News Bites DAY 2

1955hrs – Talk about close! Only one tenth of a second separates the top three at the end of Day 2 and SS25, with title fighters Loeb and Hirvonen equal second, just behind Sordo.
Ford can also play tactics, or so it seems, and we go into the final day with Sordo sweeping the road, and Hirvonen now with a more advantageous starting order.
It’s anyone’s win, and anyone’s championship.
Tune in tomorrow from 0700hrs…

1952 – After SS25 TWEED 6 Super Special
Dani SORDO 1:52:28.1
LOEB 1:52:28.2, +0.1
HIRVONEN 1:52:28.2, +0.1
LATVALA 1:53:12.5, +44.3
OGIER 1:53:14.3, +46.2
SOLBERG 1:55:10.5, +2:42.4

1925 – SS24 TWEED 5 Super Special Stage Results
OGIER 1:47.4
LOEB 1:47.6, +0.2
LATVALA 1:48.8, +1.4
SORDO 1:48.8, +1.4
HIRVONEN 1:49.9, +2.5
SOLBERG 1:51.1, +3.7

1906hrs – The first Super Special is about to start. Fifteen seconds in between each car, so results will come quick and fast… This will be the last Super Special fo the rally.

1706hrs – Loeb has re-started the car and has resumed liason.

1700hrs – Loeb has pulled over on the liason to Tweed 5 and is out of the car, examining the front end of the Citroen…

1655hrs – With Loeb in perfect position for tomorrow, we head over to Murwillumbah for the final two Super Special tarmac stages tonight at 1915 and 1930. Stay tuned…

1650hrs – AFTER SS23 Bosch 2
HIRVONEN 1:48:50.0
SORDO 1:48:52.0 +2.0
LOEB 1:48:54.1, +4.1
LATVALA 1:49:36.2, +46.2
OGIER 1:49:40.7, +50.7
SOLBERG 1:51:28.3, +2:38.3

1643hrs – SS23 Bosch 2 Stage results
SORDO 9:30.6
HIRVONEN 9:36.7, +6.1
WILSON 9:43.5, +12.9
OGIER 9:44.1, +13.5
SOLBERG 9:47.6, +17.0
VILLAGRA 9:49.2, +18.6
LOEB 9:51.9, +21.3

1641hrs – Loeb has slowed down to avoid being first on road tomorrow…

1640hrs – Solberg has broken his thumb trying to get the car into reverse.

1621hrs – Latvala had a puncture on SS23 Bosch 2. He came across the finish line with a shredded right rear tyre and slight damage to the car. He thinks he can fix it. He has lost around 35secs.
He can fit the spare before the Tarmac Super Special SS24 and SS 25. More comments in Stage 23 Flash…

1700hrs – Loeb has pulled over on the liason to Tweed 5 and is out of the car, examining the front end of the Citroen…

1655hrs – With Loeb in perfect position for tomorrow, we head over to Murwillumbah for the final two Super Special tarmac stages tonight at 1915 and 1930. Stay tuned…

1650hrs – AFTER SS23 Bosch 2
HIRVONEN 1:48:50.0
SORDO 1:48:52.0 +2.0
LOEB 1:48:54.1, +4.1
LATVALA 1:49:36.2, +46.2
OGIER 1:49:40.7, +50.7
SOLBERG 1:51:28.3, +2:38.3

1643hrs – SS23 Bosch 2 Stage results
SORDO 9:30.6
HIRVONEN 9:36.7, +6.1
WILSON 9:43.5, +12.9
OGIER 9:44.1, +13.5
SOLBERG 9:47.6, +17.0
VILLAGRA 9:49.2, +18.6
LOEB 9:51.9, +21.3

1641hrs – Loeb has slowed down to avoid being first on road tomorrow…

1640hrs – Solberg has broken his thumb trying to get the car into reverse.

1621hrs – Latvala had a puncture on SS23 Bosch 2. He came across the finish line with a shredded right rear tyre and slight damage to the car. He thinks he can fix it. He has lost around 35secs.
He can fit the spare before the Tarmac Super Special SS24 and SS 25. More comments in Stage 23 Flash…

1621hrs – Ogier had an off on SS22 that resulted in his slow time.

1534hrs – Dayco 2 Stage Results
LOEB 1:39:02.2
HIRVONEN 1:39:13.3, +11.1
LATVALA 1:39:16.1, +13.9
SORDO 1:39:21.4, +19.2
OGIER 1:39:56.6, +54.4

1534hrs – Dayco 2 Stage Results
LOEB 9:38.3
SORDO 9:38.8. +0.5
HIRVONEN 9:41.9, +3.6
LATVALA 9:46.9, +8.6
OGIER 10:16.8, +38.5

1500hrs – The next stage, Dayco 2, will commence at 1527hrs.

1455hrs – AFTER SS21 CTEK WEST 1
LOEB 1:29:23.9
LATVALA 1:29:29.2, +5.3
HIRVONEN 1:29:31.4, +7.5
OGIER 1:29:39.8, +15.9
SORDO 1:29:42.6, +18.7

1451hrs – CTEK WEST 1 Stage Results
LOEB 4:28.3
HIRVONEN 4:30.4, +2.1
SORDO 4:31.9, +3.6
LATVALA 4:34.4, +6.1
OGIER 4:34.6, +6.3
SOLBERG 4:36.6, +8.3

1449hrs – Loeb has taken the rally lead from Latvala by an enormous 5.3sec! Loeb was 6.1sec quicker than the Finn over the 8.6km stage. Hirvonen is second, 2.2secs away from Sordo and Latvala.

1448hrs – CTEK WEST 1 has started.

1431hrs – Car 32 Sousa – stopped on stage – lost wheel.
Car 39 – Araujo – stoped to assist Sousa.

1426hrs – CTEK WEST 1 will kick off at 1434hrs.

1407 -AFTER SS20 ARMOR ALL 2
LATVALA 1:24:54.8
LOEB 1:24:55.6, +0.8
HIRVONEN 1:25:01.0, +6.2
OGIER 1:25:05.2, +10.4
SORDO 1:25:10.7, +15.9

1411hrs – Loeb averaged 132.5km/h on SS20.

1407 -SS20 ARMOR ALL 2 Stage Results
LOEB 3:42.8
HIRVONEN 3:43.8
SORDO 3:44.9
LATVALA 3:45.5
OGIER 3:45.7

1401hrs – Latvala is through cleanly.

1358hrs – SS20 has begun.

1102hrs – The cars will head back to service, and rally resumes at 1355hrs with SS20 Armor All 2.

1058hrs – After SS19 URLIUP
LATVALA 1:21:09.3
LOEB 1:21:12.8, +3.5
HIRVONEN 1:21:17.2, +7.9
OGIER 1:21:19.5, +10.2
SORDO 1:21:25.8, +16.5

1054hrs – SS19 URLIUP Stage Results
HIRVONEN 4:25.7
OGIER 4:26.7, +1.0
LATVALA 4:27.7, +2.0
LOEB 4:29.0, +3.3
SORDO 4:30.4, +4.7

1039hrs – SS18 FLASH

Car 4. LATVALA/ANTTILA
“It’s more difficult, we have one more stage before the service, so I hope we are okay. I love the rain!”

Car 12. OGIER/INGRASSIA
“We had to clean the road, it is not as muddy, but we still went good.”

Car 3. HIRVONEN/LEHTINEN
“This rally is going to be a big fight, but anything is possible. I am happy with my time.”

Car 2. SORDO/MARTI
“I found this stage was difficult, very narrow, there seems to be a problem with the car. “

Car 1. LOEB/ELENA
“It was a very good second stage, I set a really fast time, I am just happy to take time from Latvala!”

Car 6. SOLBERG/MENKERUD
“I kept aquaplaning on first stage; I got out of the car on the second stage, stepped into mud, got back in the car and slipped off the brake pedal on first corner. I would rather drive with a windscreen, but it’s not that bad! Menkerud tried to put the bonnet down; he slipped on the washer bottle, and sprayed water all through the open windscreen!”
(Solberg laughing – front windscreen removed front of the car flapping all over the place. Windscreen wiper holding parts of the car on. Missing a few bits of his car.)

Car 5. WILSON/MARTIN
“I just wanted to take a picture of Henning with his glasses on, with no windscreen at the start of the stage.”

GENERAL :All drivers seem to be enjoying the stages more, however there are plenty of interesting comments about the slippery surfaces on the bridges.

0938hrs – Araujo has rolled on SS18 but is still running… He hasn’t even dented the roof.

0934hrs – P-WRC Driver Sousa has damage to the front of the car from Stage 16, and was late to SS17 copping a 2min penalty. Crocker is in front of him on the road.

0931hrs – After SS18 ARMOR ALL 1
LATVALA 1:16:41.6
LOEB 1:16:43.8, +2.2
HIRVONEN 1:16:51.5, +9.9
OGIER 1:16:52.8, +11.2
SORDO 1:16:55.4, +13.8
SOLBERG 1:18:43.8, +2:02.2

0918hrs – Henning has no windscreen, and the dash was starting to lift up at speed. Co-driver Cato Menkerud put his foot on the dash to hold it down, but his foot slipped and he turned on the water spray, which soaked them both!

0905hrs – SS18 ARMOR ALL 1 Stage Results
LOEB 3:47.2
HIRVONEN 3:48.8, +1.6
OGIER 3:49.8, +2.6
SORDO 3:50.0, +2.8
LATVALA 3:50.1, +2.9

0905hrs – SS18 ARMOR ALL 1 has begun, Latvala and Ogier are through.

0852hrs – FLASH SS16
Car 1. LOEB/ELENA
“I went wide behind, Mikko was really fast, I had to really try hard. We went fine. Latvala also went really fast, it was a very fast stage, very beautiful stage, just keep pushing… really enjoyed that one, very muddy and fast!

Car 4. LATVALA/ANTTILA
“The rain and mud is an advantage. A lot of help for times. It’s good”

Car 6. SOLBERG/MENKERUD
“Very, very slippery, we went very far out on some of the corners!” (Flames coming from the back wheels).

Car 12. OGIER/INGRASSIA
“Hopefully better on the next stage. Something went wrong with brakes and I came off, I got straight back on the road, and kept going”.

0844hrs – Solberg rolled in SS17. Still drivable, lot of damage to front and roof, he complained of aquaplaning on the stage.

0843hrs – AFTER SS17 BOSCH 1
LATVALA 1:12:51.5
LOEB 1:12:56.6, +5.1
HIRVONEN 1:13:02.7, +11.2
OGIER 1:13:03.0, +11.5
SORDO 1:13:05.4, +13.9
SOLBERG 1:14:46.3, +1:54.8

0840hrs – SS17 BOSCH 1 Stage Results
LOEB 9:26.3
SORDO 9:32.0, +5.7
HIRVONEN 9:32.6, +6.3
OGIER 9:38.2, +11.9
LATVALA 9:40.7, +14.4
WILSON 9:48.3, +22.0

0837hrs – Henning Solberg dropped over a minute on the stage. More to come…

0833hrs – Loeb has claimed first place on SS17 by a good margin of 5.7secs from teammate Sordo.

0831hrs – Sordo leads the stage from Hirvonen by 0.6secs.

0829hrs – Hirvonen is now leading from Ogier by 5.6secs. Road position is obviously playing a vital role today…

0827hrs – Ogier has pipped Latvala on SS17 by 2.5secs.

0822hrs – SS17 BOSCH 1 has begun.

0757hrs – AFTER SS16 Dayco 1
LATVALA 1:03:10.8
OGIER 1:03:24.8, +14.0
HIRVONEN 1:03:30.1, +19.3
LOEB 1:03:30.3, +19.5
SORDO 1:03:33.4, +22.6

0752hrs – SS16 Dayco 1 Stage Results
HIRVONEN 9:45.1
LOEB 9:46.2, +1.1
SORDO 9:49.2, +4.1
LATVALA 9:49.4, +4.3
OGIER 10:01.2, +16.1
SOLBERG 10:01.4, +16.3

0750hrs – Loeb is through, but could not catch Hirvonen. He trails by 1.1sec in the stage, and is currently in second place.

0746hrs – Sordo and Hirvonen have swapped positions again, with the Finn gaining a 3.3sec advantage over the Spaniard in outright standings. He currrently leads the stage, with Sordo second, and Latvala 0.2secs behind in third.

0740hrs – And we’re off! Latvala has led the field on Day Two and holds a massive 11.5sec lead over Ogier in second position through the 20.3km Dayco 1 stage.

0630hrs – The rain has started to fall in the Kingscliffe Service Park.

SATURDAY 0545hrs – Welcome to Day Two of Repco Rally Australia. The first cars have just left the service park, and have a long 132km liason to SS16, Dayco 1, ahead of them. The first car is due at 0728hrs.

The weather today is forecast for a low of 10 degrees Celsius, highs of 24 degrees, and a possible afternoon thunderstorm.