Argentina: Hänninen well placed

After his second place in Monte-Carlo and his third place in Brazil, Juho Hänninen is in a good position to win his first rally of the IRC season, in Argentina.

Published on 20/03/2010 à 23:31

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Juho Hänninen (Skoda Fabia S2000) seems to be Kris Meeke's most serious rival (Peugeot 207 S2000) with a view to winning the IRC title. If Jan Kopecky (Skoda Fabia S2000) beat him in 2009, the Finn got off to a very good start this season. Second in Rally Monte-Carlo, behind Mikko Hirvonen, Juho Hänninen then reached the podium in Curitiba, taking the reins of the IRC general classification.

The battle for the first places during the Rally Argentina was intense this Saturday. The Finn certainly won six of the seven special stages of the day but had to wait for the timed sections in the afternoon to widen the gap on his pursuers.

Kris Meeke was in second place at the end of SS5, just thirteen seconds behind Juho Hänninen, and two tenths ahead of Guy Wilks (Skoda Fabia S2000). But the Northern Irishman lost his place in the following special, Guy Wilks moving up one place and Juho Hänninen widening the gap.

At the end of SS8, before the seven special stages to be contested on Sunday, Juho Hänninen therefore occupies the head of the standings of the Rally Argentina, with 32??2 ahead of Guy Wilks, 51?? on Kris Meeke, 1?26?? on Jan Kopecky and 2?57?? on Federico Villagra (Ford Fiesta S2000).