Argentina (P) - 4-6 May 07

Posted: May 8, 2007 1:52 PM

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King of Cordoba – Loeb takes first in Rally Argentina
Reigning World Rally Champion Citroen’s Sebastian Loeb (France) increased his lead in the WRC Drivers’ Championship with a first place in Rally Argentina today. BP Ford team-mates Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonnen finished in second and third place on the event.

2004 World Champion Niall McShea from Fermanagh was back behind the wheel this weekend as well, finishing in sixth place in the Production Championship round. Co-driver Omagh’s Gordon Noble, who is Assistant Clerk of the Course on Rally Ireland said: “We’ve had a great run in Argentina, despite not having a lot of experience in this car. It’s a fabulous country and the fans are very enthusiastic – just like home!” McShea will drive the Subaru Impreza S12 for Lukoil Rally Team – TaCK for the remainder of the season.

Bad weather and transportation problems forced the cancellation of Friday’s stages of the event, but competitors more than made up for it over the two days rallying on some of the highest stages in the WRC, climbing to over 2,100 metres in the mountains of Cordoba.

Rally Ireland’s Deputy Clerk of the Course Fred Gallagher was also on hand this weekend in advance of the Championship’s inaugural Irish round in November this year.

Results
www.wrc.com - World Rally Championship Offical Site

Rally Argentina

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• Rally Ireland taking note in Argentina
• Niall McShea to return to PWRC in Argentina
• MacHale not going to Argentina
• Entry List available

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02/05/07
Rally Ireland taking note in Argentina
Rally Argentina this coming weekend sees the welcome return of Ireland’s only motorsport World Champion, Fermanagh’s Niall McShea, to the World Rally Championship, with a co-driver who’s been preparing a different set of pace notes in recent months.  

Rally Ireland Assistant Clerk of the Course Gordon Noble will navigate for McShea as the sixth round of the Championship kicks off in the River Plate soccer stadium in Buenos Aires before heading north to Córdoba province for three days of action on some of the highest stages in WRC.  

Noble said: “It’s great to get back in the car and do a WRC event.  Having spent the last few months driving the stages for Rally Ireland and making sure we’re putting together a top class event for November, I’m really looking forward to the busman’s holiday!”  

Also on hand to see how Argentina fare with the logistics of a split site for the Super Special Stage and Rally Headquarters will be Belfast native and Deputy Clerk of the Course Fred Gallagher.  Transporting the world’s top rallying talent and their vehicles from the start at Stormont in Belfast to Sligo’s service park will be no mean feat, and one the team will be eager to observe.  

Regular Irish WRC competitors Gareth MacHale and Shaun Gallagher will not be taking part in this weekend’s event, as the MacHale team will be in action in the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney, home event for co-driver Paul Nagle.  Argentina is not a round of the FIA Junior championship, so Gallagher will have a weekend off, secure in the knowledge he’s still leading the race in the Rookie Championship eight clear points ahead of his closest rival, Spaniard Manuel Rueda.  

The 27th Rally Argentina takes place over 22 stages in the three valleys of Córdoba, with reigning World Champion Sébastian Loeb of France seeking to secure a fourth successive victory for Citroen.  Rivals in the BP Ford team headed by Marcus Gronholm (Finland) are coming out of a week’s testing in Sardinia in their new 2007-spec Ford Focus WRC, so will likely be looking to put that practice to good use on the gravel stages.  The new car is due to debut in Finland.  

The M-Sport Stobart Ford team duo of Matthew Wilson and Michael Orr from Bangor, Co. Down, will be hoping that Argentina is as lucky for them as it was last year, when they picked up their first WRC championship points.  

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12/04/07
Niall McShea to return to PWRC in Argentina
2004 PWRC Champion Niall McShea returns to the WRC in Argentina.
Along with Gordon Noble on the notes, McShea will take over the "TACK" team's entry, normally driven by Anton Alen.
At the moment the drive is a once off.

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MacHale not going to Argentina
Gareth MacHale and Co-Driver Paul Nagle will not be making an apperance in Argentina, as the car would not be back in time for the Italian Round of the World Championship.
The Crew are expected to compete on the Killarney Rally of the Lakes instead

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Entry list on the Rally website:

Rally Argentina

• 2007 FIA World Rally Championship