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SS19: Meeke closes on first podium

MINI driver narrows Henning Solberg’s advantage in battle for third

By Franck Drui

13 November 2011 - 10:06

Kris Meeke is 22.6s adrift of his maiden podium finish in the World Rally Championship as he continues to close the gap to third-placed Henning Solberg on Wales Rally GB.

Meeke, who was third quickest through the run in his MINI John Cooper Works WRC, was more than 10 seconds faster than Fiesta driver Solberg.

Jari-Matti Latvala was fastest through the stage, beating Sebastien Ogier by 9.9s, despite admitting he’s backing off following Sebastien Loeb’s dramatic retirement heading to the Crychan test.

After losing a place to Ott Tanak on the previous stage, FERM Power Tools World Rally Team’s Dennis Kuipers has fallen behind Team Abu Dhabi’s Evgeny Novikov.

Pos.	Driver	Car	Time
01	J. LATVALA / M. ANTTILA	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	2h59m53.1s
02	M. ØSTBERG / J. ANDERSSON	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	+3m15.3s
03	H. SOLBERG / I. MINOR	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	+6m27.8s
04	K. MEEKE / P. NAGLE	MINI WRC	+6m50.4s
05	M. WILSON / S. MARTIN	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	+8m07.2s
06	O. TÄNAK / K. SIKK	FORD Fiesta RS WRC	+8m55.1s
07	E. NOVIKOV / D. GIRAUDET	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	+9m06.5s
08	D. KUIPERS / F. MICLOTTE	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	+9m16.6s
09	K. BLOCK / A. GELSOMINO	Ford Fiesta RS WRC	+14m59.4s
10	A. ARAÚJO / M. RAMALHO	MINI WRC	+15m36.6s
11	K. ABBRING / L. VANNESTE	SKODA Fabia S2000	+16m08.5s
12	H. PADDON / J. KENNARD	SUBARU Impreza R4	+16m42.1s
13	S. OGIER / J. INGRASSIA	Citroën DS3 WRC	+17m52.8s
14	P. FLODIN / T. ALANNE	SUBARU Impreza	+19m49.8s
15	Y. AL RAJHI / M. ORR	FORD Fiesta S2000	+23m09.0s