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13th
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From press release
Sebastien Ogier made an impressive start to his bid to clinch the FIA World Rally Championship drivers' title at Coates Hire Rally Australia by dominating today's opening leg.
Having won the second of last night's two short curtain-raising speed tests in the centre of Coffs Harbour, the Frenchman was fastest on all six of today's country stages and one of the repeat town tests in his Volkswagen Polo R to overnight with a 20.0sec lead.
Mikko Hirvonen enjoyed one of his best days of a tough year. Despite a far from ideal road position, he held third before using the benefit of the swept roads to displace Citroen DS3 team-mate Kris Meeke from second this afternoon.
Meeke won qualifying yesterday to earn the best start position. His thoughts were set on securing a solid points finish rather than chasing victory, and he looked certain to overnight in third until he stalled at the start of the final test and slipped to fourth
Neuville was the beneficiary of Meeke's error, the Belgian 0.5sec ahead and 18.1sec behind Hirvonen in his Ford Fiesta RS. He admitted to feeling ‘lost' on this morning's slippery roads but his confidence and pace improved along with the grip this afternoon.
It was a similar story from Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn cut a downbeat figure as he ended the opening loop in eighth in a Polo R. But he fought back to fifth, aided by fastest time in the final stage, and is 19.6sec behind Meeke.
Rounding off the top six is a frustrated Mads Ostberg. The Norwegian felt he drove well but was disappointed with his times. He was lucky to survive a sideways impact with a rock in SS8 that was so hard that the door of his Fiesta RS flew open.
Andreas Mikkelsen, who led after last night's opening tests, is seventh in a Polo R. He lost time with an overshoot but remained ahead of Russia's Evgeny Novikov. Ostberg, Mikkelsen and Novikov are covered by just 7.5 sec.
Sebastien Ogier made an impressive start to his bid to clinch the FIA World Rally Championship drivers' title at Coates Hire Rally Australia by dominating today's opening leg.
Having won the second of last night's two short curtain-raising speed tests in the centre of Coffs Harbour, the Frenchman was fastest on all six of today's country stages and one of the repeat town tests in his Volkswagen Polo R to overnight with a 20.0sec lead.
Mikko Hirvonen enjoyed one of his best days of a tough year. Despite a far from ideal road position, he held third before using the benefit of the swept roads to displace Citroen DS3 team-mate Kris Meeke from second this afternoon.
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| Sebastien Ogier in Australia. (Photo: Volkswagen Motorsport) |
Meeke won qualifying yesterday to earn the best start position. His thoughts were set on securing a solid points finish rather than chasing victory, and he looked certain to overnight in third until he stalled at the start of the final test and slipped to fourth
Neuville was the beneficiary of Meeke's error, the Belgian 0.5sec ahead and 18.1sec behind Hirvonen in his Ford Fiesta RS. He admitted to feeling ‘lost' on this morning's slippery roads but his confidence and pace improved along with the grip this afternoon.
It was a similar story from Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn cut a downbeat figure as he ended the opening loop in eighth in a Polo R. But he fought back to fifth, aided by fastest time in the final stage, and is 19.6sec behind Meeke.
Rounding off the top six is a frustrated Mads Ostberg. The Norwegian felt he drove well but was disappointed with his times. He was lucky to survive a sideways impact with a rock in SS8 that was so hard that the door of his Fiesta RS flew open.
Andreas Mikkelsen, who led after last night's opening tests, is seventh in a Polo R. He lost time with an overshoot but remained ahead of Russia's Evgeny Novikov. Ostberg, Mikkelsen and Novikov are covered by just 7.5 sec.