Argentina (P) - 26-29 May 11

ØSTBERG DOES STOBART PROUD WITH HIGH FIVE IN ARGENTINA

Posted: January 26, 2013 5:54 PM

M-Sport Stobart Ford’s Scandinavian pairing of Mads Østberg and Jonas Andersson posted their fourth top-five finish of the season in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC after an extremely demanding Rally Argentina.

Østberg reported the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship as one of the toughest in his rally career and despite tackling the South American event for the first time, maintained a consistent pace throughout the three-day rally to finish an impressive fifth overall.

Despite Britain’s Matthew Wilson noting this year’s Rally Argentina as the roughest he had experienced, he and co-driver Scott Martin finished eighth - the duo’s fifth points-finish this season.

Friday’s stages totalling 156.44 km proved drama-free for the M-Sport Stobart team-mates who responded well to the challenge of contesting a mixed gravel and asphalt road surface. Friday also marked the first time that Østberg and Wilson had driven the Ford Fiesta RS WRC on asphalt.

At the end of the first loop, only 5.7 seconds separated the two team-mates but Østberg edged ahead during the day’s closing stages to complete the first day 32.2 seconds ahead of Wilson.

Saturday’s stages included approximately 20 km of asphalt and provided an added challenge to the blisteringly quick rock-strewn roads. Disaster struck for Wilson on Stage 10 when he hit a banking and knocked the tyre off the rim, causing a puncture and dropping him back into eighth.

Intermittent power steering problems were a minor issue for Østberg on Saturday morning but during the repeat afternoon pass, the Scandinavian reported a good car set-up and moved up into fifth as a result of Latvala’s retirement on Stage 14. Østberg posted two top-five stage times in the afternoon including a fourth-fastest stage time on the closing Santa Rosa/San Agustin test.

Sunday’s mammoth 48.21 km opening Ascochinga test - the longest stage so far this season - proved troublesome for Wilson whose Fiesta RS WRC ground to a halt after a water splash. It is suspected that the problem was caused by water in the engine but the pair managed to restart the car and made it safely to the end of the stage. The British duo lost around six minutes as a result.

Despite this early setback, Wilson bounced back and finished with a flourish after posting two top-five times on the event’s closing stages.

Team-mate Østberg adopted a cautious driving approach on Sunday’s stages desperate to consolidate his fifth-place position. The young Norwegian pulled into the final service at Carlos Paz delighted with ten valued drivers’ points on his debut in Argentina.

Mads Østberg said:
“I’m very happy to have made it to the end of Rally Argentina and to finish in this position, it’s been such a difficult event. I was aiming for sixth and we finished fifth so of course that is good – OK, Jari-Matti’s retirement is not the way we wanted to move up the leaderboard but that is how it happens sometimes. We have done quite well inside the car this weekend, we have made some changes to the pacenotes and we’re now well prepared for next year’s event. Now we’ve had two rallies without any problems so we are very happy with that. I’m really looking forward to the next two events now because I have been there before - hopefully we can push the guys more at the top instead of having to learn the roads like we have had to on this rally. Now I must concentrate on the fifth round of the Norwegian Rally Championship next weekend when we return to the Ford Fiesta S2000 and hope that I can retain our lead.”

Matthew Wilson said:
“I’ve really enjoyed this event – the stages today and Friday were awesome and the fans are just unbelievable. The landscape on some of the stages is out of this world and it’s a real pleasure to drive on such a great event like this. For sure, we could have potentially finished a couple of places higher but obviously we had the puncture yesterday and the small problem with the car after the water splash today. We lifted the bonnet to try and figure out what was wrong and weren’t sure initially whether the problems had come from the engine or the electronics but we removed some of the water and managed to get the car going again. It’s been incredibly rough on the roads this weekend – definitely as tough as I can remember it being before. The long stage today was an incredible test of endurance but at least we only had to do it once. The surface is so rough and you can hear so many knocks from underneath the car which really makes you wonder how much more it can take – but rallies like this just show you how strong the car really is.”

M-Sport Stobart Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“Argentina is renowned for being a very difficult event – the stages are some of the roughest you will find and the mix of road surfaces made tyre wear and set-up an added challenge this year. Considering this is the first time that Mads has been to Argentina, he has done an incredible job to finish in the top five. He’s proved himself that he can rise to any challenge and his mature approach will undoubtedly pay dividends over the remainder of the season. Matthew had a good run on Friday but was unlucky with the puncture he incurred yesterday and it was a shame that he lost time on the opening stage today. However, he made it to the end of a very difficult event which is the most important thing and both he and Mads thoroughly deserve the 18 points haul for the team.”

VILLAGRA ENTERTAINS FANS WITH SEASON BEST ON HOME EVENT

Posted: January 26, 2013 5:54 PM

Argentina’s Federico Villagra secured his best result of the season by finishing sixth for the Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team at Rally Argentina this weekend.

The nine-time Argentine Rally Champion and co-driver Jorge Perez Companc shone at their home event and entertained fans from start to finish in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

During Friday’s repeat loop of stages based in the Traslasierra mountains, Villagra reported engine problems during the classic El Condor stage and drove on three cylinders as a result. Villagra managed to nurse his car back to service where the Munchi’s Ford mechanics changed the fuel injectors and some of the electronics.

The repeat afternoon pass fared better for Villagra who was locked in a close battle for sixth place with M-Sport Stobart Ford team-mates Mads Østberg and Matthew Wilson. The recently-turned 42-year-old finished the day eighth overall, 13.5 seconds adrift of Wilson.

At the end of day service, the team changed the front suspension of Villagra’s Fiesta RS WRC after it had suffered heavy knocks from the rocks that had been dragged onto the stages.

On Saturday, Villagra reported difficulties finding the right braking spot on the mixed road surfaces but the Munchi’s Ford driver took advantage of Wilson’s puncture on Stage 10 and moved into seventh place.

Villagra – affectionately known as “El Coyote” by the Argentine people – moved further up the WRC leaderboard when Jari-Matti Latvala was forced to retire on Stage 13 due to a mechanical problem. The driver was lying sixth overall at the end of the second day, 57 seconds behind Norway’s Østberg.

The final day proved trouble-free for Villagra and Argentina’s rally star pulled into the final service at Carlos Paz greeted by hundreds of adoring fans and delighted with his best ever result in Ford’s Fiesta RS WRC.

Federico Villagra said:
“It’s been a great weekend and this is a good result for us so I’m very happy. I want to say a huge thank you to all my fans, there were so many spectators on the stages this weekend and it’s been an incredible atmosphere from start to finish. We had a good battle with Mads and Matthew on Friday which kept me pushing all day but I wasn’t quite so happy with the car set-up. Then we really enjoyed the stages on Saturday – after we made some small set-up changes, the car was running brilliantly. It’s certainly not been easy this weekend, the stages have been rougher than I can remember them being in previous years and there’s been a few changes to the itinerary this year which have been a challenge. This is a very special rally to me and I am just glad to have finished with a good result for my people.”

Hirvonen takes second in Argentina after exciting final stage clash

Posted: January 26, 2013 5:52 PM

Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second in Rally Argentina today after a thrilling three-car battle for victory through the final speed test. The Finns missed the top step of the podium by just 2.3sec in their Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car in one of the closest finishes in FIA World Rally Championship history.

Only three rallies have produced a closer finale than this sixth round of the season, fought out in the hills of Cordoba province, 700km north-west of Buenos Aires. Just 7.2sec covered the top three drivers after 380.21km of competition over a mix of rocky gravel tracks and smooth asphalt.

The result keeps Hirvonen in second place in the drivers' championship. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila remain fourth in the standings after finishing seventh in another Fiesta RS WRC. Latvala was involved in the closest finish in WRC history just two rallies ago in Jordan when 0.2sec split the leading cars. Ford Abu Dhabi remains second in the manufacturers' points.

Hirvonen ended the opening leg in fourth and climbed to second yesterday to start the final day 43.7sec from the lead. When leader Sébastien Ogier rolled on the opening special stage and broke his car's power steering, the fight for victory became a three-car battle between Ogier, Hirvonen and Sébastien Loeb.

Ford's 30-year-old Finn entered the final 3.90km test in third, with just 5.7sec covering the trio. He was second fastest to climb to second, claiming two bonus championship points for his performance on the live television Power Stage.

"I made a couple of small mistakes at the start of the stage and things were so close that I knew then that victory wasn't going to be mine," said Hirvonen. "Second was a good result after a hard weekend, which was a strange one also. I struggled on the asphalt sections and better driving there could have given me the win. I'm annoyed to lose by such a small margin, but the bonus points from the Power Stage were a boost.

"We received presents from some drivers and gave our own presents away to others. I fought hard and it was a great ending to the event. I love this rally because the gravel roads are fantastic and there are so many fans alongside the road that it's a great feeling. Second place brings good points, but I need to start winning rallies to improve my chances of lifting the championship," he added.

Latvala dominated Friday's opening leg, winning four stages to build a 18.2sec lead. The 26-year-old Finn retained his advantage through most of yesterday, only to retire when he hit a rock and broke his car's front left suspension link. The damage was too great to repair and he restarted today in eighth, after incurring penalties for not completing the final two stages. He climbed one position to seventh.

"It was a big disappointment to lose the lead yesterday," he said. "It was a frustrating weekend because I hoped for much more from the final result. I had good pace on both the asphalt and the gravel sections. But sometimes my gravel speed was inconsistent. When I pushed too hard to find extra speed I slid sideways and lost time, so I need to drive more smoothly.

Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson was pleased with the pace-setting speed of the Fiesta RS WRC.
"It was another stunning performance from the car but sadly we're not on the top step of the podium. Jari-Matti had the rally under control before damaging his suspension on a rock. Mikko produced a brave fightback after a difficult day yesterday and was rewarded with second. The car's asphalt performance was strong and it's encouraging for the sealed surface events later in the year," said Wilson.

Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe motorsport chief, said:
"A podium is always a good result, bringing strong points in both the manufacturers' and drivers' championships. But I'm disappointed we're not going home with more than second place. Jari-Matti had the pace to win before damaging his car and a slightly stronger performance from Mikko during the opening two days could have delivered a win."

News from other Ford teams

M-Sport Stobart Ford duo Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson finished fifth in a Fiesta RS WRC after an untroubled day. Team-mates Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin dropped from seventh to eighth when their car stopped for almost six minutes in today's opening stage after the engine swallowed water at a river crossing. Argentines Federico Villagra / Jorge Perez Companc were sixth for the Munchi's Ford team, while Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino finished 18th after losing 15 minutes when they went off the road and punctured a front right tyre on the opening test.

Results

Posted: January 26, 2013 5:49 PM

1. S Loeb/D Elena Citroen DS3 WRC) 4hr 03min 56.9sec 2. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 4hr 03min 59.3sec 3. S Ogier/J Ingrassia (Citroen DS3 WRC) 4hr 04min 04.2sec 4. P Solberg/C Patterson (Citroen DS3 WRC) 4hr 04min 29.5sec 5. M Østberg/J Andersson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 4hr 09min 13.7sec 6. F Villagra/J Perez Companc (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 4hr 10min 45.4sec 7. J-M Latvala/M Anttila (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 4hr 15min 31.4sec 8. M Wilson/S Martin (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 4hr 17min 29.6sec 9. H Paddon/J Kennard (Subaru Impreza) 4hr 29min 40.7sec 10 P Flodin/M Andersson (Subaru Impreza) 4hr 37min 31.1sec

Results on line

Video - Power Stage Preview

Posted: May 27, 2011 3:17 PM

Video - Rally Preview

Posted: May 27, 2011 3:15 PM

STOBART AIMS FOR ANOTHER HIGH FIVE IN ARGENTINA

Posted: May 24, 2011 7:58 PM

The M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team will be looking to continue its strong run in the FIA World Rally Championship by posting its sixth successive top-five result at next week’s Rally Argentina.

So far in 2011 the Cumbria-based team has placed Ford’s new Fiesta RS WRC in the top five places in each of the championship’s opening five rounds.

Rally Argentina debutant Mads Østberg attended a sponsor event with Norwegian cross country skier and double Olympic champion Petter Northug last weekend. The pair travelled to the historic Oscarsborg fortress where they celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Norwegian magazine Vi Menn which features on the livery of Østberg’s Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

The 23-year-old – who celebrated the Norwegian Constitution Day in his hometown on Tuesday - finished fifth at Rally Italia Sardinia earlier this month and is now looking to up the ante in order to chase the WRC front-runners.

Østberg, currently leading the Norwegian Rally Championship alongside Swedish co-driver Jonas Andersson, will be faced with the daunting prospect of one of the longest stages of WRC action in recent years – the whopping 48.21 km Ascochinga stage on Sunday.

The Scandinavian pairing will also have to rise to the challenge of the famed El Condor stage on Saturday - where the WRC crews climb to 2122 metres. However, despite Østberg having no previous knowledge of the roads compared to the other WRC drivers, the young Norwegian is looking forward to pitting himself against the tough Argentine stages and driving the Ford Fiesta WRC on asphalt for the first time on the event’s mixed surface tests.

Britain’s Matthew Wilson, who competed in the 81 mile Caledonia Etape cycle challenge in aid of Macmillan Cancer last weekend, is M-Sport Stobart’s second nominated points-scorer. Rally Argentina holds special memories for the 24-year-old Cumbrian who took a record-breaking Super Special stage win there in 2006 at just 18-years-old. It was Wilson’s first ever WRC stage victory and was a record he retained until 2009.

After brake and steering problems undermined their challenge at Rally Italia Sardegna earlier this month, Wilson and co-driver Scott Martin are looking to return to the form that saw them post successive top-five results at both Jordan Rally and Vodafone Rally de Portugal.

Regular M-Sport Stobart driver Henning Solberg and his new sponsor Ludo have agreed that the popular Norwegian will skip Rally Argentina in order to finalise his plans for the rest of 2011 and 2012 in the WRC. However, Solberg and co-driver Ilka Minor will return to the M-Sport Stobart team to pilot the Ford Fiesta RS WRC at Acropolis Rally of Greece in June.

Mads Østberg said:
“For the third time this year, I’m going to a rally that I’ve never been to before. I really don’t know what to expect in Argentina as I have no experience of the stages, but we went to Mexico without any expectations and I finished fifth so I’d like to get a similar result next week. Saturday could be difficult – there’s going to be 20 kilometres on asphalt and we’ll have a gravel set-up. I’ve driven the Ford Fiesta S2000 on asphalt before but the Fiesta RS WRC will be a completely difference experience again. I’d be happy to finish in the top-five next week but I’d like to post some fast times and be able to push the top four more at this event.”

Matthew Wilson said:
“I really like Rally Argentina – the roads are very flowing and I prefer the stages over there compared to the last round in Sardinia. The road surface can be quite sandy which could mean that rocks will be pulled onto the road, so that could be something to keep at an eye out for. Also, because the surface can be soft, big ruts can be formed after the first pass. Managing tyre wear could be a challenge in Argentina but the new Michelin Latitude tyres proved very tough in Jordan and Sardinia so hopefully punctures are something that we won’t have to worry about next week. It rained very heavily in 2008 so I just hope it stays clear and that we can have a good run with no problems.”

DMACK Continues Development To Focus On PWRC Lead

Posted: May 20, 2011 2:29 PM

DMACK Tyres is hoping to maintain its position at the top of the Production WRC standings after the latest round of the series at Rally Argentina next week.

Czech driver Martin Semerad scored a stunning victory on DMACK tyres at the WRC series opener in Sweden at the start of the year and followed this up with third at a tough Rally Portugal to consolidate his lead at the top of the table.

But Rally Argentina, round six of the FIA World Rally Championship, throws up some specific challenges of its own – from high-speed water splashes to fog and soft, sandy surfaces. The event will certainly pose a tough test to both Semerad and his DMACK tyres.

To cope with the conditions, DMACK has nominated its DMG2 gravel tyre in the G4 medium compound. This is the first WRC event where the G4 will be nominated and used – but its performance has already been proven on the tough stages of Portugal.

DMACK crews received FIA authorisation to change to the G4 compound for legs two and three of Rally Portugal after the nominated G2 suffered from excessive tyre wear. The G4 helped Semerad deliver a podium finish after dropping down the order on the first day.

Since Portugal, DMACK has been busy improving its WRC gravel tyre. Working alongside its development technicians at the factory in China, the team has tested various compounds and constructions with the view of using its joker option to nominate a new gravel tyre after Rally Finland.

Durability and performance testing has taken place in Jordan, Australia, Latvia, Norway and Finland – with initial results, in terms of speed, puncture resistance and tyre wear, looking very positive.

Semerad leads off ten Production WRC regulars who head to South America for round three of the series. In addition to the Czech, DMACK will also supply tyres to two Argentine drivers, Alejandro Levy and Ezequiel Campos, who have been nominated as wildcards to score PWRC championship points.

Dick Cormack, DMACK Tyres motorsport director, said:
“We had a challenging event in Portugal but I’m confident that we will bounce back stronger than before. We’ve conducted various development tests around the world over the last two months and have been working closely with the construction technicians at the factory in China to upgrade and improve both construction and compound of the WRC gravel tyre. Test results are showing some solid improvements and that’s vital to enhance our performance going forward.

“Martin Semerad is happy with the tyres’ performance and we want to give him as much support as we can to maintain his championship lead in PWRC. But we are also focusing on further improvements for this year and will most likely play our joker to nominate a new improved gravel tyre after Rally Finland.”

Event Details
After a year’s absence, Rally Argentina is back in the WRC and again based in Villa Carlos Paz near Cordoba.

It’s one of the WRC’s classic events and, in addition to its soft, sandy, rock-strewn roads, the event always throws some unpredictable weather into the mix. High-speed jumps and water splashes are guaranteed and so is the warm welcome from the thousands of fanatical Argentine spectators who flock to the event.

The rally kicks off with an exciting Super Special stage in Carlos Paz on Thursday evening before the real action gets underway on Friday as crews tackle 156 km of high-altitude action. Fridays sees two passes through the classic El Condor stage which, at over 37 km long, sees crews race through scenery that resembles a lunar landscape.

Saturday’s stages are mainly based south of Rally HQ around the town of Santa Rose de Calamuchita – famed for its high-speed water splash which pitches rally cars to some crazy angles.

But one of the biggest challenges of the event will be the massive 48 km Ascochinga stage which could provide a final day sting in the tail for crews.

Citroën is determined to continue its winning streak in Argentina

Posted: May 20, 2011 11:21 AM

Since the start of the season the Citroën DS3 WRCs have won all four rallies run on gravel. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, victorious in Mexico and Italy, and Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, winners in Portugal and Jordan, have shared Citroën’s successes. The Citroën Total World Rally Team’s aim is to continue this winning streak in Argentina, an event in which the French make has always excelled.

Rally Argentina is the first of two events run in the southern hemisphere. It has a special place in the WRC in general, and in Citroën Racing’s heart in particular. Since 2004, first of all with Carlos Sainz and then with Sébastien Loeb, the French outfit has never been beaten in the Cordoba region In 2011, the team has entered the Citroën DS3 WRC with a single ambition – continue this winning streak!

The return of Rally Argentina to the WRC calendar after a year’s absence has led to a few innovations on the route. Villa Carlos Paz is still the nerve centre of the event and the entrants will rediscover the famous Traslasierra, Punilla and Calamuchita valleys. On the other hand, a new super special has been laid out in Villa Carlos Paz. It will be the theatre of the start, which will be given on Thursday afternoon. In addition, long asphalt sections will be scattered along the mainly gravel route.
“A test session was held this week to validate the behaviour of the car on asphalt,” explains Sébastien Loeb.

With a twenty-kilometer section on Friday and another of fourteen kilometers on Saturday to be covered twice, almost 20% of the rally will be on tar macadam.
“As the asphalt sections are in the very heart of the gravel sectors, we can’t play on the setups. We’ll have to adapt our driving style to get the best out of them.
And the crucial factor will be good tyre wear management.”

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena lead the overall general drivers’ classification and they’re aiming for another victory in Argentina:
“Our results are the fruit of the whole team’s work. It’s a good sign to see that the Citroën DS3 WRCs seem to have a slight advantage on gravel, but the gaps are tiny at the end of each rally. We’ll have to be quick right from the start, and go pedal to the metal till the end as with a stage of 48 kilometers to start the last day, there’s no question of letting up.”

Sébastien Ogier’s only outing in Argentina was in 2009 so he has limited experience in this rally:
“We’re coming here with much greater ambitions than two years ago. The route’s fantastic and very varied. You have to have very accurate notes as certain passages are very narrow with big stones on the edge of the line like Mina Clavero and El Condor. Others are more sandy but bumpy as always.

“Of course, we’re aiming for the best possible result,” Ogier, who is currently lying third in the championship chase, adds. “We’re going try and score good points and close the gap to the leaders.”

As a prelude to the rally and to greet their Argentinean fans, the Citroën Racing crews will go to Buenos Aires on Saturday 21st May to put on an exceptional show with the DS3 WRC around the obelisk on the Place de la République.

Three questions to Sébastien Loeb

Looking back on the first five rallies of the season, the score card reads two victories and the lead in the world championship so everything seems to be going pretty well…
“This season will be hotly contested right till the very end. All the rallies are very closely fought. In Sardinia, we won by around ten seconds from Mikko Hirvonen. The gap between Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala in Jordan was only two-tenths of a second! It’s hard to predict how things are going to pan out in the coming months. It’s good to be in the lead, but it’s early days yet. There are many victory contenders. But I have to say I don’t think about this very much when I’m behind the steering wheel, I just try to do my best.”

After your performance .in Rally Italy, do you think that sweeping is still as important as ever this year?
“Maybe be the gaps are not as big at the same speeds. I think I was a bit lucky in Sardinia. The first day was very handicapping, and then I was quicker than my rivals in the second leg. It went off much better than we expected before the start. But you’re still penalized by this phenomenon when you’re first out on the road. If you have the choice it’s better to start behind.”

You’ve won the last five Argentinean rallies. Is it one of the events on the calendar you particularly look forward to?
“It’s got an ambience unlike any other. The Argentinean spectators are mad about rallying. They’re very warm, very demonstrative and really participate in the event. There are people everywhere, from the hotel to the summits of the stages. We’ve got a good record in this rally, which I can’t really explain. The route’s very varied. Some stages alternate technical portions and quicker ones. Maybe I’ve just been a bit more successful than my rivals over the past few years. For sure, I feel good

VILLAGRA HAS HIGH HOPES FOR HOME EVENT

Posted: May 20, 2011 11:20 AM

Federico Villagra believes the support from fans on his home rally in Argentina next week will boost his chances of securing a top-five FIA World Rally Championship result for the Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team.

The Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver has contested Rally Argentina ten times, and is aiming for another top-five result after achieving his best ever WRC result in 2009 there when he finished fourth overall.

Fresh from victory at last weekend’s third round of the Argentine Rally Championship – Rally de Cutral Có y Plaza Huincul - Villagra and co-driver Jorge Perez Companc are feeling confident ahead of the WRC event.

Few of the drivers entered for this year’s Rally Argentina will be as familiar with the stages and the testing conditions as Villagra, affectionately known by the nickname ’El Coyote’ in his homeland. The rally is based in his home town of Villa Carlos Paz, and also holds special memories for the Munchi’s Ford team manager Martin Christie who won 1995’s rally co-driving for Jorge Recalde.

Friday’s highlights include some of Rally Argentina’s classic stages, including Mina Clavero and El Condor. Visibility could be an issue on the opening day as the WRC crews will climb to over 2000 metres driving through cloud and fog, where accurate pacenotes will be essential.

Villagra, who celebrates his 42nd birthday tomorrow, will need to tackle two runs of a revised stage with a mixed surface of both asphalt and gravel on Day 2. The innovation will allow spectators to see for the first time how Ford’s new Fiesta RS WRC performs on asphalt.

Sunday will also include one of the longest stages in the WRC calendar - the 48.21 km Ascochinga - a string in the tail which will be sure to test the drivers on the closing leg.

Federico Villagra said:
“This is the WRC event I look forward to the most – each rally has its special qualities but this event just has the best of everything. The fans are amazing, there’s nothing like having the support of your fans behind you and I always feel the urge to entertain the spectators on this rally. The stages are similar to previous years but there are some new challenges including the long stage [Ascochinga] on the final day and the mix of road surfaces on Saturday. I haven’t tested the Ford Fiesta RS WRC on asphalt yet and we’ll be running a gravel set-up so that could be tricky. I’m feeling more confident now after our win in the ARC last weekend and I hope that my knowledge of the stages will help me to battle for a top five position next week.”

Ford rally car leads the party at Rally Argentina's fiesta weekend

Posted: May 20, 2011 11:18 AM

Ford's Fiesta RS World Rally Car has a VIP invitation to one of Argentina's biggest fiesta occasions next weekend. More than a million fanatical Latin Americans will flock into the pampas to watch Rally Argentina (26 - 29 May), and Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team's challenger for the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship will be one of the star guests at the party.

The rally is traditionally one of the classic gravel fixtures in the championship, but the performance of the Fiesta RS WRC on asphalt will play a key part in this season's encounter. After a year's absence, the event returns to the series as a mixed surface event, offering the first opportunity for the car to show its sealed surface abilities.

The opening five rounds of this year's championship were held on either gravel or snow. While Rally Argentina retains its famous dirt speed tests in Cordoba province, nearly 700 km north-west of Buenos Aires, almost a fifth of the event's competitive distance is asphalt.

To add an extra challenge to drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila, the asphalt must be tackled with their Fiesta RS WRCs in loose-surface specification and using Michelin's gravel tyres.

The team's journey from Europe across the Atlantic Ocean is a long one, but the atmosphere surrounding the event makes Rally Argentina a firm favourite. In a country where the tango mirrors the passion for life, the atmosphere crackles roadside in the special stages as the fans pour into the three different valleys of the province.

The scenery is stunning too, ranging from huge expanses of open plain north of the rally base in Carlos Paz, to the Traslasierra mountains further west where rocky ribbons of road wind through a dramatic moonlike landscape. The characteristics of the stages vary considerably in each valley, although the gravel roads are generally soft and sandy with many river crossings, and frequently become rutted during the second pass.

The new-look format will transform the classic El Condor stage into a mixed surface test for the first time and both Hirvonen, who lies second in the drivers' standings, and Latvala have prepared well for the challenge. Each tested for half a day last month in Sardinia on asphalt roads, with their cars in gravel specification to simulate what they will encounter in Argentina.

"The mixed surface stages will be hard for the tyres," said Hirvonen. "El Condor's gravel is tough to drive because it's narrow, twisty and rocky. This year the stage switches to asphalt which is wide and smooth, so I'll have to instantly change my approach. The car felt really good on asphalt in testing. It's the first time for the new-generation cars on that surface in competition, so it will be new for us all.

"There is a little bit of everything in this rally – gravel, asphalt, river crossings, long stages. May is late-autumn in Argentina and we can't be sure how the weather will be. It could be warm and dry, which will make conditions tough for soft compound tyres, or it could be wet and muddy, which will make the asphalt slippery. My speed on the last round in Italy was good and I was happy with the pace of the car, so I'm confident I can reproduce that here," said the 30-year-old Finn.

Latvala has four previous starts in Argentina to his name and the 26-year-old Finn also acknowledges that the 2011 rally will be hard.

"It's always a demanding rally over tough stages and this year there are plenty of kilometres on asphalt which we must drive on gravel tyres," he said. "Mixed surfaces in the same stage will require a total change of mentality when the roads switch from gravel to asphalt. It's important to be precise, to keep the driving line smooth and straight, to remember that the grip is different and the braking points won't be the same on gravel tyres as they would be on asphalt rubber.

"Friday's first leg is held on technical roads, which contrasts with the second leg which is based in fast stages and characterised by jumps and water crossings. Then the final leg contains what is probably the longest test in the championship this season. So it's important for a driver to adapt to the changes in rhythm each day," added Latvala.

Team News

* Michelin's new construction Latitude Cross gravel tyre will be used by the Ford Abu Dhabi drivers. It will be available in soft compound only for the first time this season. Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the tyres and each car can carry two spare wheels.

* Hirvonen and Latvala completed a four-day test this week in preparation for next month's Acropolis Rally of Greece. Latvala completed 443km in the opening two days, based in the Peloponnese peninsula near Corinth. Hirvonen took over for the final two days and covered 546km.

* Four other Fiesta RS WRCs are entered. Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin and Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson are nominated by the M-Sport Stobart Ford team. Munchi's Ford World Rally Team's Federico Villagra / Jorge Perez Companc and Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block / Alex Gelsomino complete the registered championship entries from customer teams.

* Latvala will drive a two-litre Mk 2 Ford Escort RS as a course opening car in the POP Pankki SM-ralli in Finland on 11 June. The sixth round of the Finnish Championship is based in Lapua and Latvala will be partnered by Asko Sairanen.

Rally Route

Major changes have been introduced to the route, while still remaining faithful to the valleys of Cordoba province. The single lakeside service park in Carlos Paz remains unaltered but a new super special stage on the edge of town launches the action on Thursday afternoon. Friday's opening leg journeys south-west to the gruelling Traslasierra mountains and includes a double pass over the rocky El Condor and Giulio Césare tests, two of the most famous and toughest of the year which peak at 2195m. The second leg is based to the south in the Calamuchita valley, before a short but demanding final leg north of Carlos Paz in the Punilla Valley. It includes the monster 48.21km Ascochinga - Agua de Oro test, before a second pass over the super special stage and the Power Stage, where bonus points will be won by the fastest three drivers. Drivers tackle 19 stages covering 378.15km in a route of 1457.08km.

Solberg and Van Merksteijn in Argentina

Posted: May 20, 2011 11:16 AM

Petter Solberg and Peter van Merksteijn Jr will drive two Citroën DS3 WRCs entered under their own banner and put at their disposal by Citroën Racing Technologies in Rally Argentina, the sixth round of the 2011 World Rally Championship.

A test session was held for Petter Solberg and Peter van Merksteijn Jr in the south of France to prepare for this event. The two drivers relayed each other at the wheel of a Citroën DS3 WRC to find their setups.

“Petter Solberg has had a very good preparation for this rally,’ said Benoit Nogier, the boss of Citroën Racing Technologies. “His podium finish in Sardinia has given the whole team’s morale a big boost. This kind of result is crucial in a season. In Argentina, a rally for old hands, his experience could give him a decisive advantage. It’s certainly one of the events that suits him the best. He’ll be in the thick of the battle.”

“This session was also a big help for Peter van Merksteijn Jr,’ Nogier adds. “He was finally able to take advantage of a day and half’s testing to run through a wide range of setups. This has helped boost his confidence. We hope that this test will help him during the rally. He needed time in the Citroën DS3 WRC to find his marks. The whole team’s worked hard. I think it’s now in the right frame of mind before leaving for Argentina.”

Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson’s (Petter Solberg World Rally Team)) podium finish in Italy achieved their first aim. In Argentina, the Norwegian will be back in an environment that he knows by heart as he has raced in the last ten events with three podium finishes. “ I feel stronger than ever. Everything’s possible in Argentina,” he grinned in Sardinia.

Peter van Merksteijn Jr (Van Merksteijn Motorsport) will be racing in his fourth rally in a Citroën DS3 WRC. The young Dutchman has made constant progress and he will be out to finish Rally Argentina, which has a reputation as a difficult event.

The 2011 Rally Argentina has 378 timed kilometres and it is using a route that is quite well known in the valleys of Traslasierra, Punilla, and Calamuchita in the Cordoba region. It will start on Thursday 26th May at 14h40 and will finish early on Sunday afternoon.

Rally Guide / Event Website / Details

Posted: January 2, 1990 3:02 PM

• Rally Argentina