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WRC Rally Sweden 2019
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Here's how the WRC crews stacked up in terms of stage times on that rerun of Likenas:
SS18 Likenas 2 stage results
1. Evans 11m22.0s
2. Lappi +0.6s
3. Meeke +1.6s
4. Mikkelsen +2.4s
5. Neuville +2.5s
SS18 Likenas 2 stage results
1. Evans 11m22.0s
2. Lappi +0.6s
3. Meeke +1.6s
4. Mikkelsen +2.4s
5. Neuville +2.5s
Gus Greensmith in WRC2 Pro has had a bit of a moment. He hugged the inside of a medium right a bit too tightly, getting sucked into the snowbank and spinning out. He has to get his Ford Fiesta turned around before setting off again. A few seconds lost.
"It's been a great weekend so far obviously. It's all been working. It's been altogether as we wanted. One more stage to go, and in a way it's important, so let's see what we can do."
Hmmm. Will he have a punt at a maximum score of 30 after all?
Hmmm. Will he have a punt at a maximum score of 30 after all?
Is he saving tyres for the power stage? Maybe.
Tanak turns in a leisurely 11m27.2s, which is only good enough for ninth fastest. His lead is down to 48.8s.
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"I tried to push as much as I can, to be honest. I struggled to do a lot more," says Mikkelsen.
"Quite tricky conditions I have to say, one mistake when I hit a snowbank and lost some speed out [of the corner]. But I'm doing what I can."
"Quite tricky conditions I have to say, one mistake when I hit a snowbank and lost some speed out [of the corner]. But I'm doing what I can."
All of Mikkelsen's advantage over Neuville early in this stage has gone. He finishes only 0.1s faster. He's now 4.2s behind Neuville.
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Second placed Lappi is told his gap to Neuville in third has increased to 4.4s.
"Good," he replies. "It was so much more tricky than on the first one. The grip is, I don't know, 30% less maybe? You need to be very careful but at the same time you should be on it. It's not really enjoyable when you have ruts like this on a really fast stage. But we are here!"
"Good," he replies. "It was so much more tricky than on the first one. The grip is, I don't know, 30% less maybe? You need to be very careful but at the same time you should be on it. It's not really enjoyable when you have ruts like this on a really fast stage. But we are here!"
Lappi has completed the stage, and he's 1.9s faster than Neuville. He had almost double that time in hand early on in the stage but it's still a handy bit of extra time heading for the final stage, Torsby.
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"A small mistake but no chance. I was fighting with the car like hell," explains Neuville.
"The car wants to go straight in every single corner. I nearly went off because I was pushing hard. No chance."
Mikkelsen said the car wasn't very responsive in the last pass of this stage. It doesn't seem to suit the Hyundai that well.
"The car wants to go straight in every single corner. I nearly went off because I was pushing hard. No chance."
Mikkelsen said the car wasn't very responsive in the last pass of this stage. It doesn't seem to suit the Hyundai that well.
He's made up some time at the third split though.
Neuville crosses the line. "Unbelieveable" he moans twice. He's clearly not happy.
Mikkelsen was only 0.2s down on Evans at the second split, though, so he looks likely to remain fifth until the end of this rally. His gap to the Norwegian in fourth was 8.8s before this rerun of Likenas.
4.3s separated Neuville and Mikkelsen before this stage. Mikkelsen has reclaimed 2.7s of that by the second split. If he keeps this up, could team orders on Torsby, the last stage, come into play?
Neuville claws 0.4s of that loss to Lappi back in the next split but hopes of challenging for second overall are fading.
Stopwatch
Lappi is setting the timing board alight, going 4.1s faster than third-placed Neuville at the first split and 1.2s up on Mikkelsen in fourth. That's the fastest time by anyone in that section so far.
Meeke goes fastest, 2.6s up on Loeb. He can rest easy on Torsby now in his quest for sixth.
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Loeb completes the stage second fastest so far, 1.6s off Suninen.
"I tried to do my best. It's a lot of snow, very good condition even for a second pass. But it will be cleaning during the stage a little bit," he says, referring to those cars behind.
"I tried to do my best. It's a lot of snow, very good condition even for a second pass. But it will be cleaning during the stage a little bit," he says, referring to those cars behind.
He's reduced that time loss to 1.9s by the third split but, with 6.6s in arrears before this stage, it's still not going to be enough.
Loeb's hopes of taking sixth from Meeke look to be completely over. He's 3.2s down on Meeke at the second split.
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"The feeling was better now with the car but the roads were getting quite rutted, so difficult to find the breaking points. Let's see how we do in the power stage," says Suninen.
He fancies some points from the upcoming power stage!
He fancies some points from the upcoming power stage!
Our short-lived rally leader from Friday, Teemu Suninen, goes fastest with an 11m24.6s.
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"I wish the rally would be longer," says Tidemand. I bet! This rally is his last confirmed appearance with M-Sport this year, though more events aren't out of the question, money permitting.
Tidemand has also safely completed the stage to keep his eighth place under lock and key. He's 8.4s slower than Latvala, who's still fastest for now.
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Janne Tuohino has finished the stage, going quicker than Gronholm by 10.2s.
"The rally should start today!" says Tuohino, mimicking his compatriot's words from yesterday.
"This morning was perfect and now is also very nice. Slippery in some places but good conditions."
"The rally should start today!" says Tuohino, mimicking his compatriot's words from yesterday.
"This morning was perfect and now is also very nice. Slippery in some places but good conditions."
Teemu Suninen is setting the pace on the splits, 2.8s up on Latvala's benchmark time after 6.5 miles.
Even if Ogier was cruising.
Bertelli is 3.8s faster than Ogier through here. There might be a framed printout of this stage result on his wall by tomorrow.
Bertelli's actually now ahead of Ogier at the third split. This is the only time I'll ever utter those words.
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"It's been a good feeling and we try to keep that feeling for the power stage," says Latvala.
He says he tried to save tyres, though certainly not to the extent of Ogier!
He says he tried to save tyres, though certainly not to the extent of Ogier!
Latvala sets an 11m26.3s benchmark, 29.5s up on Gronholm.
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Does Ogier think he's got enough speed to have a run at first place on the power stage?
"I don't know to be honest. I have no idea. I think my chance is very small but if there is one, we have to play it to the maximum," he says, referring to his extreme tyre saving through there.
"I don't know to be honest. I have no idea. I think my chance is very small but if there is one, we have to play it to the maximum," he says, referring to his extreme tyre saving through there.
He's not that level of slow! He clocks in 9.6s slower than Gronholm.
Ogier is mirror driving to make sure Latvala hasn't caught him yet!
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"It was a lot of loose snow for me in the ruts and first car, so I think we had half a minute slower time than the first loop."
That's pretty much correct. Such is the road sweeping life.
That's pretty much correct. Such is the road sweeping life.
Gronholm sets an 11m55.8s. Rautiainen makes a "woo woo!" sound crossing the finish line and there's some sweary Finnish from Marcus. Fun and games.
It feels weird seeing Ogier cruise around on purpose. But, to illustrate how good the pros are compared to the amateur drivers, he's still 4.8s faster than Bertelli, who'll no doubt be pushing on and doing his best.
Ogier is 2.3s down on Gronholm at the second split. He's driving like his grandmother to save tyre life for the power stage.
Now it's Janne Tuohino's turn to start. He's co-driven by Teem Suninen's former right-hand man, Mikko Markkula.
It was a tight left hand junction and he just skated wide on entry. No harm done really, a few seconds lost, but a reminder that those snowbanks are always lingering on each side of the road.
By: Matt Beer
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