The only driver competing for the WRC-2 classification, Kalle Rovenperä, son of Harri (former Peugeot driver) places his Ford Fiesta R5 in twelfth position overall.

The next special, 26,68 km long (Sherwood 1) will start at 23:39 p.m.

@EsapekkaLappi examining the problem SS2 #RallyAustralia #WRC pic.twitter.com/1U6CfitzUE

— WRC (@OfficialWRC) November 16, 2017

Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai) made a perfect start to the rally in Australia, scoring a second special stage victory in two contested stages. The Norwegian achieved the best time over the 19,05 km of Eastbank 1 in 9'56"3 and was ahead of the Citroën C1 of Kris Meeke by 7"3 and the Hyundai i4 Coupe of Thierry Neuville by 5"20.

In the general classification, Mikkelsen increases his lead to 3″ over Meeke, while Neuville moves up to provisional third position at 9″5. Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota), freed from his intercom problems experienced in SS1, is in 4th place at 10″6 and precedes Craig Breen (Citroën) and Hayden Paddon (Hyundai).

Sébastien Ogier (Ford) lost time in this SS2, after gear selection problems, and was forced to switch to manual mode. The French world champion falls back to 7th position at 12″4 and is ahead of Ott Tänak (Ford), Stéphane Lefebvre (Citroën) and Elfyn Evans (Ford) who completes the top 10.

Victim of a loss of power steering then a spin, Esapekka Lappi (Toyota) lost more than a minute on the leaders in this second special and is in 11th provisional position overall. The Finn was leaning under his Yaris after the finish of the SS, with oil leaking from his car.

Stéphane Lefebvre (Citroën) finished SS2 in ninth provisional position, 11″4 behind Mikkelsen.

The Finn, winner at home during the summer, lost more than a minute on this SS2 of the Rally Australia.

Craig Breen (Citroën) and Hayden Paddon (Hyundai) concluded SS2 in 4th and 5th provisional positions. Paddon complains of precarious balance of his i20 Coupe WRC.

Images of the damage to the i20 of leader Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai) at the finish of SS1.

Fastest through the opener @AMikkelsenRally pic.twitter.com/aNpEdh4oFw

— Colin Clark (@voiceofrally) November 16, 2017

Despite a damaged front left tire on his Citroën C3, Kris Meeke set the provisional best time in 9'58″0. “It happened on a slow bend, I hit the embankment. You have to think about increasing the starting gaps with the dust. We are at the limit. »

Elfyn Evans (Ford) again conceded ground in SS2, losing almost 14″ to Neuville.  

Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota) failed three tenths behind Neuville's reference time on this SS2. Intercom issues appear to be resolved for the Yaris crew after a cable change. The Finn believes he has to attack more, despite his front bumper. Latvala, however, overtakes Sébastien Ogier and Ott Tänak in the general classification

Ott Tänak (Ford), whose Fiesta is running without a rear diffuser, sets the second provisional time in 10'04″6, 3″8 behind Neuville. The Estonian suffers from understeer and oversteer.

Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) is faster than Sébastien Ogier (Ford) on this SS2. The Belgian improves the Frenchman's reference in 10'00″8, 5″3 ahead of the world champion. “I was able to push more on this stage, but I wasn't always on the right line. Maybe I'm hesitating a little too much, but that's okay. »

While some competitors are still finishing SS1, Sébastien Ogier (Ford) completes SS2 in 10'06″1.