Volkswagen Motorsport driver Jari-Matti Latvala took his second stage win in a row on this year’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal on the seventh timed test of the event. He went through the Vascao stage 0.2s faster than his French team-mate, to close to 10.1s behind overall.
Ogier was complaining that the viral infection he has been fighting all week was beginning to have an effect, saying he was not feeling well at all.
Third on the stage went to Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team’s Mikko Hirvonen, 3s slower than Latvala but reporting he was happier with his car. Qatar M-Sport WRT’s Mads Ostberg was an excellent fourth-fastest, despite running first on the road and hinting at what might have been, had he not retired yesterday.
Car 2, Hirvonen/Lehtinen
“I am happier with the car today. I feel I went as fast as I could without making mistakes.”
Car 4, Ostberg/Andersson
“The road is very dusty but cleaning a lot. I made good lines so it will be a good run for anyone behind.”
Car 5, Novikov/Minor
“I am pushing very hard. The position is OK but something is wrong – the times are not there.”
Car 6, Al-Attyah/Bernacchini
“The stage was fast and we are trying to keep our position. The rally is long and on the second pass, it will be hard. I like the longer stages, maybe coming form the Dakar.”
Car 7, Latvala/Anttila
“I am just keeping Mikko behind. I am not thinking about Ogier – it would be nice but this is not the right time.”
Car 8, Ogier/Ingrassia
“I try to drive fast. I have to try to find the energy to drive. It's not an easy rally for me.”
Car 9, Mikkelsen/Markkula
“I was not happy with the pace notes at the end – I wasn’t sure where I was but a good stage.”
Car 10, Al Qassimi/Martin
“I am trying to learn but I couldn't get the confidence.”
Car 12, Kosciuszko/Szczepaniak
“I like this stage a lot but we were sliding too much. The rear tyres were not working – they had overheated. I could not push.”
Car 15, Kuipers/Buysmans
“I am doing more cleaning that yesterday. We will see.”
Car 21, Prokop/Ernst
“The stage was nice. The water splash was very deep and long. I don't have the confidence like yesterday and don't get in the rhythm like yesterday. The car is perfect – I need to be better.”
Car 31, Lappi/Ferm
“I am happy. Now we have to drive to the finish – we are cruising. It can be difficult and the first time in that situation, so we have to learn it.”
Car 32, Wiegand/Christian
“The stage was OK but I had the wrong tyre choice. I tried to be fast with crossed soft tyres. At the start it was OK but at the end it was too hot and rough, so on the next one we will go with hard all round. We will try to get some points for the championship.”
Car 48, Al-Kuwari/Duffy
“This stage was much better for me, than the one before. That one was like Cyprus – very tricky and impossible to enjoy. This one was much faster, sweeping roads and you can really drive.”
Car 51, Chardonnet/De La Haye
“I saw the two cars in front parked by the side of the road so I calmed my pace. Then I got into a wrong rhythm and I could not get my pace back again. Today is more difficult than yesterday but I do not know why.”
Car 59, Bouffier/Panseri
“I saw the two cars stopped. I heard a knocking noise at the front left of the car so I just listened to it. I am following my plan from the start, which is not to drive like crazy and keep a steady pace.”
Car 74, Kubica/Baran
“The problem is the hydraulic shift is not working and the stick is harder than the other system. We struggled on the hairpin as we have no handbrake. We have one more stage to go, so I hope we can get to service and the team can fix it.”
Car 78, Bresolin/Pollet
“I made a mistake on a slow corner and spun. I had to reverse before I could get going again.”
Car 81, Moura/Costa
“This stage was more or less Ok for me. Unfortunately we had a puncture on the previous stage for 12 Km and we lost everything we won yesterday. Now we just have to keep going.”
Car 83, Magalhães/Magalhães
“This stage was good. It was very slippery with some lose gravel. We made some changes to the car, trying to be more efficient. But it did not work so I will go back to the original set-up. Now I am back in the rhythm for gravel driving.”
Car 84, Meireles/Castro
“I made some small mistakes but they are hardly worth mentioning.”
Car 79, Barrable/Loudon
“There are no problems. I really enjoyed that stage. Now I am loving riving this car.”