WRC Tour of Corsica
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Meeke now 2s down on Mikkelsen.
Latvala on a flier at the moment. He is fastest through the second split. He had a 22.9s gap to leader Evans before this stage, that could come down.
Many of you will have noticed on the press conference picture of Elfyn Evans that the backdrop was, well it was missing.
David Evans tells me that it fell victim to the weather, as did the roads, mountains and a few drivers yesterday.
David Evans tells me that it fell victim to the weather, as did the roads, mountains and a few drivers yesterday.
Evans is slower than Ogier through the first split. He is also 1.7s down on Latvala.
Meeke matches Latvala through the first split. More importantly he is about 3s quicker than Mikkelsen at the moment. If he keeps this pace up he will jump Mikkelsen in the overall standings.
Mikkelsen is through the first split and he is about 3s slower than Latvala.
Ogier is quicker than Neuville through the opening split. 8.8s quicker to be precise. Quick reminder again though that the champion is down in 55th place.
Green flag
Day two is go, Thierry Neuville is into the stage. Lets see if today can match the craziness off yesterday.
David Evans also got a lovely snap yesterday of our current leader Elfyn Evans, as you can see below:
Elfyn Evans cut a lonely figure at yesterday’s end of leg press conference. Third-place Jari-Matti Latvala had to leave early to move his car out of service and down to Bastia, while second-placed Kevin Abbring had yet to arrive. Still, the rally-leading Welshman was well worth listening to. Asked if he was feeling the pressure of leading the event, he smiled and told Autosport: “No. Pressure was what happened on the last round… but there is a long way to go and this is a bloody tough rally.”
In Australia, three weeks ago, Evans wasn’t leading at the end of day one. He was ninth, 2m21.8s off the lead. Now that was pressure.
Elfyn Evans cut a lonely figure at yesterday’s end of leg press conference. Third-place Jari-Matti Latvala had to leave early to move his car out of service and down to Bastia, while second-placed Kevin Abbring had yet to arrive. Still, the rally-leading Welshman was well worth listening to. Asked if he was feeling the pressure of leading the event, he smiled and told Autosport: “No. Pressure was what happened on the last round… but there is a long way to go and this is a bloody tough rally.”
In Australia, three weeks ago, Evans wasn’t leading at the end of day one. He was ninth, 2m21.8s off the lead. Now that was pressure.
Our man in Corsica, David Evans, is slightly drier that he was yesterday and has news on some interesting tyre choices today:
"Most drivers taking softs all around. Paddon has gone with a mix of hards and softs, but Kevin Abbring's the biggest surprise - the man in second is reported by Michelin to be on hards all around. Brave boy."
Only a few minutes to go now until SS5 goes live. As always Kevin Abbring's co-driver, Seb Marshall, is on hand to guide us through the 22.6 mile stage:
SS3/5 Francardo-Sermano (22.63 miles)
This is probably the slowest stage of them all, just because it’s so narrow and so twisty, technical. You go up over a Col, which is nothing new, but unlike the other stages, there are a lot of hairpins in this one. There’s a sequence of six or seven in the space of a couple of kilometres, which makes this stage a little bit like Monte Carlo. The final part of this stage is on a slightly wider road, following the side of a hill. I remember from the recce, this one is also really bumpy – I can tell that from my writing in my pacenote book!
SS3/5 Francardo-Sermano (22.63 miles)
This is probably the slowest stage of them all, just because it’s so narrow and so twisty, technical. You go up over a Col, which is nothing new, but unlike the other stages, there are a lot of hairpins in this one. There’s a sequence of six or seven in the space of a couple of kilometres, which makes this stage a little bit like Monte Carlo. The final part of this stage is on a slightly wider road, following the side of a hill. I remember from the recce, this one is also really bumpy – I can tell that from my writing in my pacenote book!
News
The other big news from last night was that World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier suffered a gear shift problem on his way to the overnight parc ferme in Place St Nicolas.
Thankfully he can rejoin under Rally2 today but he will do so from 55th place. All in all it was a miserable day for Ogier who was already down in 10th after he picked up a puncture on SS2.
Thankfully he can rejoin under Rally2 today but he will do so from 55th place. All in all it was a miserable day for Ogier who was already down in 10th after he picked up a puncture on SS2.
News
Now before you assume I have just decided to sleep in this morning and forget about SS4, think again. As expected the stage - which was also cancelled yesterday due to flooding and landslides - was called off, meaning we will begin today with the second run through of SS3, Francardo - Sermano. 
Good morning and welcome to AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live. Once again our focus is firmly on the World Rally Championship’s Rally France - or the Tour of Corsica to you and I .
We will be back tomorrow at 8.00am UK time for AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live's coverage of SS4 from Corsica, where we will see if Elfyn Evans can maintain his overall lead. Goodbye for now.
Here is the full report of what has been an incredible afternoon, filled with rain, punctures and a flying Welshman 
In WRC2, leader Pontus Tidemand stopped out on the stage, which gifted the overall lead to Craig Breen, who is just 3.4s ahead of Julien Maurin overall.
Romain Dumas still leads the 'sportscar class', 12.7s up on Francois Delecour.
Romain Dumas still leads the 'sportscar class', 12.7s up on Francois Delecour.
So, a crazy run through SS3 leaves us with a lot to talk about. Here are the main talking points heading into day two:
. Leader Sebastien Ogier suffered a puncture, leaving him over a minute down in tenth overall
. Elfyn Evans set the pace on SS3, 10.3s ahead of Kevin Abbring and 29.1s up on the fastest VW of Mikkelsen to take the overall lead.
. Dani Sordo picked up a puncture after hitting a rock early on in the stage.
. Bouffier and Sarrazin jump up the order with quick runs, while Kubica falls to fifth.
. Leader Sebastien Ogier suffered a puncture, leaving him over a minute down in tenth overall
. Elfyn Evans set the pace on SS3, 10.3s ahead of Kevin Abbring and 29.1s up on the fastest VW of Mikkelsen to take the overall lead.
. Dani Sordo picked up a puncture after hitting a rock early on in the stage.
. Bouffier and Sarrazin jump up the order with quick runs, while Kubica falls to fifth.
Overall standings after SS3:
1 Evans 46m48.5s
2 Abbring + 18.7s
3 Latvala + 22.9s
4 Ostberg + 38.8s
5 Kubica + 40.3s
6 Sarrazin +43.1s
7 Mikkelsen + 44.5s
8 Meeke + 47s
9 Bouffier + 1m04.8s
10 Ogier +1m13.2s
1 Evans 46m48.5s
2 Abbring + 18.7s
3 Latvala + 22.9s
4 Ostberg + 38.8s
5 Kubica + 40.3s
6 Sarrazin +43.1s
7 Mikkelsen + 44.5s
8 Meeke + 47s
9 Bouffier + 1m04.8s
10 Ogier +1m13.2s
Checkered flag
SS3 stage times:
1 Evans 26m48.5s
2 Abbring +10.3s
3 Sarrazin + 24.1s
4 Bouffier + 27.1s
5 Mikkelsen + 29.1s
6 Latvala + 33.1s
1 Evans 26m48.5s
2 Abbring +10.3s
3 Sarrazin + 24.1s
4 Bouffier + 27.1s
5 Mikkelsen + 29.1s
6 Latvala + 33.1s
So our order is:
1 Evans
2 Abbring
3 Latvala
4 Ostberg
5 Kubica
6 Sarrazin
7 Mikkelsen
8 Meeke
9 Bouffier
10 Ogier
1 Evans
2 Abbring
3 Latvala
4 Ostberg
5 Kubica
6 Sarrazin
7 Mikkelsen
8 Meeke
9 Bouffier
10 Ogier
Sarrazin is through, he's third fastest on the stage behind Evans and Abbring, and he's into the top six overall on his WRC return! He's pretty thrilled with that, though his stage-end interview also comprises the word "mud!" being shouted, a lot.
Information
Correct that - Breen was moving, the tracking system wasn't. Scare over, Breen still on course.
Crash
Another WRC2 upset - Breen was set to take the lead with Tidemand in trouble, but the Peugeot has stopped too. Maurin and Lappi are next in line.
Bouffier is in and he's third quickest on the stage, but because he was a fair way off the pace on SS1, he remains back in eighth overall.
Quote
Abbring's view: "They just told me it's the second fastest time overall... I knew I was on a good pace, but in the last 10km downhill I really didn't like it, you really had to be careful."
Abbring is second fastest on the stage, 10s down on Evans but a long way clear of the rest - he shoots up to second overall!
At the moment, it's Evans leading Latvala by 22s overall, with Ostberg third. But until a few more drivers filter in, let's not declare that our overnight running order.
Evans is certainly safe in the lead, though.
Evans is certainly safe in the lead, though.
This stage will turn the rally order inside out - our star returnees Bouffier and Sarrazin are both going quicker than the VWs, though not as fast as the incredible Evans and Abbring.
Crash
Going to be a shake-up in WRC2 as well, leader Tidemand is stopped early on the stage. That in theory hands the lead to Breen, but there are many, many miles to go there yet.
Quote
Here's Kubica on that stage: "Very bad. Extremely difficult conditions. In such conditions you just need a bit more confidence. But there was so much standing water."
So no major drama, he just joined the list of confidence-free drivers on that one.
So no major drama, he just joined the list of confidence-free drivers on that one.
Abbring hasn't lost too much with Bertelli - he's only 5s off Evans's searing pace at the next split.
Trouble for Kubica - he's nearly a minute slower than Evans at the stage finish, that's going to drop him to at least fourth overall.
Quote
"We hit a rock on the inside and the air of the tyre was out," explains Sordo. The curse of the puncture.
A massively upset Sordo is in, punching his Hyundai in frustration after a two-minute delay. He'd been third overall at the start of the stage.
Looks like the spice could be taken out of Abbring's charge as he's caught the slower car of Bertelli on the road. Hopefully the Italian privateer will swiftly make space for him to pass.
Paddon is amazed to even reach the stage finish, he reports hitting a big rock and near aquaplaning over a big drop. He remains in the struggler zone with Tanak, likely outside the top 10 when everyone's in. They're both just behind Ogier overall.
So it looks like - and there's a way to go on this stage yet - our end of day top three is going to be Evans with a good lead, then Latvala just ahead of Kubica, and Abbring in among that lot somewhere.
Quote
Tanak is a massive 50s slower than M-Sport team-mate Evans on the stage.
"It's a tough stage. A tough stage. A lot of running water in the beginning. Even if you try to drive safely, it's never safe in conditions like these. Quite difficult to know how fast to go. It's not about the pacenotes, it's about where is the water and the shit?"
"It's a tough stage. A tough stage. A lot of running water in the beginning. Even if you try to drive safely, it's never safe in conditions like these. Quite difficult to know how fast to go. It's not about the pacenotes, it's about where is the water and the shit?"
By: Matt Beer
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