SS19 - Fafe 2

STAGE FLASH

Date: Sunday 21st May 2017
Day:  3
Flash N°: 20
Special stage: SS19 - Fafe 2 (Power Stage)
Distance: 11.18km
Weather: Slight cloud, dry, slight breeze
Road conditions: Dry, dusty, loose gravel and sand
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It’s great for sure. It’s fantastic to be on top of the podium. It was great in the car, the team was perfect. The car was amazing. The team will love this one. They deserve it, it’s a team effort. I’m sure if they can afford to give me a new car every rally though!”

Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“At the beginning it was maybe not perfect. But after that it was a good clean run. After the rally some points would be nice.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“It wasn’t really the plan, we were going to go the same speed at the first time. We went off to the left a little bit. Don’t know why.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“It was cleaning a lot. More so than I thought. It was sliding a lot, it was good fun. The team did and absolutely brilliant job on the car this weekend. It’s been good.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“It was a good stage for me. I tried my best. I had a good clean run, but it wasn’t enough – Tanak is still faster. I think we’ve shown a good performance and for me it’s been good for the Championship.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“I’m really happy. I was disappointed with the problems on the longer stages. I need to tell everyone in the stages thank you. To see all these people watching is important. It’s incredible.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“It was okay. The jump feels a bit different this year. There’s something different about the take-off. It’s sending the cars up on the right hand side.

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“We made a couple of small adjustments to the diff. It’s been good. We can be consistently fast. It hasn’t been a terrible weekend.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“I don’t take a risk. It was very difficult. I hope for more in the next rally.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“It was good, a lot of fans here. I’m happy to finish. I’ve had to fight with myself a lot. But now it’s done and we can score some points. It’s good.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“It was a bit easier than Argentine. We learn a lot. It’s nice to have a clean run. But we still need to improve. It’s our first time on these stages.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“It’s a positive for sure. Surprisingly positive. \it was a shame what happened yesterday. But the speed at this level is amazing. But you still push yourself. We’re still learning.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was a big jump. It felt a bit long.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“It was quite a moment! I wanted to go fast, I thought I could carry more speed.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“Andreas was stopped near the beginning of the stage. I don’t know what happened. It was odd for me. In the first corners I thought we had punctures. When we saw Andreas we were really careful!”

Car 33, Camili/Veillas
“We had out two best times this morning. It’s been okay. But we’ve been so unlucky this weekend, so we didn’t push. The car has been working well though, I’m not worrying about it.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“It was okay. We did a good rally, some small mistakes. I can improve the driving. It’s my first rally on gravel in this car. We need to learn from this.”

Car 39, Tempestini/Bernacchini
“We didn’t expect this. It’s not beautiful to be on the podium like this, when two guys in front of you have problems. We’ve worked a lot on the setup, it was the first rally on gravel. I’ve learned a lot. For the next one we’ll be more ready.”

Car 47, Campos/Costa
“It was a brilliant stage, great to win the national championship. We’re really happy with our result.”

SS18 - Montim

STAGE FLASH

Date: Sunday 21 May 2017
Day: 4
Flash N°: 19
Special stage: SS18, Montim
Distance: 8.66 km
Weather: Sunny, warm   
Road conditions: Dry, dusty, sandy
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“We will have a last push in the Power Stage. I don't need the win but I would like the extra points if I can. But I will not risk it all as a victory here would feel really good.”

Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“The morning was OK. A bit boring but nothing special. It has been nothing special – in the morning, we maintained the gap to Breen and this last one, we saved the tyres for the Power Stage. We are close [to Ogier] but we need to improve a bit more.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“The stage was Ok. I tried to avoid using too much of the tyres. I am focusing on the Power Stage and try to get important points for the team.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“The stage was good – the time was not so bad but we were a bit slow, to keep the tyres. The gap to Tanak is quite big, so I think it is important to finish. The first one, Ott started really fast and I had a bit of a scare so I push a bit more. Now I think the Power Stage we need to manage and get the finish.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“[SM] It’s not the feeling we had on Friday but we know what we need to do – get to the end and a solid fifth place. The team worked hard. On Friday, everything clicked. The pace notes were working well and it all came together. Since then, we have not had the same feeling. This rally has three very different days, with different characters.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“I make a mistake on the first corner and lost three or four seconds. So after that, I was calm to finish the stage and take no risks. Now I hope to make a good Power Stage. I made one mistake on the second stage of the rally and it was difficult to get the rhythm back again. Nothing to fight for, for us. I hoped for better on this rally but it didn't happen.”

Car 10, Latvala/Antilla
“[MA] The stage was OK – a couple of very small mistakes and maybe lost a couple of seconds. We are ready for the Power Stage and we will try to take the points but nothing crazy - we need to keep the championship in mind.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“The stage was OK. The first 1.5Km are pretty flat and there is one corner that turns a bit more and I am bot brave enough to go flat. It is still slippery but you need to do a bit more sideways. It has been a positive rally – to be at this speed is good but it is even harder to get the last bit of time. You need a perfect stage to get a good time and them repeat it 18 times in the weekend.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“The stage was Ok – I was taking it steady and making sure everything was Ok for the final stage. We like jumps but if we can’t win the stage, we will try to jump the furthest. The rally has been good – a lot of positive things. We lost the game with a puncture so the rally was over but we tried to do different things. It was a learning weekend.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“[CP] Today is OK – the stages are in beautiful condition. It’s been a long weekend and we’re just learning the car. But we’re really enjoying it. We have very good engineering support. All the settings are recorded for the future and we inform the engineers. It all works very well. It has been a learning curve. This year has been a lot of learning for us. T is a pleasure to drive and a pleasure to be involved with the team.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“I am happy – It looks like we will change the tyres around. The first stage was nice but the next two were twisty, slippery, everything. Fun to drive but you have to be careful of mistakes. There are a lot of ditches, rocks and so on. Proper stages. It has been a nice weekend – I had a smile on my face and I enjoyed the driving. It is nice to be back I the WRC.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“We have a very big gap so we are trying to have a go on the Power Stage. The jump is tricky – it is hard to get the perfect line. It is exciting…”

SS17 - Luihas

STAGE FLASH

Date: Sunday 21st May 2017
Day:  3
Flash N°: 18
Special stage: SS17 - Liuhas
Distance: 11.91km
Weather: Clear skies, dry
Road conditions: Dry, dusty, loose gravel and sand
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It’s rally, you have to cross the finish line. But I’m happy. It’s very slippery, but after some cars it’s getting better.”

Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“That’s not so good. I think I was going pretty slow. Not completely happy with the car so we need to make a few changes.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“Not a lot of high speed in there to be honest. Not a lot of grip in there. We just wanted to get through it. The next one should have a bit more grip and be quite a lot faster.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“We spun 2 or 3 km from the end. Not ideal, but otherwise the time would have been good. It was a difficult corner.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“It was good. Tried to be careful on the tyres. Very technical stage so it was slow. It was very loose out of the line. You have to be so careful with the entry of the line.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“Today was a bit relaxed, but I saw Tanak was really quick so in this stage I push. The rear of the car in unbelievable. It’s sliding all over the place. It’s not my style of driving.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“It’s new to me. I spun in here on a slow corner. Lost maybe five seconds.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“There’s not really much we can do in there. It’s just a case of driving through it. The balance of the car isn’t right.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“It was very slippery. I was wide on the corners. It was very difficult to find the traction. I was cleaning the road.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“The feeling is really good. I’m happy now, I feel a lot better than yesterday so I can push now. I had half a spin in there. There’s not a lot of grip. It’s a very difficult stage.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“It was really, really slippery. Let’s how it goes. We might change something on the road section. It’s not so easy now.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“It was slippery as hell. There was no grip. The line is not so clean. You try to use the line but you can’t. I’m going sideways too much even though it’s a narrow road.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was okay. I tried some changes on the dampers. I think it helped a bit.”

SS16 - Fafe 1

STAGE FLASH

Date: Sunday 21 May 2017
Day: 4
Flash N°: 17
Special stage: SS16, Fafe 1
Distance: 11.18 km
Weather: Sunny/light cloud, warm   
Road conditions: Dry, dusty, sandy surface
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“I was happy with the stage. I think everyone is pushing. It is tricky to do it fast.”

 Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“I have quite a clean stage – still slippery but OK.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“The stage is OK. The grip level wasn’t massive the first time through. The difference between this and last year is the speed – I was here in an R5 last year.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“I don't think anyone can chase Ogier with a 16 second gap. I pushed but mainly to et a clean run and check my notes for the Power Stage.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“I slide a lot on the stage – I am not pushing now – I drive very slow. To prepare for the next one. I will try to keep third position but the car is sliding and is herd to keep I the line – I can't drive very fast.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“It’s my first time in there, compared with the others. I struggled with the car – not a good feeling but we got there. It’s an incredible atmosphere but I still didn’t enjoy it.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“The settings on the car are better but not perfect.”

Car 10, Latvala/Antilla
“There is so much dust in the car an we had a little touch on the tarmac section. We were discussing we had a spare tyre in case we had a puncture but I think it is OK. We need to push a bit. I am feeling much better today than yesterday.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“We tried something with the car to see and get information. No problem.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“It was OK – we are trying to find the feeling again. It was pretty slippery so I guess the grip will change a lot for the Power Stage. I am trying to get used to that. It is good experience for the future. At least I was not first on the road.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“The jump was not so bad but painful enough. We are on full soft today, so the tyres are equal. I did not have a good feeling in there. We thing we find something and then, we go out the next morning and we are lost.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“We had a completely different set up today. We used new diff maps but for the first four or five corners I was completely of the road so I went back to what I know.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“We can enjoy it because we are sliding a lot – a lot of drifting. We should spend every Sunday morning like this!”

SS15 - Amarante 2

STAGE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20th May 2017
Day:  3
Flash N°: 16
Special stage: SS15 - Amarante 2
Distance: 37.55km
Weather: Clear, sunny and warm
Road conditions: Rough, loose gravel, dusty, some tarmac and cobbles
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“Yeah, it’s not bad. We’re happy with that. Ion this one I didn’t push hard because it was a bit rough at the end. I think I managed to tyres too much. I’m happy with the gap I have tonight. Tomorrow we have to finish the job. We still have to push until the end. We’ll have to enjoy it in Fafe. I hope I can’t be caught!”

Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“Same, clean as the previous runs. The car is feeling good, but I’m not pushing so much. I’m happy with the afternoon loop. Just trying to enjoy it and have a good run.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“Not particularly happy. The mistake on the morning loop wasn’t what we wanted. It was okay until we had that issue. But overall it was tough day. The car feels better now, but the grip has been low all the way through.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“It was an okay stage for me. Had two hard tyres on the front and soft on the rear. We had some slides. We’ll have to see how Ogier did. How his tyres are, and if he’s done better than us.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“I didn’t hit anything, I promise you. I don’t know why the car is like this. (bent left rear axle)”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“We were quite good on these stages last year, but this year not so good. Lacking a bit of confidence maybe.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“We didn’t end up with the tyre package we wanted. The ones on the rear are completely dead. On the tarmac bit I had a spin. I thought the package was perfect, but it wasn’t right. It’s been a tough day.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“There was a lot of dust on this one. I cleaned the road. It was okay. The afternoon was better. It’s very good for my confidence. It’s different compared to yesterday.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“The feeling has been getting better and better over the day. But I’m not 100%. But we have improved the car for the second passes, suspension work, so the guys have done really good work. The car is flying well.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“I don’t know what happened [to Lappi]. It was nice of them to let us pass.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“I was on loose gravel, really didn’t stay on the line and went off. I hit a wall and that was it.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was a challenging afternoon. We had to mix a lot with the tyres. But I didn’t feel confident to be honest. I felt the difference was different in my tyres, I had a mixed package. It was hard to get a balance in the car, had understeer and oversteer in different places.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“We started with a very hard setup this morning. It’s been very difficult being first car on the road. The last two stages were hard on the car. We had to drive more carefully.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“No problem on this one. It was clean. No problems like yesterday. A very nice stage for us. This stage wasn’t rough, just the last part was a bit rocky.”

Car 23, Raoux/Escartefigue
“We had a puncture in the stage on the front right, so we had to stop and change it. It was not easy. Then we were behind Andreas and there was a lot of dust. I touched a stone in the braking point and I could do nothing.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“This stage is not so rough. I’m not sure where the others did their mistakes, The last 6 or 7km was quite rough, but it was good clean stage. I can’t wait for tomorrow’s stages. The new stages will be a challenge for everyone.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“We had a puncture and had to stop and change. We’ve had a good rally though, it’s really good to drive. It’s been a bit too soft in place for the tyres. For sure we need to be on the pace because the other’s won’t give up.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“I got a puncture. There was a big, big stone in the line. There was nothing we could do. That’s rally. We need to focus on the racing. It’s always bad when drivers have bad luck.”

Car 41, Gilbert/Jamoul
“We’re quite happy about our day. A good choice of tyres. We’re there, we’ve done Saturday.”

SS14 - Cabeceiras de Basto 2

STAGE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20 May 2017
Day: 3
Flash N°: 15
Special stage: SS14, Cabeceiras de Basto 2
Distance: 22.3 km
Weather: Sunny, warm   
Road conditions: Dry, dusty, some surface rocks
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It's a good time. I tried to push harder on this one. The first one I tried to save my tyres. Now, it is all about the long one. If it stays like this – or even lose a little – then it is perfect.”

Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“It was good – a clean run and no problem. I don't know if I can catch Breen but now, it is important to collect the points.”

 Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“Not very good. I struggled a lot with confidence and the balance in the car. We are on a different package this afternoon and it wasn’t what I was expecting.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“It was OK. I was three soft and one hard. There is a section where you gain with the soft and another where you lose with the soft. We will see if we have the tyres for the last, long stage.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“I am trying. I’m trying for the clean line but I enjoy it a lot. On this stage, I was a little careful for the rear tyres – we have soft on the back and hard on the front. But Sebastien was very fast. We have good tyres for the next one, so we will try to do something there.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“I have learned that yesterday was better.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“There is something strange - it feels like a puncture on the front. For five or six Km in the stage.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“I am happy with the set-up. The car was moving a little bit but OK. I lost some time in the dust of Khalid but not too bad. This stage was good. ”

Car 10, Latvala/Antilla
“I have a good feeling with the car – it is going very well. There is a lot of pressure on the stomach so it is not very nice. I wouldn't want anyone else to feel [ill] like I am feeling today.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“We had an issue on the stage – it was maybe a lack of fuel pressure. I fixed it but it cut the engine again before the finish.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“I am really trying to beat Jari with a big push but I lost a bit of time. Maybe some corners I was not hard enough. But we need to keep it on the road. I am too competitive to not push.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was better in the previous stage but I struggled in this one again. I had no rhythm.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“We made a puncture on the front left. It was a long corner and there was some stone. We lost the pressure in the tyre. But luckily we managed to get to the finish without stopping.”

Car 23, Raoux/Escartefigue
“The stage was fine. I feel better with the car and I am beginning to learn the roads, so it is a pleasure. I changed the ride height and the dampers.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“It was a new stage this morning. On the second pass, I was pushing a bit more as I knew the lines a bit. This stage is a tyre-killer and I tried to take care of my softs. It's the long stage coming up now and I tried to keep them as good as possible.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“We are on soft tyres so they were moving too much early in the stage. But you know, we were trying. It feels like the stage is a tyre killer. We have more to put on for the long one.”

Car 33, Camili/Veillas
“We didn’t do this stage this morning, so we are all the time in delay on this rally. We are not really on the pace this afternoon. We will see on the next one.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“I hope I managed to get past Tidemund. The fight is tight. Now there are starting to be ruts. Let's see what is the time.”

Car 39, Tempestini/Bernacchini
“It was good. We didn't take any risks. One moment, we had to take care of the bonnet, as the catch on one side was coming up but we managed to finish this stage.”

Car 40, Heller/Olmos
“That was very good. We improved 30 seconds over the first time, so for us, keeping improving s very good. We are improving Km by Km.”

Car 41, Gilbert/Jamoul
“It was good. Like this morning. The tyres were too hard and I think it will be the same for the last one.”

Car 42, Greensmith/Parry
“It wasn’t a great stage. I’m in a bit of pain with my hand from this morning. I was a bit cautious and need to get some experience and then, think about a little bit of a go in Fafe.”

Car 46, Pieniazek/Mazur
“It was quite OK. The stages are amazing and very demanding here. We are very happy that we can take part in such a big event. I enjoy the stages so much. Everyone is amazing.”

Car 47, Campos/Costa
“For the national rally it was OK. Now, I want to get to the end as I have a problem with the turbocharger so I need to check.”

Car 81, Meireles/Castro
“I had to run in road mode, as I have problems with the fuel pressure. The car is not working so well. The engine is always going down.”

SS13 - Vieira do Minho 2

STAGE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20th May 2017
Day:  3
Flash N°: 14
Special stage: SS13 - Vieira do Minho 2
Distance: 17.43km
Weather: Clear skies, no wind
Road conditions: Loose gravel and sand

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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It’s possible to manage the gap. It’s never easy. We have to push hard. But we have to be careful with the tyres. It’s a long loop this afternoon.”

Car 2, Tanak/Jarveoja
“There was not too much frustration. It was pretty rough, we were maybe a bit careful.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“We had a really bad electrical burning smell. We had to stop at one point. We need to find out what it is.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“It’s a bit more grippy, so the car is working a bit better. It’s still sliding a bit from the rear. But we had a good stage.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“It was good. I did the maximum, I drive like hell. It was really, really nice. The next stages are the most important now.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“We’re still trying to learn some stuff. We’re trying some different things. It’s a difficult day to be honest.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“It’s too soft on the rear of the car. We thought we had a puncture it was sliding about that much. We’ll have to see what we can do for the rest of the afternoon.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“I hope with my tyre choice I can do the loop with no problem. I have four soft and two hard, so we’ll see.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“I think the most important think was to speak to the doctors and have some rest and something to drink. At the start of the stage in the jumps I felt a bit horrible. But it got better toward the end.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“The tyres have a lot of movement. It’s not good for confidence. We’ll look at what we can do for the next loop.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“The lines for the car were not ideal because of the tyre choice. It was moving a bit. But it was okay, we didn’t make any mistakes. The stage was in really good condition.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“The car works brilliantly. It’s the first time I’m running the hard D-Mack tyre. We’re testing that choice and it’s good.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“I expected it to be rougher. We raised the suspension and we don’t know if that was the right decision.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“It’s very nice. We didn’t raise the car too much which was the right decision. I’m still not exhausted!”

Car 23, Raoux/Escartefigue
“It’s still good. More grip on the road. It’s better. We have a different setup from this morning, we’ve gone higher and changed the dampers.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“It was quite a nice condition. It was breaking up in some places, but it was a nice stage actually.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“It’s going well. We’re trying. We will try and push on the long stage. We’ll try be like this morning.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“It was a pretty good stage. Just one or two small mistakes.”

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Hayden Paddon has pulled off the stage. Car lost speed/power. Reported to be a power steering failure.

Service E

SERVICE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20 May 2017
Day: 3
Flash N°: 13
Service: E
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“I am really happy. Since the beginning of the rally I am happy with the car. The feeling is much better than in Argentina – at least the speed is better. The feeling in Argentina was OK. There is a long loop this afternoon with high temperatures, so high tyre wear again. It's nice to have this gap but I was enjoying the fight with Ott. But that is the game sometimes. But at least he is still in the game. We know this afternoon will be warmer so it gives an indication but not a sure answer.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“The other guys were in the same position yesterday. But then was a bit damp and today it is dry. It's one of the worse positions to be in. But the car feels good. It’s not so much the gravel but the layers of sand, which clean with every car. It is hard to get lateral grip but it should be better this afternoon. We could have been fighting for the win at the moment but there’s no point in thinking about that. ”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“Our performance was great this morning. We did our best and were the fastest Hyundai on all three but we can't follow the Fords. They are going faster than us. I took it a bit more smooth on the last stage to not over-drive the car. The gap is big but it is not the biggest issue. We need to find some better settings to at least set the same pace.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“It was difficult his morning. It was slippery in some places so the car moved a lot from the rear. Sebastien had a better road position from yesterday and he was very fast. Ott was also going very well. We will try to do something with the car to get more traction because the rear moved a lot and we lost traction from the corners. We need to change something. It is not clear what we can do, as we don't know why we have no traction. But the Fords have more traction in the exit of the corner so we will try to look.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“[PN] It’s testing mode. We're on a different set up this morning and driving through, bringing data back for the team. The times aren’t there and the last stage, he said he hadn’t driven so bad in his life. Yesterday, we started the last stage of the loop with hard tyres on. Under braking for a bridge, it touched so we stopped at the next one to change but it became clear we had damage to the suspension and could not carry on. We started very strong and we have been here before – don't worry, we’ll bounce back.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“It’s been OK. I have to be realistic. It’s hard to land on a new stage with these guys. When you're trying to judge the speed from an on-board, it's hard. I’m happy – we're not a million miles form the podium, so we’ll see. For the tyres, I listen to the powers-that-be. I don't have as much experience as some. We saw yesterday that it was a mix and match for everyone – I don't think anyone had the perfect choice.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“This morning was not easy for us. Yesterday, I broke two dampers so today I have some different ones. We are trying different things. I am playing with the diff mapping to get the grip but it is not working well. I think it is more the springs or the dampers. I don't know what the plan is for the afternoon. I will de-brief with the team and now, we are learning with the team.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“[Mika Anttila] Before the first stage, he [Jari-Matti] was bad and the second one, he was very bad. Then the medicine started to work and he went well. I think now it is all going the right way. We have to remember safety first and that he is not feeling good, so slow down. All in all, we are not in the race and we dropped some places. All we can do is a bit of a test with the car and take it as a learning process for the whole team.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“[JF] we have been waiting for this for a very long time, so we have to enjoy it. We are here to learn and I think we have done that. We are improving stage times in every stage. OK, we stalled today but its going well. I am keeping up [with the notes] so it is all good.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was a difficult morning but OK. We had three decent stages. We tried some new things with the car, with the balance. Sometimes it goes the wrong way and this morning was one of those. I could not do anything so I concentrated on my driving. This morning you didn't have to think much about the tyres but this afternoon, I think it will be more difficult. It will be a big challenge to decide how many spares and how hard to push. ”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“It has been good. We didn’t want to drop the pace from yesterday but automatically it does, as you are leading by a bit. It is very easy to hit a rock and make a mistake, so it has dropped a bit but not too much. Maybe I am starting to get too old for this!”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“Perhaps I was saving the tyres but not on purpose. I got a good rhythm on the last one. We just need to keep pushing. It is good. It was nice to get the same time as Andreas but we need to stay focused and think about the championship a bit. It would be nice to be in front of Teemu but we must think about the championship. If we get second or third it is good. But second is better. ”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“The first two stages were good for me but he [Pontus] got me – we were struggling. There are some small things. Small things that we can improve – maybe by driving, maybe by making changes to the car. The long stage was rougher and now, I need to push more in the first two stages. I don't make big risks, as we need to finish this rally but I will take the risks I can to finish the rally.”

SS12 - Amarante 1

STAGE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20th May 2017
Day:  3
Flash N°: 12
Special stage: SS12 - Amarante 1
Distance: 37.55km
Weather: Clear, sunny and warm - 20 degrees
Road conditions: Rough, loose gravel, dusty, some tarmac and cobbles
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It’s not good news for Ott, he was doing so well. I hope he can carry on without losing too much, it’s important for the team. The stage was very hot and very demanding for tyres.”

Car 2, Tanak/Molder
“I hit a bank and something broke. Maybe 15k into the stage.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“We broke at damper. No front left damper. The last 15k here was very rough. I had to make sure we got through without any problems.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“We’ve got no problems with tyres. The road conditions are incredibly loose. I think we should take up drifting, we’re just going to lock to lock. But it’s enjoyable to drive. The fans want to see sideways, sometimes you have to have a bit of fun.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“I tried to be cleaner. I was going too sideways. I feel more comfortable. There’s not much more in it. I tried to be more efficient, but I don’t know if the time is good enough.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“It was not bad. I tried to do my best. I push hard, but it’s difficult. But we try. I was sliding in the stages. Everybody is fighting. There’s a bit more movement from the rear.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“It wasn’t so bad to be honest. We weren’t caught in the dust.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“When you’re discovering the road for the first time it’s difficult.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“It’s quite fine. I was stuck in the dust on the stage.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“I took some painkillers and had something to eat, it seems to help. I couldn’t eat in the night so my energy was down. I feel better than this morning.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“For me it was the first time on this stage. It was much more slippery than I thought. It was important to get smooth rhythm over there.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“It was a clean stage, finally I got one. It took a while. The time is not too bad. I didn’t do this stage last year, so it’s hard to feel the speed of the stage. But it’s okay now.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was okay, a long stage. I was struggling a lot in there with the balance of the car. I tried to do my best even though the car was difficult to drive.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“It was hard, very slippery. A lot of sliding. \it’s not easy. I just tried to keep the car on the ride.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“It was fine, nothing wrong with the stage. It was a lot to drive. We can enjoy it a little bit more because it’s longer.”

Car 23, Raoux/Escartefigue
“It’s big stage. It’s beautiful, but difficult. I have to learn a lot with the car. I must push more, I must learn.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“It’s nice to know where we are against the WRC cars, but it’s not my class. After yesterday we were a little more cautious about rocks, it’s in the back of my mind. I need to be aware.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“It was a good stage. It’s not easy, but I managed to find a good rhythm. I think on the next loop we can push on a bit more. The feeling is very good. Some corners had mistakes from pushing too hard, and you get quite sideways and close to the trees. But it was good overall.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“It’s not the best one for me. I took it carefully in the slippery places and lost time.”

Car 47, Campos/Costa
“It was very good. The stages are very clean, very long, but all okay. I know the stage, it’s not the first time for me. We need to be careful with the brakes and the tyres because it’s 37km. The brakes will be hot!”

SS11 - Cabeceiras de Basto 1

STAGE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20 May 2017
Day: 3
Flash N°: 11
Special stage: SS11, Cabeceiras de Basto 1
Distance: 22.3 km
Weather: Sunny   
Road conditions: Dry, some light damp in shade
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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“A good stage – I am happy this morning, The grip is good and I really enjoyed it. I’m not really keeping my tyres – I think Dani is pushing hard.”

Car 2, Tanak/Molder
“What else can we do but push. I was pushing harder than the previous one and this one was new for all of us. I decided to have a clean run and a push. So far, the tyres feel good so they should be good for this loop. More of the same on the long one – if we want to be at the front, there is no other option.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“I Picked up the puncture in the middle of the stage. I went a bit wide and hit a stone on the outside. I tried to miss it and went completely wide on the next corner and nearly lost it.”
 
Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“I enjoyed that one a lot. It was very slippery – a lot more cleaning in this stage. I’m enjoying it – the car is really nice to drive. No pressure. We’re trying a few things on the car. It seems to be working. It's hard to gauge to the cars behind but the feeling is good.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“That was better with the grip. But in the last section, I felt I was slow. It was a bit rough and I could have carried more speed.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“It was difficult. I tried but it was more slippery than yesterday. It was hard. Today is fast. I will try in the next one.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“It was OK. We are steady away. The plan is to get through, gain some experience and try to learn the car.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“That stage is new, and I could smell and see Ellyn’s puncture. I thought it was me as I understeered on a couple of corners but a clean run. The car is working 100%.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“I tried to push. It is difficult to find the grip. I think I will change some clicks for the next one. My plan is to try to push and reduce the gap to the leader.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“The car is going quote well. I have a bit of a fever overnight sand I use medicine to keep it down and last night, I didn't sleep. But happy with the time.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“That was a nice stage. But now, it is important not to be a hero – just keep it in the line.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“I stalled the car on the corner and it didn't restart. I had to open the belts and do some work to get it running and then put the belts back on.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“The stage was OK. It's a new stage and quite challenging and the grip was changing. For the moment, we are trying something with the front diff but it is not working so well.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“Everything is good. The stage is quite tricky. The rhythm and the surface are changing quote often. I’m happy with my time.”

Car 23, Raoux/Escartefigue
“The stage is fabulous – a beautiful stage. Everything is OK. The team worked well and helped me very well last night.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“Everything is going to plan. I was a little careful on the new stage. Lots of long corners. Now we're back to a stage I know well, sop I am enjoying it.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“I made a few mistakes. It was quite slippery in some parts. It felt good for me but the others are going fast too. We need to push on now. The speed is very high but very nice also. I need to catch Teemu but most important is to get good points here.”

Car 33, Camili/Veillas
“It was very bad. I was behind Loubet so I am not happy – in the dust, we had a puncture in the front – I didn't see a stone. I have never seen this before.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“It was OK – no mistakes. But obviously I can improve. The next loop, I will try to drive faster. It is very difficult and there are lots of different sections, so we need to manage the tyres.”

Car 39, Tempestini/Bernacchini
“It was a bit better than the first one but the car is sliding a lot. At the start of the stage, we decided to not make mistakes. The car was sliding a lot.”

Car 40, Heller/Olmos
“The stage was very nice. Today is smoother than yesterday, so we are feeling better with the car. We are not looking at the times but trying to enjoy it. Hoping for a clean run on the next stage. The road changes in a lot of sections but we want to get to the service park, so we will enjoy and have fun.”

Car 41, Gilbert/Jamoul
“It was very slippery – we had hard tyres on, so we were sliding a lot. But hopefully, it will be better on the long stage. It will be a long day.”

Car 42, Greensmith/Parry
“The power steering went at the end of the stage. I just want to get some mileage on the car.”

 Car 43, Loubet/Landais
“We hit a cow at the start of the stage. It was impossible to miss it. ”

Car 46, Pieniazek/Mazur
“The stage was quite difficult. No big dramas. We will try to finish the morning like this.”

Car 47, Campos/Costa
“The stage is very good – much better than the last one yesterday. The long one is very fast and very good for the time.”

Car 51, Ptaszek/Szczepaniak
“Not too bad. Today we finally found a good basic set-up. So now I can concentrate on the driving. We are happy that we have some fun behind the steering wheel. The grip changes a lot. ”

Car 81, Meireles/Castro
“The stage is OK. Not harder than yesterday. We are considering the national championship and there is only one stage to go for the national championship, so we are being careful. We are taking it easy.”

SS10 - Vieira do Minho 1

STAGE FLASH

Date: Saturday 20th May 2017
Day:  3
Flash N°: 10
Special stage: SS10 - Vieira do Minho 1
Distance: 17.43km
Weather: Slightly cloudy, no wind
Road conditions: Loose gravel and sand

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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It’s going to be a long day, but it’s good to start well. I had clean run, a good stage. I’m happy with the car. This road position is a different world. I have to use it.”

Car 2, Tanak/Molder
“It’s still a good feeling with the car. Let’s see what the next stages bring. We’ll do our best.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“It was a good run overall. There was a bit too much sliding in some places. Compromised a few secondary corners. We’ll just have to do the best we can and just let everyone else worry about themselves.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“We did it clean. I enjoyed it a lot. The car is working really nicely. I’m happy. We changed the whole wiring loom, which is pretty impressive. So we shouldn’t have the problem any more.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“I’m missing traction on this stage. The road was very polished. The next stages are difficult. I need to protect the car, so we’re running a stiffer spring. We’ll see what we can do.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“That stage was identical to last year. Only so much we can do, but when you fighting against the other driver’s knowledge it’s hard.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“I pushed and did my best. It’s fast today. I think I lost some time because I thought I had a puncture at the rear. The car was sliding too much. I tried, but it’s difficult.”

Car 7, Meeke/Nagle
“It was just steady. Just using it as a test session.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“I had no traction. Just wheel spin all the time. It’s difficult to keep the speed. I tried to keep a good rhythm but it’s hard. I don’t think the tyres are working well.

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“I feel very weak. I have been fighting a fever, it’s getting worse at night. I haven’t been sleeping. But I try to keep going.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“Now it’s a really nice stage. I was too wide in some place, but it was mainly okay.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“I want to try to catch up. I don’t know if it’s possible, but I tried. It was pretty slippery in places. I had some margins where I went ride. I know where the improvement needs to be on the limit. I want to be the best as soon as possible!”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It’s started okay. It felt quite good. We’ve made some big stages to the car. It’s not perfect, but at least we tried something.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“It’s completely different to yesterday. No rocks, really nice to drive. I was trying to concentrate on driving and the position. I have to say I’m enjoying it, it’s really nice.”

SS8 and 9 - Braga 1 and 2

STAGE FLASH

Date: Friday 19th May 2017
Day:  2
Flash N°: 9
Special stage: SS8 and 9 - Braga 1 and 2
Distance: 1.9km
Weather: Sunny, clear, low wind
Road conditions: Dry tarmac, cobbles in places

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“I’m happy with my day no matter what happened.”

Car 2, Tanak/Molder
“I did my best. It was quite complicated. But we did our best today, the car has been performing well. We’re looking forward to tomorrow.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“It was a good way to end the day The second run was a bit more aggressive than the first on the Braga stage.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“Everything is coming together, we’re making big steps. Today isn’t the result we wanted, but the team have put a lot of work in so we have to stay positive. It’s all starting to click the way it should do. W\e can still work on it and be a lot quicker. A lot of things have been changed – we’re finally making headway.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“We were handicapped by the dust of Jari. We lost about 20s in that last stage. We have to continue pushing. But for the road position tomorrow it would be nice to be as far back as possible.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“It’s better to finish like this. It was an important day today for road position. It’s been tough for everybody. This is a nice position, but we’ve been fighting with everybody.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“It’s a bit difficult on the stage with the broken damper. But it’s a good end to the day. I’m still happy. A lot of people have put in a lot of work on this car over the last couple of weeks. It’s a really good moment right now, but we can still push the car further. I lost some of the fun in Argentina, but it’s back now.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“The afternoon was so much better. I had some damage after this morning, but we got it fixed. It was a very difficult day. Tomorrow I can do my best.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“We were leading the rally, so this isn’t nice. But at least we know the Toyota is fast and we can fight for the victories. So we know the guys have done good work on the car.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“The morning was difficult. I was struggling with the pace. The afternoon was better, maybe we were optimistic with the soft tyres. But we’re here, and tomorrow is a new day.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“This morning was surprisingly good. The stages were better than I expected. We were focusing on surviving until the end of the day. I tried to learn as much as possible, but I wanted to push as well. I was really happy with the pace in the morning. But I wasn’t confident on the more rutted second pass, so I lost seconds.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“I have no idea where that pace came from. I enjoyed that. It’s nice to be smiling again. It’s been frustrating so I have to smile now. I’m only human so it’s hard to hide the frustration.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“We has problems in the dust, the engine had no power completely. I don’t know what happened. The day was for learning, just to get the groove with my driving and learn the new car.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“The morning was very nice, but the afternoon was a complete change as we expected. After a puncture I was scared to push the car. For tomorrow, it was quite muddy on the recce, so we’ll see how it is tomorrow. It has some flowing corners.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“We pushed like crazy in there. It’s spinning a lot in here, but it was pretty much perfect. We’re here to try to win the rally, not go fast in three stages then wreck the car. Our lead was quite big quite early, that was nice.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“It’s been an okay day. It’s a long day tomorrow, we have to keep concentrating. We’ll need to be a bit smart.”

Car 33, Camili/Veillas
“It’s been a bad afternoon. We broke power steering and the anti-roll bar in the rear. We had a puncture. Not good.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“It’s good to have a fight between the drivers. It’s been hard on the rough sections. I think we’re happy after the first day. The competition is quite close.”

SS7 - Ponte de Lima 2

STAGE FLASH

Date: Friday 19th May 2017
Day:  2
Flash N°: 8
Special stage: SS7 - Ponte de Lima 2
Distance: 27.46km
Weather: Sunny, clear, low wind
Road conditions: Heavy dust, exposed loose rocks and gravel

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Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“It was hard. But I’m happy with my day. I made no mistakes, But this one was hard. Tomorrow we can have a push. We’ll see what’s in front of us.”

Car 2, Tanak/Molder
“It was not our problem. We had some damage from the previous stage, so it was difficult to drive.”

Car 3, Evans/Barritt
“It could have been a lot worse. This loop has been okay. Not so much the car, just our rhythm. Not so bad, but it could have been better. The tyres had a lot of movement. I was missing a lot of mechanical grip in the sandy sections.”

Car 4, Paddon/Marshall
“The car just stopped and we couldn’t start it again. We lost the throttle. We moved every wire, tried everything. Just couldn’t get it working. I tell you, after all this we better get some good luck. Today is a complete waste. One moment the confidence is there, but the next it’s not.”

Car 5, Neuville/Gilsoul
“I was stuck behind Jari. For 5k I was behind. He was so slow. I cannot understand why he continued to be honest. I’ve lost a lot of time for sure.”

Car 6, Sordo/Marti
“It was a bit scary in the stage on the tyres. I tried to do my best, be clean and do the lines. But it was difficult to monitor. This day is very important, but no, not happy.”

Car 8, Breen/Martin
“I broke a damper about 3 or 4km into the stage. It’s a shame, we had a really good package here. But the damper is completely broken on the front right. We’re staying positive for tomorrow.”

Car 9, Lefebvre/Moreau
“It was really rough, really difficult. I just try to finish the day. Now I just focus on tomorrow.”

Car 10, Latvala/Anttila
“At the beginning of the stage the car was not stopping. It was skipping on the ground. It felt very strange. I hit the bank and the car rolled. I had to drive in road mode.”

Car 11, Hanninen/Lindstrom
“It was okay. A bit rough. The tyres took a lot to bed in. I saw Paddon and Meeke on the stage, but that’s all I can tell you. It was a better loop this afternoon.”

Car 12, Lappi/Ferm
“I was okay. I was just trying to drive through. I think some people had bigger than problems than us. It’s been full of ups and downs. I was surprised by the speed, and how hard the guys are pushing. I need to get used to this car.”

Car 14, Ostberg/Floene
“It was okay. Like I said on the previous stage it’s not enjoyable when you’re not competing. The stage was quite clean. Not fun though.”

Car 15, Al Qassimi/Patterson
“There were a lot of ruts. It was difficult to keep the car on the track. I’m not happy. Driving is one thing, but most important is to try and get somewhere as a team. So it’s hard to see other cars stopped.”

Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“The morning was nice, but the afternoon was terrible. We were scared of punctures on the last stage. It was impossible to enjoy. These rough stages are worse than the Dakar! It’s really rough on the car.”

Car 22, Gorban/Larens
“It was hard work. Everything is okay.”

Car 23, Raoux/Escartefigue
“Hard work. We have no power steering, but I’m still happy to be here. I enjoyed it.”

Car 38, Guerra/Cue
“The puncture was about 3km from the finish line, so not so bad. But the stage was so rough, it’s not hard to get a puncture. I still have one spare. We had two in the afternoon, because we knew the stage would be rough. We just need to change it now.”

Car 31, Mikkelsen/Synnevaag
“It was very rough, very tricky. The tyres are starting to move around more. I felt the rear wanted to go out more, but perhaps it was just my driving. I just tried to avoid the rocks, to do a clean stage.”

Car 32, Tidemund/Andersson
“I found it hard to find a good rhythm, but we’re here now. We just need to avoid the big rocks. I’m happy we’re here, it’s a long day tomorrow and also Sunday.”

Car 33, Camili/Veillas
“I broke the power steering on the first stage of this afternoon. It’s a catastrophe this afternoon. I like the rally, but I don’t think it likes me.”

Car 34, Suninen/Markkula
“The stage was really rough, so it’s hard to know how fast to go. I can find a rhythm though.”

Car 35, Bergkvist/Sjoberg
“We had a puncture about 3km into this stage. It wasn’t good for us.”

Car 39, Tempestini/Bernacchini

“It was a very rough stage. We decided to be a bit more careful. It wouldn’t be good to finish the day in a bad. We can go faster, but for now it’s better to start to know the limits of the car step by step.”

Car 40, Heller/Olmos

“Tough. Very, very tough. We had a puncture earlier and lost two minutes. But we’re here now, so we can head to Braga and do some sliding for the crowd. It will be good there.”

Car 41, Gilbert/Jamoul
“It was a difficult loop. We are here, no problem. We’ll look at the car in service.”

Car 51, Ptaszek/Szczepaniak

“It was not so easy for us, and still a lot of kms to do. We can’t find a good rhythm. It’s not easy to drive in these conditions. The roads look so dangerous let’s say. You drive like a snake, because you don’t want to hit anything.”

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Jari Matti Latvala stopped on the stage. Reported be to be damaged and did start moving again. Car suffered a roll. Moderate damage to car.

Meeke reported to have stopped in stage - puncture 12km into stage. Got underway again after a lengthy stop, let Ostberg past but has not yet resumed the stage. Team report it to be broken suspension.

Paddon reported to have stopped in stage. Mechanical issue. Car won't start. Car has rejoined the stage.