Wrc.com stage summary
Stage data: SS13, Loule 2 (22.56 kilometres)
Stage description:
By Team Abu Dhabi co-driver Michael Orr: “This stage is much more narrow and technical. The road has been repaired a lot following the winter and recent rain. It’s in a good condition but there’s a lot of gravel. After the first pass and with so many cars competing it will become very rutted and you’ll get down to the big rocks and all the sharp stones. It’s going to be a real test of the Michelin tyres. One comment we had from the recce was there are a few places on the second pass where we had ‘don’t cut’ written in our notes but still it was surprising how careful we had to be. There are a lot of hidden trees on the inside of corners even when it looks quite open. It’s like the trees jump out at you.”
How the action unfolded:
Sebastien Ogier continues to lead Vodafone Rally de Portugal but there was more frustration for the factory Ford team.
Former leader Jari-Matti Latvala completed the stage with three working driveshafts following his Fiesta’s failure on the previous test. A puncture, which he had to stop to change, then compounded his agony still further.
“We tried to work on the preload of the differential and there was not time to check the tyres before the stage started and we got a slow puncture,” said Latvala. “I tried to keep going as long as possible but the tyre delaminated and we had to change it. We have lost a lot of time.”
Latvala’s team-mate Hirvonen was also out of luck when his Fiesta’s rear suspension failed, which he said could have been caused by an impact with a rock.
Matthew Wilson made it through the stage unscathed and climbs to fourth overall in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta.
Petter Solberg, at the wheel of a Citroen DS3 WRC, won the stage to close the gap to eighth-placed Federico Villagra. Solberg was 3.3s faster than Ogier, who will take a lead of 37.6s over team-mate Sebastien Loeb into the final day.
Key moment:
Rear suspension failure demotes Hirvonen to fifth.
Credit: World Rally Championship (www.wrc.com)
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