Stage 9 Monte-Carlo Rallye notes and quotes 27.01.2018: WRC RALLYES Rallye Monte-Carlo 2018 Saturday, January 27th 2018 Stage info: SS9 Agnières-en-Dévoluy - Corps 1, 29.16km

WRC RALLYES
Rallye Monte-Carlo 2018
Saturday, January 27th 2018



Stage info: SS9  Agnières-en-Dévoluy - Corps 1, 29.16km.

Set in the heart of the Dévoluy mountains, this test is pacy and mostly downhill on narrow roads that are far from easy. The big difference with last year is a modified second half towards Corps, via Pellafol, but crews will still enjoy superb views of the Sautet dam.

Follow on WRC+ livetiming

Sat 09:09 - Monte after SS9
1.Ogier 2h32m49.4s, 2.Tänak +1m18.4s, 3.Latvala +1m39.0s, 4.Lappi +2m14.8s, 5.Meeke +4m08.2s. Sordo retires (ditch)



Sat 09:11 - Monte WRC2 after SS9
1.Kopecky 2h43m28.1s, 2.Abbring +8m03.3s, 3.De Mevius +9m03.4, 4.Sciessere +13m24.5s.




Sat 09:09 - Monte after SS9
1.Ogier 2h32m49.4s, 2.Tänak +1m18.4s, 3.Latvala +1m39.0s, 4.Lappi +2m14.8s, 5.Meeke +4m08.2s. Sordo retires (ditch)



Sat 09:06 - SS9: WRC 2 Abbring
The Dutchman completes - and gets a time - but stops with an engine problem between the flying finish and the stop control. His car's radiator was damaged in stage and lost its coolant. He had been second in WRC 2.



Sat 09:04 - SS9: WRC 2 Suninen
53sec quicker than Kopecky. But he's not smiling either. "At least we finished the stage, but I'm not happy. There are some things we need to change about my driving."



Sat 09:03 - SS9: WRC 2 Kopecky
Not a great start for the leader in WRC 2. "I had a big moment near the start. In the slush I was driving at recce speed. The car was doing nothing."



Sat 09:01 - SS9: Mikkelsen
Quickest so far for the Norwegian, back today after his retirement on Friday. "This is proper Monte-Carlo. Really difficult conditions. We spun three times in a straight line!"



Sat 08:57 - SS9: Ogier
A stunning time - 28.9sec quicker than Latvala - and Ogier's rally lead is up to 1m18.4s. He completes with a broken left rear wheel. "One of the worst stages in my career. So much slush, it was super tricky, I was watching the lines in the road and they were going everywhere - I passed Sordo in a ditch."



Sat 08:53 - SS9: Tanak
He completes 34.6sec slower than Latvala - and that puts Jari-Matti right back in the fight! "No chance to push at all," says Tanak. "A few places you try you are out immediately. I didn't enjoy the spins and things - definitely not enjoyable."



Sat 08:49 - SS9: Lappi
Second quickest, 36sec off Latvala's pace. "I think you can really win a lot of time on this stage if you want to try, but for me it's not about that, I really didn't want to crash, it's so easy to. I guess it was quite slow but it's okay."




Sat 08:47 - SS9: Latvala
Quickest so far in 26m02.9s. "I'm relieved to be here. Snow can be nice, but this was not nice at all. Melting, soft snow, slush. Go wide and you don't know where you're going to end up."




Sat 08:45 - SS9: Meeke
8.6sec quicker than Neuville. "I have no idea how this time will compare. In these conditions it's the most challenging. I had one spin, which cost about 12sec."




Sat 08:43 - SS9: Bouffier
"No spin, I drive very safe, I did my best."




Sat 08:42 - SS9: Evans
"I lost the rear in the braking. It was safer to let it spin. You never know in these conditions - there were lines everywhere. I tried to stay in the cleanest one possible and be smart."



Sat 08:41 - SS9: Neuville
1m31s quicker than Breen. "Horrible conditions. Some clean lines towards the end and getting cleaner but it's so easy to get out of the line. I tried to be steady and efficient but it will get faster for those behind."



Sat 08:40 - SS9: Breen
First to complete in 28m37.2s. "Holy God, that was pretty incredible. A track the width of a tyre in the road and the moment you get off it, it's over. I'm a bit of a snowplow this morning."



Sat 08:37 - SS9: Sordo update
From Hyundai: 'Went off the road on SS9. Crew OK.'



Sat 08:36 - SS9: Breen
Approaching the finish. A much clearer road, a cleaner line, but still plenty of slush.



Sat 08:34 - SS9: Sordo
WRC live tracking shows Dani's car stopped at 11.2km. The Spaniard started the day in third position.



Sat 08:32 - SS9: Neuville
Thicker black lines in the road as the altitude drops towards the end of the stage. Thierry just touched 174kph. Much of the stage has been in second and third gear.



Sat 08:27 - SS9: Spins
Meeke spins at 6.3km. A half spin reported for Elfyn Evans.



Sat 08:26 - SS9: Splits watch
Expect some big variations in the front runners here as conditions change with each passing car. Evans is quickest of the three drivers to have reached the 7.79km split. Breen is 45sec slower.



Sat 08:18 - SS9: Breen
Very changeable conditions. The Irishman now negotiating a patch of low cloud and drizzly rain.



Sat 08:12 - SS9: Neuville
Second car underway, and already it's a different view from the cockpit - with two black lines of Tarmac appearing through the snow.



Sat 08:08 - SS9: LIVE
And Craig is underway. A fully white road. It could be Sweden.



Sat 08:07 - SS9: Breen
We're watching WRC All Live footage from the Irishman's Citroen. It looks like a winter wonderland at SS9.




Sat 08:04 - Start intervals
Two-minute intervals for the World Rally Cars. One-minute intervals for WRC 2 and WRC 3 competitors.




Sat 08:03 - Running order
Reverse rally classification today. Here's how they'll line up: 1. Breen, 2. Neuville, 3. Evans, 4. Bouffier, 5. Meeke, 6. Latvala, 7. Lappi, 8. Sordo, 9. Tänak, 10. Ogier, 11. Mikkelsen



Sat 08:03 - Tyres
All change! Teams have ditched the soft/super-softs in favour of Michelin's winter options. Here's who has what this morning - in terms of numbers and studded (S) or non-studded (S): Ogier/Latvala/Lappi/Tanak/Sordo: 5S. Evans/Bouffier/Neuville/Mikkelsen/Breen/Meeke: 6S




Sat 07:58 - Weather
Sunrise at 0800hrs revealed a rainy start in Gap, but on the mountain stages it's a very different, wintry, picture and a blanket of snow covers this morning's roads. Snow is falling at the start of SS9 and SS10, but in a mildish 2°C, it's wet and sleety. More snow is expected this morning before a gradual transition to rain. If you want to make a snowman, you'd best do it quickly.




Sat 07:56 - Stage live times
SS9: 0808hrs. SS10: 0916hrs. SS11: 1157hrs. SS12: 1308hrs. SS13: 1609hrs.




Sat 07:56 - Saturday's vital stats
Start: 0657hrs. Number of stages: 5. Stage distance: 117.55km. Finish: 2217hrs.




Sat 07:56 - Saturday's itinerary 2/2
Then there will be a return to Bayons-Breziers, previously run as SS2 on Thursday night, before a final service in Gap. The crews then make the long drive to Monaco ready for Sunday’s conclusion.




Sat 07:55 - Saturday's itinerary 1/2
Today's schedule is made up of five stages. Firstly, a pair of stages in the mountains north of Gap is run twice, with each loop followed by service.




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