The penultimate stage of the 2013 Vodafone Rally de Portugal saw another win for Qatar M-Sport WRT driver Mads Ostberg, running fourth on the road. Second-fastest was Volkswagen Motorsport’s Jari-Matti Latvala, back on the pace after the team had repaired his car after he suffered a broken driveshaft this morning. However, he was not quick enough to realistically try to regain the second place he lost to Citroen Total Abu Dhabi’s Mikko Hirvonen.
Hirvonen was third-fastest on the stage with Sebatien Ogier fourth-fastest, admitting he was now simply driving for the finish of the event and saying he would not push on the last, Power Stage.
While some drivers now appear to be relaxing their pace, in an effort to ensure that they reach the end of the event, just one stage and 53Km away, others are already gearing themselves up for a final push on the Power Stage to try to gain additional points.
Car 2, Hirvonen/Lehtinen
“The tyres look go so no worries for the long one – we will have good tyres for that. ”
Car 3. Sordo/del Barrio
“I am saving the tyres for the last stage. I saw the split times for Neuville were OK so I decide to not brake too hard and not corner too fast. Now, the next stage is really hard for the tyres so I prefer to have good ones. The next stage is quite clean but you don't know if you can push from the start to the end as you don't know if the tyres will be OK.”
Car 4, Ostberg/Andersson
“Just trying to keep the pace up. I backed off a bit on this one to take care of the tyres but we need to push a little to keep the time to Al Qassimi. For the next one, we can put two new ones on the front and see what we can do.”
Car 5, Novikov/Minor
“I hope we will get through the next one. We have two spares to go on the rear – we had soft on there for this one. I think it will be fine.”
Car 6, Al-Attyah/Bernacchini
“It was a nice stage to drive. I am happy with the performance. I am used to the speed of the WRC car and am happy with the result and the performance.”
Car 7, Latvala/Anttila
“The guys in service did a really good job. They did so much work – gearbox, suspension. A very good job and the car is working fine now. I need to get a good rhythm and see how it goes for the Power Stage points.”
Car 8, Ogier/Ingrassia
“I just want to cross the finish line now – it's my only goal. I won't try to Power Stage points – it is too long and we had problems, so I will not try.”
Car 9, Mikkelsen/Markkula
“It is getting quite rough in there. It was a clean stage – no mistakes. It is beginning to get close to the end. Just coming home now.”
Car 10, Al Qassimi/Martin
“I am happy as I am trying to progress. I am using a different driving style and it looks like it is working.”
Car 11, Neuville/Guilsoul
“I try to be very smooth with the tyres. No push in this stage and a clean run. I try to save the tyres for the next one. I will try for Power Stage points. I have changed the set-up for this afternoon as a test. We changed the springs to make the car a bit stiffer.”
Car 12, Kosciuszko/Szczepaniak
“I have a sandstorm on board. Even if I don't get the dust from the car in front, I get it inside. The car is stiffer but it is all good experience.”
Car 15, Kuipers/Buysmans
“I don't know what the problem is – it [the engine] is dead.”
Car 21, Prokop/Ernst
“The stage was good. It was clear but for me, it was slippier than this morning. The tyres are too soft. We will see for the long stage, as they are quite used for the long stage.”
Car 31, Lappi/Ferm
“Everything is working at the moment so it is very good. It seems like the driver is working OK as well!”
Car 32, Wiegand/Christian
“It was a big shame to lose so much time on the long stage this morning. Now I am on the safe side and I slowed right down, as I thought I had a flat tyre on the rear so I slowed even further as I saw earlier how you can lose time so easily. I am now just driving for the finish.”
Car 41, Fuchs/Mussano
“It has been a very good rally for me. I just want to get through to the end of the event. It has been very tough – very difficult, very rough with lots of rocks.”
Car 51, Chardonnet/De La Haye
“No problems, we are just driving through, trying to enjoy it and make no mistakes. We are thinking about the championship. The stages are really good – fast and I love it when they are like that. The car went very well since the start of the event, so it is a pleasure like this.”
Car 59, Bouffier/Panseri
“We are trying to take care of the car. It is quite strong but with the rocks it is still difficult.”
Car 74, Kubica/Baran
“We had a clean stage that time and everything seems to be Ok at the moment.”
Car 75, Evans/Barrit
“We are trying to maintain a steady strategy. It was quite rough in there and I’m not sure if there is something wrong on the rear. We will stop and see.”
Car 79, Barrable/Loudon
“It’s a fabulous event. We have kept our head down and tried not to make mistakes. The only one was the puncture yesterday and to be here on our first WRC event is fantastic.”
Car 82, Protasov/Sikk
“Now it is better than the first time. It is very good with this car – today has been very good.”
Car 83, Magalhães/da Silva
“There is a very long stage to go. Now, I have only one objective - to get to the podium. I am the leading Portuguese so I just want to get to Faro.”
Car 88, Lehessaari/Harikainen
“Today is very nice. It is much easier than yesterday. The stages were very rough, difficult and slow. Today they are faster.”