Kimi moves on up to 9th
Frenchman Sébastien Ogier continues to lead the Rally de Portugal after the second day of competition in the Algarve. Sébastien Loeb has climbed into second and Petter Solberg inched into the final podium position in the penultimate stage.
The second day took the crews to the north of Faro for a further six stages and 135.10 competitive kilometres, the longest day of the rally. The fight at the top of the leaderboard has been intense throughout the day, with no fewer than four drivers vying for the podium positions behind Ogier. The overnight leader made a slow start, leaving Loeb and Petter Solberg to take stage honours, but by the mid-day service his 22.9 second lead was still largely unchallenged. This afternoon Ogier won just one stage but overnights 21.1 seconds ahead of the chasing pack.
Loeb and Dani Sordo were fighting for second, the team-mates trading the position throughout the day until Sordo dropped to fourth. Similarly, Solberg has been vying for third in a close-fought battle at the top of the leaderboard. He lost time with a couple of punctures and is 52.2 seconds adrift of the lead. Mikko Hirvonen, fifth overnight, is further adrift but the Finn will be challenging for a podium position over the closing five stages on Sunday. Henning Solberg rounds off the top six.
The only leading retirement of the day was that of Jari-Matti Latvala. The Finn spun in stage nine, hitting the back end of the car on a tree and damaging the wheel.
Leaderboard after Day 2
1. S Ogier/J Ingrassia FRA Citroen C4 2hr 50min 48.1sec 2. S Loeb/D Elena FRA Citroen C4 2hr 51min 09.2sec 3. P Solberg/P Mills NOR Citroen C4 2hr 51min 40.3sec 4. D Sordo/M Marti ESP Citroen C4 2hr 51min 53.8sec 5. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen FIN Ford Focus RS 2hr 52min 02.0sec 6. H Solberg/I Minor NOR Ford Focus RS 2hr 53min 50.9sec 7. M Wilson/S Martin GBR Ford Focus RS 2hr 55min 29.9sec 8. M Østberg/J Andersson NOR Subaru Impreza 2hr 56min 24.8sec 9. K Räikkönen/K Lindström FIN Citroen C4 2hr 58min 17.8sec 10= F Villagra/J Perez Companc ARG Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 43.2sec 10= K Al Qassimi/M Orr UAE Ford Focus RS 2hr 58min 43.2sec
Stage Times
Stage 8: 1. Loeb 16min 40.4sec; 2. Latvala + 2.8; 3. Hirvonen + 3.2; 4. P Solberg + 4.0; 5. Ogier + 8.4; 6. Sordo + 11.5; 14. Al Qassimi + 51.1.
Overall: 1. Ogier 1hr 37min 23.2sec; 2. Sordo + 29.7; 3. Loeb + 36.4; 4. Hirvonen + 41.7; 5. P Solberg + 45.5; 6. Latvala + 57.2; 12. Al Qassimi + 4:34.6.
Stage 9: 1. Loeb 16min 31.2sec; 2. P Solberg + 3.1; 3. Sordo + 8.1; 4. Ogier + 11.1; 5. Hirvonen + 12.3; 6. Ostberg + 29.9; 12. Al Qassimi + 59.9.
Overall: 1. Ogier 1hr 54min 05.5sec; 2. Loeb + 25.3; 3. Sordo + 26.7; 4. P Solberg + 37.5; 5. Hirvonen + 42.9; 6. H Solberg + 2:03.8; 11. Al Qassimi + 5:23.4.
Stage 10: 1. P Solberg 11min 43.4sec; 2. Sordo + 0.3; 3. Loeb + 1.2; 4. Ogier + 3.6; 5. Hirvonen + 5.2; 6. H Solberg + 11.3; 11. Al Qassimi + 34.1.
Overall: 1. Ogier 2hr 05min 52.5sec; 2. Loeb + 22.9; 3. Sordo + 23.4; 4. P Solberg + 33.9; 5. Hirvonen + 44.5; 6. H Solberg + 2:11.5; 11. Al Qassimi + 5:53.9.
Stage 11: 1. Ogier 16min 38.7sec; 2. P Solberg + 2.5; 3. Sordo + 4.6; 4. Loeb + 6.0; 5. Hirvonen + 12.0; 6. H Solberg + 23.3; 11. Al Qassimi + 50.3.
Overall: 1. Ogier 2hr 22min 31.2sec; 2. Sordo + 28.0; 3. Loeb + 28.9; 4. P Solberg + 36.4; 5. Hirvonen + 56.5; 6. H Solberg + 2:34.8; 11. Al Qassimi + 6:44.2.
Stage 12: 1. Loeb 16min 29.2sec; 2. Ogier + 5.8; 3. P Solberg + 16.4; 4. Hirvonen + 19.4; 5. H Solberg + 24.0; 6. Sordo + 29.6; 9. Al Qassimi + 49.5.
Overall: 1. Ogier 2hr 39min 06.2sec; 2. Loeb + 23.1; 3. P Solberg + 47.0; 4. Sordo + 51.8; 5. Hirvonen + 1:10.1; 6. H Solberg + 2:53.0; 11. Al Qassimi + 7:27.9.
Stage 13: 1. Loeb 11min 39.9sec; 2. Ogier + 2.0; 3. Hirvonen + 5.8; 4. P Solberg + 7.2; 5. H Solberg + 11.8; 6. Sordo + 15.9; 7. Al Qassimi + 29.2.
Overall: 1. Ogier 2hr 50min 48.1sec; 2. Loeb + 21.1; 3. P Solberg + 52.2; 4. Sordo + 1:05.7; 5. Hirvonen + 1:13.9; 6. H Solberg + 3:02.8; 10. Al Qassimi + 7:55.1.
Today’s Route
The final leg is the shortest of the rally and is again based in the Serra do Caldeirão hills. After restarting at 05.50, drivers face two identical loops of two speed tests, split by a return to the Algarve Stadium service park. After a short final service, drivers tackle a repeat of Thursday evening's super special stage inside the stadium. The day's competitive distance totals 89.61km and the finish ceremony takes place in the stadium immediately after the final stage.
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