Final Standings And Early Stage Highlights From Rally Argentina

According to Eliseo Salazar, MINI WRC Team driver, Rally Argentina has proven to be tougher than the Dakar Rally. He told Racer (citing Autosport):

"In Dakar, OK, you do five or six hours and then you go relax and go in the hotel," said Salazar. "But yesterday was crazy! I woke up at 4:30 yesterday and at 10 o'clock last night we were still going. And on this event you are going flat-out and pushing as hard as you can, whereas in Dakar you are driving at 80 per cent."

Salazar added that competing on the longest round of the WRC since the Safari Rally in 2002 completed his motorsport ambitions.

"In Formula 1 we had what was called the magic square and I finished Le Mans, Indy, Dakar and now I need to finish this one," he said. "I guess it doesn't help that I chose to make my debut in the World Rally Championship on such a tough event, but I'm happy. My times are coming down on the second loop of the stages and it's great to drive these cars."

The Final Standings (via www.crash.net):

Rally Argentina: Overall standings after Stage 19 - Top 20:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT DS3 WRC 5hours 34mins 38.8secs M
2. Mikko Hirvonen Citroen Total WRT DS3 WRC +00mins 15.2secs M
3. Mads Ostberg Adapta WRT Fiesta RS WRC +03mins 10.4secs M
4. Martin Prokop Ford Fiesta RS WRC +09mins 45.3secs
5. Thierry Neuville Citroen Junior WRT DS3 WRC +11mins 17.6secs M
6. Petter Solberg Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC +12mins 02.2secs M
7. Sebastien Ogier VW Motorsport Skoda Fabia S2000 +12mins 25.3secs
8. Evgeny Novikov M-Sport Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC +21mins 10.2secs M
9. Nasser Al-Attiyah Qatar WRT Citroen DS3 WRC +28mins 22.6secs M
10. Ott Tanak M-Sport Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC +37mins 19.5secs M

11. Benito Guerra Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +37mins 21.8secs P
12. Eliseo Salazar MINI John Cooper Works WRC +41mins 15.9secs
13. Nicolas Fuchs Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +41mins 40.9secs P
14. Valeriy Gorban Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +44mins 06.4secs P
15. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +50mins 21.2secs P
16. Gianluca Linari Subaru Impreza STi +1hr 05mins 46.0secs P
17. Ezequiel Campos Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +1hr 12mins 48.6secs P
18. Subhan Aksa Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +1hr 13mins 06.1secs P
19. Juan San Martin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +1hr 18mins 09.5secs
20. Luis Ortega Etcheverria Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +1hr 18mins 48.5secs


Rally Argentina: Power Stage / SS19 – Top 3:

1. Petter Solberg Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC 2mins 32.9secs M
2. Mikko Hirvonen Citroen Total WRT DS3 WRC +00mins 01.1secs M
3. Nasser Al-Attiyah Qatar WRT Citroen DS3 WRC +00mins 01.5secs M

NOTE: Top three finishers in Power Stage are awarded bonus points. 1st = 3 points; 2nd = 2 points; 3rd = 1 point


PWRC standings after Stage 19:

1. Benito Guerra Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 6hours 12mins 00.6secs P
2. Nicolas Fuchs Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +04mins 19.1secs P
3. Valeriy Gorban Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +06mins 44.6secs P

4. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +12mins 59.4secs P
5. Gianluca Linari Subaru Impreza STi +28mins 24.2secs P
6. Ezequiel Campos Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +35mins 26.8secs P
7. Subhan Aksa Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +35mins 44.3secs P
8. Lorenzo Bertelli Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +1hr 23mins 05.8secs P


Notable retirements:

SS1. Ramona Karlsson Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mechanical P
SS3. Evgeny Novikov M-Sport Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC Lost wheel M*
SS3. Paulo Nobre WRC MINI Team Portugal John Cooper Works WRC Stopped*
SS4. Petter Solberg Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC Steering arm M*
SS4. Ott Tanak M-Sport Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC Stopped M*
SS5. Thierry Neuville Citroen Junior WRT DS3 WRC Rolled M*

SS9. Alexey Kikireshko Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Mechanical P
SS9. Michal Kosciuszko Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mechanical P
SS9/SS10. Nasser Al-Attiyah Qatar WRT Citroen DS3 WRC Knocked a wheel off M*
SS9/SS10. Paulo Nobre WRC MINI Team Portugal John Cooper Works WRCOverheating*
SS12/SS13. Daniel Oliveira Brazil WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC Engine

SS15/SS16. Andreas Mikkelsen VW Motorsport Skoda Fabia S2000 Mechanical
SS16. Ricardo Trivino Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mechanical P
SS17. Paulo Nobre WRC MINI Team Portugal John Cooper Works WRCMechanical
SS17. Armindo Araujo WRC MINI Team Portugal John Cooper Works WRCMechanical
SS19. Dani Sordo Ford WRT Fiesta RS WRC Mechanical M

* denotes re-started under Rally 2


all times unofficial

[Source: RheinMeidaTV @ YouTube]






[Source: RheinMeidaTV @ YouTube]