Rally Argentina / Rally review
A stellar performance in Portugal earned Dani Sordo an extra drive in Argentina.
14/44
Giulio Cesare and El Condor are just two of the
(in-) famous stages that are on the menu in Argentina. But the country has more to offer. Everything from soft sandy to hard rock roads can
be found here. A mistake usually means a broken wheel or more. Landscapes also vary. The
organizers even promised a trip to the moon referring to the vast open plains of Punilla Valley.
Some forty drivers had found their way there, including 11 regular teams in WRC and 17 in WRC
2. Dani Sordo drove the second car for Hyundai.
He was rewarded for his good results in Portugal
where, although a technical issue prevented him
from finishing, he gave the Korean outfit their
first stage win and (temporary) lead in a WRC
Latvala jumped into the lead after the opening day.
Rally. Team principal Michel Nandan explained:
“We initially planned to start here with Juho Hänninen in the second car but after Sordo’s very
good performance in Portugal we felt it only to
be fair to hand him a second consecutive drive.
We talked it over with Juho and offered him Sardinia as his next rally. However Hänninen will be
in Argentina doing the recce to gain valuable information. Unfortunately it has not been possible to enter a third car here. We have tried but it
proved to be impossible, in the time left between
Portugal and Argentina, to organize everything
especially this being a long haul event. But as
we said Hänninen will be present and he will still
have an important role.”
And we’re off!
In shakedown Sordo was fastest making clear
that Nandan made a good choice, selecting the
Spaniard for Argentina. Mikko Hirvonen and JariMatti Latvala were following closely. But the next
morning the rally really started and it looked like
a Volkswagen cup rally. Ogier first took the lead.
And at the halfway point of the day it was a Volkswagen 1, 2, 3 Ogier, Latvala Mikkelsen. But
Latvala grabs the lead in the last stage of the
day, the second running of the almost 52 kilometres long Ascochinga - Agua De Oro stage being
more than 18 seconds faster than his teammate.
So he could have a good nights rest with a lead
of just over 17 seconds.