WRC Tour of Corsica
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Mikkelsen joins Suninen into the stage. Mikkelsen leads WRC2 by over a minute.
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Green flag
We've got six cars on the road before we get our first WRC car in the top 10 in the overall order, Hayden Paddon.
Teemu Suninen (eighth) and Andreas Mikkelsen (seventh) start us off. Finn Suninen is into the stage.
Teemu Suninen (eighth) and Andreas Mikkelsen (seventh) start us off. Finn Suninen is into the stage.
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Rally leader Thierry Neuville says this stage is going to be "pretty enjoyable, but slow!"
He wants to bring this one home for the team, after he crashed out while leading in Monte Carlo and Sweden.
He wants to bring this one home for the team, after he crashed out while leading in Monte Carlo and Sweden.
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With just a few minutes until action commences, here's proffessional talker SEB MARSHALL (he's also Hayden Paddon's new co-driver from Rally Germany onwards this year) to bring you the details.
SS10 Porto-Vecchio-Palombaggia 10.42km (6.47 miles)
"The first half of this one is really quite odd. The road goes over some crests and through some quick, rolling corners, it’s actually a bit of an asphalt Finland!
"This section of road is heading out to the beach, so you’re passing lots of holiday homes and shops and cafes, it’s quite surreal. There was a lot of sand on this stretch road, blown up off the beach, so that could be a hazard again this time.
"A hairpin left takes you onto a much older more abrasive road which goes through a few hairpins and then quite quickly across the finish."
SS10 Porto-Vecchio-Palombaggia 10.42km (6.47 miles)
"The first half of this one is really quite odd. The road goes over some crests and through some quick, rolling corners, it’s actually a bit of an asphalt Finland!
"This section of road is heading out to the beach, so you’re passing lots of holiday homes and shops and cafes, it’s quite surreal. There was a lot of sand on this stretch road, blown up off the beach, so that could be a hazard again this time.
"A hairpin left takes you onto a much older more abrasive road which goes through a few hairpins and then quite quickly across the finish."
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As you can see from the tweet below, Ogier is suffering from an intermittent electrical issue.
He lies in third, 2.5s behind Sordo. Can he retake second?
Or, is the car in real trouble? If so, Craig Breen is only 13.7s back and Jari-Matti Latvala 15.7s behind. We're in for a thrilling finale.
He lies in third, 2.5s behind Sordo. Can he retake second?
Or, is the car in real trouble? If so, Craig Breen is only 13.7s back and Jari-Matti Latvala 15.7s behind. We're in for a thrilling finale.
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Hello and welcome back to the final stage of the Tour of Corsica.
Thierry Neuville is well clear at the front but the rest of the top three is anyone's guess.
Thierry Neuville is well clear at the front but the rest of the top three is anyone's guess.
Autosport
On the tracking map, Sebastien Ogier has left refuel and is on his way to the tyre fitting zone.
Our man in the service park DAVID EVANS is working on bringing us an update, but many of the M-Sport technicians are on the phone, understandably, at the moment. Still no confirmation on the issue for Ogier.
Rejoin us at 1100hrs GMT for the final stage. Can Ogier make it? Can he hold third? Can Breen take a podium? Don't miss the final stage, it's set to be a corker.
Our man in the service park DAVID EVANS is working on bringing us an update, but many of the M-Sport technicians are on the phone, understandably, at the moment. Still no confirmation on the issue for Ogier.
Rejoin us at 1100hrs GMT for the final stage. Can Ogier make it? Can he hold third? Can Breen take a podium? Don't miss the final stage, it's set to be a corker.
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Lets recap SS9 after a bucketload of drama.
- Sebastien Ogier loses second to Dani Sordo with a mysterious issue, and sits 2.5s behind the Spaniard and 13.7s ahead of Craig Breen.
- Thierry Neuville takes the fastest time and his rally lead is 57.8s with one stage to go.
- Citroen man Breen takes fourth from Jari-Matti Latvala, who thought he'd had a good stage but struggled.
- Juho Hanninen stops multiple times on the stage
- Sebastien Ogier loses second to Dani Sordo with a mysterious issue, and sits 2.5s behind the Spaniard and 13.7s ahead of Craig Breen.
- Thierry Neuville takes the fastest time and his rally lead is 57.8s with one stage to go.
- Citroen man Breen takes fourth from Jari-Matti Latvala, who thought he'd had a good stage but struggled.
- Juho Hanninen stops multiple times on the stage
Autosport
While we wait for updates on Ogier, the Chinese Grand Prix has not long reached its conclusion. Here's Autosport's comprehensive report.
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We'll get an update on Sebastien Ogier as soon as possible. In the meantime here's the new order.
SS9
1 Neuville 32m34.6s
2 Sordo +0.1s
3 Breen +1.8s
4 Latvala +6.6s
5 Tanak +7.6s
6 Paddon +9.2s
Overall after SS9
1 Neuville 3h16m44.8s
2 Sordo +57.8s
3 Ogier +1m00.3s
4 Breen +1m14s
5 Latvala +1m16s
6 Paddon +1m53s
SS9
1 Neuville 32m34.6s
2 Sordo +0.1s
3 Breen +1.8s
4 Latvala +6.6s
5 Tanak +7.6s
6 Paddon +9.2s
Overall after SS9
1 Neuville 3h16m44.8s
2 Sordo +57.8s
3 Ogier +1m00.3s
4 Breen +1m14s
5 Latvala +1m16s
6 Paddon +1m53s
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Neuville goes quickest by 0.1s over Sordo.
"My stage was OK," says Neuville. "I didn't push to much I just tried to be efficient. Now we are in a really good position to finish the rally."
"My stage was OK," says Neuville. "I didn't push to much I just tried to be efficient. Now we are in a really good position to finish the rally."
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Ogier arrives at stage end: "We have to go."
He's not happy and we have no idea what is wrong with the M-Sport Fiesta.
He's not happy and we have no idea what is wrong with the M-Sport Fiesta.
Crash
OGIER ARRIVES AND LOSES SECOND TO DANI SORDO.
He holds onto third, 13.7s up on Breen.
He holds onto third, 13.7s up on Breen.
Stopwatch
Sordo completes, 1.7s quicker than Breen. But all eyes are on Ogier and his problems. Will he lose second? third? How far will he fall?
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Latvala is in and LOSES FOURTH. He's now 2s behind Breen in the order.
"I'm very disappointed because I thought we had a good stage," says a confused Latvala. "I don't understand why. I thought I was driving really well but the time is not good."
"I'm very disappointed because I thought we had a good stage," says a confused Latvala. "I don't understand why. I thought I was driving really well but the time is not good."
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Breen completes the stage, 7.4s up on Paddon.
"That's a bit of a surprise, from halfway on I struggled a bit," says Breen of leading the way. "I had a couple of big impacts on the front of the car, I thought I had a puncture and lost confidence."
"That's a bit of a surprise, from halfway on I struggled a bit," says Breen of leading the way. "I had a couple of big impacts on the front of the car, I thought I had a puncture and lost confidence."
Stopwatch
Ogier's gap to Sordo in third was 18.8s. He could lose second here.
Crash
PROBLEM FOR OGIER!
He's 16.8s down on Sordo at the last split. He could fall as far as fifth if his problems continue. More on what they are when we get them.
He's 16.8s down on Sordo at the last split. He could fall as far as fifth if his problems continue. More on what they are when we get them.
Stopwatch
Ogier has dropped time. He's now 5.3s behind Sordo on this stage, and the gap to him in the overall order was 18s. Lets hope the Frenchman doesn't have a problem.
Stopwatch
For the first time, Latvala is now 1.4s behind Sordo, and two seconds behind Breen.
Stopwatch
At the final split, Breen is back up to 3.4s clear of Latvala on this stage. Fascinating back and forth going on here.
Interestingly Paddon appears to have clawed back some time, now 5.8s behind Breen rather than the 8.6s he was down earlier. Maybe he's looked after the tyres well.
Interestingly Paddon appears to have clawed back some time, now 5.8s behind Breen rather than the 8.6s he was down earlier. Maybe he's looked after the tyres well.
Stopwatch
Neuville and Ogier are through the third split with Neuville now 2.4s up on Ogier.
Juho Hanninen has stopped on the stage.
Juho Hanninen has stopped on the stage.
Sordo is 3.3s down on Breen so the Irishman has lost a second or two to both drivers. Can he pull that back?
At the penultimate split, Latvala has pulled back time. He's under two seconds behind Breen now. Is that a slow split for Breen or a quick one for Latvala. Sordo's time should tell us...
After being slower at split one, Neuville has picked up the pace and is now quicker than Sebastien Ogier by 0.8s.
Stopwatch
Sordo reaches the third split and he's 4.7s down on Breen. The Irishman needs to take more here to have any chance of the podium.
Only the powerstage to go after this.
Only the powerstage to go after this.
Breen continues the pace. He's over four seconds up on Latvala. Can he think about Sordo and a podium?
He started the stage just over 14s behind the Spaniard.
He started the stage just over 14s behind the Spaniard.
Neuville is also 2.9s down on Breen at the first split, so the Irishman is going for it here.
Stopwatch
And at the second split, Breen has done enough to take fourth from Latvala, three seconds ahead. If he keeps this up through the stage, he'll top the Finn.
Stopwatch
Breen is even quicker than Ogier, who is 1.8s down on the Irishman.
However, we could see fairly conservative Ogier and Neuville today. Ogier has accepted the gap to Neuville is to big to catch, so they both may well consolidate their positions.
However, we could see fairly conservative Ogier and Neuville today. Ogier has accepted the gap to Neuville is to big to catch, so they both may well consolidate their positions.
Stopwatch
Sordo is 2.9s down on Breen at the first split, so Breen is looking really racey here.
Stopwatch
Breen is comfortably up on Latvala at the first split. He's taken a second out of the Finn. Breen was 2.8s behind Latvala at the start of the stage.
By: Matt Beer
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