Wrc.com stage summary
Stage data: SS12, Vascao 2 (25.26 kilometres)
Stage description:
By Team Abu Dhabi co-driver Michael Orr: “Like the Felizes stage on Friday, this stage is probably remembered unfortunately for another Jari-Matti Latvala incident when he went off after just a few corners and managed to hit probably the only tree there was to hit. It’s quite a fast stage with lot of blind and fast sections over crests. One feature of that stage is the watersplash, which is about halfway through. It’s probably the deepest I’ve ever seen it this year and because we’re going through there untried and untested in these cars I’d say that everybody will have to crawl through it. Otherwise you could end up drowning the engine.”
How the action unfolded:
Jari-Matti Latvala’s hopes of winning Vodafone Rally de Portugal have suffered a huge setback after his Ford Fiesta RS WRC broke a driveshaft.
The Finn, who started the stage in second overall, reported hearing a “strange noise” approximately 16 kilometres into the stage.
He completed the test 7.2 seconds slower than Sebastien Loeb and has now dropped 7.2s behind the Frenchman into third overall.
“We heard a noise that was not right, I think it was the right rear,” said Latvala. “We can’t do anything for that and that is making me very angry.”
Out front, Sebastien Ogier’s advantage has increased to 32.3 seconds. “It’s a good gap and I will try to conserve it on the last stage today,” said Ogier. “With this gap it will be crazy to slow down I think.”
Petter Solberg set the fastest time in his privateer Citroen as he continues his recovery from his retirement on day one.
Henning Solberg was delayed by a puncture and is now more than 2m30s behind M-Sport Stobart team-mate Matthew Wilson, who is a solid fifth overall with one stage of day two remaining.
Key moment:
Driveshaft failure slows Latvala.
Credit: World Rally Championship (www.wrc.com)
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