battle for third and fourth, or fourth and fifth (depending on how you look at it), with Sordo half a minute clear of Tanak and Breen a further 20s back.
That does little in the battle for third and fourth, or fourth and fifth (depending on how you look at it), with Sordo half a minute clear of Tanak and Breen a further 20s back.
We had a Toyota 1-2-3 on the stage for a few minutes with Lappi ahead of Hanninen and Latvala, but now Evans has pipped Lappi by two tenths.
There's not a lot to play for on this one, with fairly big gaps between the rally leaders, so it's just a matter of playing it safe, avoid disaster and then pushing for the bonuses on the powerstage in an hour.
There's not a lot to play for on this one, with fairly big gaps between the rally leaders, so it's just a matter of playing it safe, avoid disaster and then pushing for the bonuses on the powerstage in an hour.
Fastest through of the early runners is now Lappi, by 1.2s over Toyota team-mate Latvala.
It's not been a trouble-free first weekend in the World Rally Car ranks for Lappi but his pace has been very respectable - and the amount of times he's calmly said he's not too excited about things like just comparing well to Hanninen and Latvala because he's here to be world champion is very healthy.
It's not been a trouble-free first weekend in the World Rally Car ranks for Lappi but his pace has been very respectable - and the amount of times he's calmly said he's not too excited about things like just comparing well to Hanninen and Latvala because he's here to be world champion is very healthy.
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Incidentally, confirmation that the crew involved in the shunt that caused this delay are OK.
Although this stage started over half an hour late, there should be time to get back on schedule at the regroup that follows. The concluding powerstage can't afford to stay late for telly reasons.
Although this stage started over half an hour late, there should be time to get back on schedule at the regroup that follows. The concluding powerstage can't afford to stay late for telly reasons.
The stage isn't just up-and-running, cars are completing it! Gorban is fastest through by 1.7s over Al Qassimi of the early runners, but Prokop and Lefebvre will eclipse those pretty soon.
Lappi has just started too.
Lappi has just started too.
Green flag
We're under way at last! Gorban's old-school Mini starts the rally's penultimate stage.
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That tweet cuts off - so for the avoidance of doubt, Gorban is expected to start the stage at 10:55.
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Ah - here's something a bit more proper for you from Citroen.
By: Matt Beer
Published:
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