Croatia Rally 2021
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In WRC2, Nikolay Gryazin (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) provisionally set the best time in 13'04″1, 5″5 ahead of Mads Ostberg (Citroën C3 Rally2).
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SS10, Stojdraga – Gornja Vas 1 (20,77 km) will start at 9:17 a.m.
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Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) set the pace this morning for the start of the second stage of the Croatia Rally. The reigning World Champion set the best time in 12'26"1, 2" ahead of an excellent Adrien Fourmaux (M-Sport Ford) and 2"8 ahead of Elfyn Evans (Toyota).
The day starts badly for Hyundai since the i20 Coupe WRC do not seem to have made the right choice of tires (two hard and three soft). Ott Tänak thus gives up 6″8 on Ogier, but worse, Thierry Neuville loses 12″ and the lead of the event.
Overall, Ogier now leads the event with a 3″1 lead over Evans and 4″3 over Neuville. Ott Tänak is in 4th position at 31″ while Adrien Fourmaux takes advantage of Craig Breen’s (Hyundai) puncture to enter the top 5 at 1’09″0.
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“Not the right tire choice, I couldn't keep the rear end on the right line, but that's how it is. » confesses Neuville. The poor choice of tires mentioned by Tänak is confirmed for Hyundai.
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Neuville finished 12″ behind Sébastien Ogier’s time. The Frenchman takes the advantage by 3″1 over Evans overall, Neuville being pushed back to 4″3.
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Neuville arrives in the last section and concedes 11″ on Ogier in the 3rd partial. The Toyota driver could take the lead in the rally standings.
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“Good news,” says Ogier, when the Frenchman is informed of Neuville’s loss of time. But this is only the first ES of the day. There was a lot of pollution on the road and it will be a long day. »
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12'26″1 for Ogier, 2″ faster than Fourmaux.
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Ogier is currently making his effort and is 2″1 faster than Fourmaux in the 3rd partial.
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Neuville loses 7″3 on Ogier at the start of the special!
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Elfyn Evans (Toyota) falls eight tenths behind Adrien Fourmaux's best time.
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For his part, Tänak admitted that the asphalt was very different from the day before, and was not sure he had the right choice of tires. Remember that the Hyundais used two hard tires and three soft tires.
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“I hit the curb on the inside in the first moments of the stage, stopped and changed the route. » admits Breen, confirming the puncture.
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Tänak lost 4″8 on Fourmaux’s time.
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Fourmaux's performance becomes clearer, Tänak being 3″4 slower than the Frenchman in the third partial.
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2'17″8 lost by Craig Breen on this SS9. The Irishman loses big with a view to the top 5.
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In the fight for the podium, Evans was faster than Ogier in the first part.
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“I had good confidence in the car,” emphasizes Fourmaux. I was careful in the tricky sections and attacked in the other sections. I lost the tires at the end of the special, but it was a good SS. »
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12'28″1″5 better than Loubet for Fourmaux.
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