WRC Tour of Corsica
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Breen arrives at the first split and he's already 3.9s up on Paddon.
In turn, Latvala is only 11.7s off the podium spot, with Sordo currently occupying it.
Breen, Latvala and Sordo are all into the stage. The closest gap between the WRC frontrunners is for fourth. Latvala holds it, just 2.8s ahead of Craig Breen.
And after that, there's no way you can't throw a picture of the car in the mix too...
Autosport
Autosport Live is going to make you old. Gilles Panizzi won the Tour of Corsica 15 years ago this year, in one of the most gorgeous asphalt rally cars ever in the Peugeot 206 WRC. Here's Panizzi held aloft by team-mates Marcus Gronholm and Richard Burns. You know you've put in a shift if you've beaten those two.
Green flag
Hayden Paddon has set off and the mammoth stage is underway.
Here's the starting order for this one:
Paddon
Breen
Latvala
Sordo
Ogier
Neuville
Tanak
Evans
Hanninen
Lefebvre
Paddon
Breen
Latvala
Sordo
Ogier
Neuville
Tanak
Evans
Hanninen
Lefebvre
He can talk, that Marshall boy. Anyway, there's no excuses in not knowing everything about SS9 now...
Information
In just a few minutes time we get one of the longest stages in the WRC underway. Here's Brit co-driver SEB MARSHALL – who will be sat with Hayden Paddon from Rally Germany onwards – to run us through thus goliath.
SS9 Antisanti-Poggio di Nazza 53.78km (33.41 miles)
"Longest stage of the rally, this one has a bit of everything. In general, it feels a bit faster than the others, but there are a lot of changes of tempo and finding the right rhythm and keeping it flowing is absolutely key to this one. Kris [Meeke] obviously did that brilliantly last year when he won the stage by 35 seconds.
"The stage starts uphill, medium speed. After 10km you go through a village onto a fantastic road. This is fifth and sixth gear all the way, with lots of cuts, double-width and a beautiful flow to it.
"That last six or seven kilometres then you go the long way around a roundabout in a village and that takes the cars onto a stage from a couple of years ago, so it will be quite familiar to the crews. The surface here is new, but probably more abrasive and harder on the tyres.
"After 15km, you slot onto a much smaller road, which is narrow, bumpy and covered in lots of loose gravel. There’s no margin for error here, but this only lasts a short while, up and over a col before a hairpin brings you back to a wider road with lots of elevation changes into the final village.
"The final stretch is hard on the tyres and hard on the brakes, just what you need after 50-odd kilometres!"
SS9 Antisanti-Poggio di Nazza 53.78km (33.41 miles)
"Longest stage of the rally, this one has a bit of everything. In general, it feels a bit faster than the others, but there are a lot of changes of tempo and finding the right rhythm and keeping it flowing is absolutely key to this one. Kris [Meeke] obviously did that brilliantly last year when he won the stage by 35 seconds.
"The stage starts uphill, medium speed. After 10km you go through a village onto a fantastic road. This is fifth and sixth gear all the way, with lots of cuts, double-width and a beautiful flow to it.
"That last six or seven kilometres then you go the long way around a roundabout in a village and that takes the cars onto a stage from a couple of years ago, so it will be quite familiar to the crews. The surface here is new, but probably more abrasive and harder on the tyres.
"After 15km, you slot onto a much smaller road, which is narrow, bumpy and covered in lots of loose gravel. There’s no margin for error here, but this only lasts a short while, up and over a col before a hairpin brings you back to a wider road with lots of elevation changes into the final village.
"The final stretch is hard on the tyres and hard on the brakes, just what you need after 50-odd kilometres!"
Good morning loyal rally fans and welcome to Autosport's Tour of Corsica coverage. Just two more stages to go.
Autosport
That's all from today's Corsica action, the loop ending in dramatic fashion. Make sure you join us just before 0800hrs GMT for the concluding two stages. Thanks for reading.
Information
SS8
1 Neuville 11m17.7s
2 Sordo +3.2s
3 Latvala +3.6s
4 Tanak +4.1s
5 Breen +6.2s
6 Paddon +7.1s
Overall after SS8
1 Neuville 2h44m10.2s
2 Ogier +38.9s
3 Sordo +57.7s
4 Latvala +1m09.4s
5 Breen +1m12.2s
6 Paddon +1m43.8s
1 Neuville 11m17.7s
2 Sordo +3.2s
3 Latvala +3.6s
4 Tanak +4.1s
5 Breen +6.2s
6 Paddon +7.1s
Overall after SS8
1 Neuville 2h44m10.2s
2 Ogier +38.9s
3 Sordo +57.7s
4 Latvala +1m09.4s
5 Breen +1m12.2s
6 Paddon +1m43.8s
Quote
It's a hydraulic issue for Ogier.
"We lost hydraulic pressure," says Ogier. "I knew at the end of the last stage that the problem was starting. No gear shifting, no diff, so it's a rear wheel drive car. It behaves strangely."
"We lost hydraulic pressure," says Ogier. "I knew at the end of the last stage that the problem was starting. No gear shifting, no diff, so it's a rear wheel drive car. It behaves strangely."
Information
OGIER LOSES 36s TO NEUVILLE.
The Frenchman holds second but is now 38.9s behind Neuville. He's 18s ahead of Sordo.
The Frenchman holds second but is now 38.9s behind Neuville. He's 18s ahead of Sordo.
Crash
NO DOUBT OGIER HAS A PROBLEM.
The Frenchman is 23s slower than Neuville at the second split.
He's using the secondary gear lever, so it could be a transmission problem.
The Frenchman is 23s slower than Neuville at the second split.
He's using the secondary gear lever, so it could be a transmission problem.
Quote
Exactly the time he set this morning through this stage for Neuville. And more importantly it looks like he's extended his lead
"We are in a fight for the lead," says Neuville. "Obviously today we have been strong. I've pushed hard, hopefully it's enough to keep the lead tonight."
"We are in a fight for the lead," says Neuville. "Obviously today we have been strong. I've pushed hard, hopefully it's enough to keep the lead tonight."
Stopwatch
Neuville is fastest so far after what looked like a ragged stage from the Belgian. He's 3.2s quicker than Sordo. Brilliant stage from him.
Stopwatch
OGIER HAS LOST TIME! The Frenchman is 9.3s slower than Neuville at the first split alone.
He started the stage 2.2s behind Neuville.
He started the stage 2.2s behind Neuville.
Quote
Breen appears happy with his day, laughing and joking at the stage end.
"It's a bit different now I have a bit of volume in my ear," says Breen after losing the intercom on this stage this morning. "I had a strong smell of fuel just before the start of the stage and my eyes started to water, I had to open all the windows."
"It's a bit different now I have a bit of volume in my ear," says Breen after losing the intercom on this stage this morning. "I had a strong smell of fuel just before the start of the stage and my eyes started to water, I had to open all the windows."
Stopwatch
Breen completes and he's 3s slower than Sordo, and 2.6s slower than Latvala.
Quote
Sordo completes and he's the quickest man so far, extending his gap to Jari-Matti Latvala in fourth to 11.7s. He can't believe his time after a big push.
"Maximum, maximum, maximum," exclaims Sordo. "I can't do better than that. It's impossible. I tried to push really hard. The time is lower than this morning, it's incredible. Still, not good."
"Maximum, maximum, maximum," exclaims Sordo. "I can't do better than that. It's impossible. I tried to push really hard. The time is lower than this morning, it's incredible. Still, not good."
Quote
Latvala is revelling in the 'new' Toyota Yaris underneath him after a differential change at service.
"It's feeling like a completely different car," says the Finn. "I really like the car now. Before midday we were fighting but I'm enjoying it now."
"It's feeling like a completely different car," says the Finn. "I really like the car now. Before midday we were fighting but I'm enjoying it now."
Stopwatch
Latvala completes and he's 3.5s quicker than Paddon. Although he's likely to drop a bit of time to Sordo who's one spot ahead on the podium.
Quote
Paddon completes the stage in 11m24.8s.
"There's a lot more gravel pulled out, but my gravel crew has done a great job," he says. "We're a lot closer than we were last year at that point."
Paddon's gravel crew includes Aussie driver Brendan Reeves. Hopefully he's following along today from the service park. Good day to you Brendan!
"There's a lot more gravel pulled out, but my gravel crew has done a great job," he says. "We're a lot closer than we were last year at that point."
Paddon's gravel crew includes Aussie driver Brendan Reeves. Hopefully he's following along today from the service park. Good day to you Brendan!
Stopwatch
Latvala is 0.7s up on Paddon at the first split. Next up at that point will be Sordo all being well.
Pictures show just how narrow the roads are and how low some of the small bridges and walls in Corsica are. They must be impossible to see from inside the cockpit.
Latvala and Sordo are both into the stage.
Latvala and Sordo are both into the stage.
If you examine who is authoring this feed, you won't be surprised to see Didier Auriol appear. Here he is winning the Tour of Corsica in 1992, 25 years ago.
On this stage, we have four minute gaps between drivers so we'll get some gaps. Expect retro pictures to fill the time. If you don't like that, you're probably following the wrong live feed.
Information
Our stage is underway and here's your starting order:
Paddon
Latvala
Sordo
Breen
Neuville
Ogier
Tanak
Hanninen
Paddon
Latvala
Sordo
Breen
Neuville
Ogier
Tanak
Hanninen
And here's a couple of things to watch for on this stage:
- Thierry Neuville leads, But Sebastien Ogier has the gap down to 2.2s ahead of the final stage of the day
- Jari-Matti Latvala is fourth, but is only 11.3s behind Dani Sordo and is on a charge.
- Craig Breen is also in that fight, 0.2s behind Latvala
- Thierry Neuville leads, But Sebastien Ogier has the gap down to 2.2s ahead of the final stage of the day
- Jari-Matti Latvala is fourth, but is only 11.3s behind Dani Sordo and is on a charge.
- Craig Breen is also in that fight, 0.2s behind Latvala
Information
Not long until our final stage of the day gets underway. Here's KRIS MEEKE to talk you through the test.
SS8 Novella 2 17.27km (10.73 miles)
"This is the stage where we broke the wheel last year, really close to the start. It’s shorter this time with 13km cut from the end.
"The first section, maybe the first 60 per cent of the stage, isn’t really like Corsica so much. It’s through scrubland with really high hedges and the road’s just the width of the car. After we get up through a village up in the mountains then we head down on a different style of road that’s more traditional Corsica."
SS8 Novella 2 17.27km (10.73 miles)
"This is the stage where we broke the wheel last year, really close to the start. It’s shorter this time with 13km cut from the end.
"The first section, maybe the first 60 per cent of the stage, isn’t really like Corsica so much. It’s through scrubland with really high hedges and the road’s just the width of the car. After we get up through a village up in the mountains then we head down on a different style of road that’s more traditional Corsica."
Autosport
If you're a Brit cursing the retirement of Kris Meeke, here's something to make you feel better.
Twitter
Twitter
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Autosport
David Evans
News from the world's leading technically minded rally hack Martin Sharp on Latvala's SS7 pace.
"He didn't change the centre diff, he's changed the rear diff and gone for one with a less aggressive ramp, which is helping to get the front of the car turned in."
Thanks Sharpy.
"He didn't change the centre diff, he's changed the rear diff and gone for one with a less aggressive ramp, which is helping to get the front of the car turned in."
Thanks Sharpy.
Twitter
Twitter
Information
SS7
1 Ogier 32m15.9s
2 Latvala +5s
3 Neuville +6s
4 Sordo +15.2s
5 Breen +15.9s
6 Paddon +25.1s
Overall after SS7
1 Neuville 2h32m52.5s
2 Ogier +2.2s
3 Sordo +54.5s
4 Latvala +1m05.8s
5 Breen +1m06s
6 Paddon +1m36.7s
1 Ogier 32m15.9s
2 Latvala +5s
3 Neuville +6s
4 Sordo +15.2s
5 Breen +15.9s
6 Paddon +25.1s
Overall after SS7
1 Neuville 2h32m52.5s
2 Ogier +2.2s
3 Sordo +54.5s
4 Latvala +1m05.8s
5 Breen +1m06s
6 Paddon +1m36.7s
By: Matt Beer
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