SS11: Double century for VW

Leader Sébastien Ogier claimed the Volkswagen Polo R’s 200th stage win with fastest time through the 19.09km Santa Clara (SS11). With 307 stages run since VW entered the WRC last year, that’s an impressive win rate of 65 per cent.

Ogier and second-placed Mikko Hirvonen opted for soft compound Michelin rubber, Ogier carrying one spare while Hirvonen took a cautious two. The big question is that with temperatures climbing and the roads drying, will soft rubber last 73.14km of stages?

Hirvonen’s rear left was already worn. “I’ll go flat out as long as the tyres last,” he said.

Andreas Mikkelsen drove more than half the stage with no power steering on his Polo R. With a 31.90km test next, he wasn’t looking forward to it. “I’m not entering a strong man competition!” he said.

Jari-Matti Latvala finished with a slow puncture on the front right of his Polo R. “It happened at the midpoint after 10km, I started to feel something strange,” said Latvala, who is carrying just one spare.

Juho Hänninen picked up his third flat of the weekend after hitting a bank at the flying finish and damaging the rear left tyre on his Hyundai i20. Like Latvala, he also has one spare.