Rally Turkey 2019
08h
The next special will start at 8:31 a.m., with the 38,15 km of Çetibeli 1.
08h
Best time in WRC 2 Pro for Jan Kopecky (Skoda Fabia R5 Evo) in 19'04″3, 4″2 ahead of Greensmith.
08h
In WRC 2 Pro, Gus Greensmith (Ford Fiesta R5) finished in 19'08″5. The Briton is followed a few moments later by Kalle Rovenperä, who rolled his Skoda Fabia R5 Evo, and who lost almost 4′ on the M-Sport Ford driver.
The Finn admits to having a puncture before making a mistake.
08h
The first real special of the 2019 Rally Turkey saw the best time achieved by Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota) in 18'12″4, 5″3 ahead of Esapekka Lappi (Citroën) and 5″7 ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai) and Teemu Suninen (M-Sport Ford).
With this performance, the Finn from Toyota takes control of the event by 1″1 ahead of Mikkelsen and 4″6 ahead of Lappi. Teemu Suninen follows in 4th place at 6″3 ahead of Ott Tänak (Toyota), the best placed contender for the 2019 title.
The Estonian set the pace in the SS by dominating Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) and Sébastien Ogier (Citroën) before the times improved as the competitors passed.
Kris Meeke (Toyota) is 6th overall, 7″8 ahead of Sébastien Ogier, the Frenchman having finished the special with a deflated tire. The world champion is half a second ahead of Thierry Neuville, but the Belgian could benefit from his choice of hard tires in the next long SS3.
Dani Sordo (Hyundai) is the big loser in this sector, after having a puncture 14 km from the finish. The Spaniard concedes 47″ and is already losing big.
08h
Fabio Andolfi (Skoda Fabia R5) is reported stopped in the SS.
08h
Kalle Rovenperä made a mistake with his Skoda Fabia R5 Evo, contacting an embankment causing him to roll onto the asphalt section. The car was able to be put back on its wheels and the Finn was able to leave.
08h
“It was before the asphalt section. I think it won’t be the only one in the rally…” admits Tidemand.
08h
Pontus Tidemand, who returned to the Ford Fiesta WRC – M-Sport Ford this weekend, finished 51″4 behind Latvala, following a right-rear puncture.
08h
5″3 behind for Esapekka Lappi (Citroën) with the second best time. “The feeling is not perfect. The weather is good because of the sweeping. »
07h
“I don’t know, it was good at the beginning,” says Sordo. It was about 14 km from the finish. I started to feel understeer. It's disappointing to start a rally like this. »
07h
It's indeed a puncture for Dani Sordo, at the right front wheel. First blow for the winner of the Sardinia Rally earlier in the season, 47″ behind Latvala.
07h
32″7 behind for Sordo on Latvala in the 4th partial.
07h
Among the fastest at the start of the SS, Teemu Suninen failed 5″7 behind Latvala, tied with Andreas Mikkelsen. “I spun in the middle of the SS. But otherwise it's okay. We will continue to attack. »
07h
Dani Sordo (Hyundai) is visibly in difficulty, 14″9 behind Latvala. Puncture for the Spaniard?
07h
And Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota) denies our penultimate sentence! The Finn took the best provisional time in 18'12″4 and became the new provisional leader after making the difference in the last kilometers.
“I didn't expect it to be honest,” admits Latvala, who left with six hard tires this morning. The route is rutted with lots of rocks. »
07h
Dani Sordo (Hyundai) lost more than 7″ in the second part.
07h
Andreas Mikkelsen took advantage of the end of the course to take the best provisional reference in 18'18″1. “The ES is cleaning itself up and it will go faster and faster,” explains the Norwegian. It's still very dusty, but the car is really great, so it's nice to drive. »
Mikkelsen, best time with Neuville last night in SS1, should take control of the rally.
07h
Suninen concedes a little time on Tänak in the second part, but remains in front of the Estonian by 1″5.
07h
Second provisional time for Kris Meeke in 18'22″8, 2″5 behind his teammate Tänak. “I had a puncture alert 15 km from the finish,” admits the Briton. When it's that slippery, you never know. The pressure seems good, so I hope it's not a flat tire. »
07h
Teemu Suninen (M-Sport Ford) makes the talk in the first partial: 2″4 better than Tänak, the best provisional time at this crossing point for the Finn. But will he be able to maintain the tempo over the entire 24 km?
