SS1: Loeb, first winner in Argentina

Sébastien Loeb won the first special stage of the Rally Argentina. But the distance of the course does not yet allow a hierarchy to be established in the peloton.

Published on 26/05/2011 à 23:20

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The Championship leader won the Carlos Paz super special, after setting the second fastest time in the shakedown behind Sébastien Ogier. The Alsatian completed the 3,02 km long course in 2:25:9, 0:9 better than his closest opponent Petter Solberg, who suffered from a broken engine shaft on his DS3 WRC private.

Sébastien Ogier finished only a tenth behind the Norwegian. The Frenchman is 5 tenths ahead of the first Ford driver, Jari-Matti Latvala, who replaced the gearbox of his Fiesta RS WRC. His teammate, Mikko Hirvonen, finished 5th, 1??7 behind the leader.

Behind, the gap is already more visible. The local Federico Villagra (Ford) is 7??2 behind the first time. The Argentinian is 2 tenths ahead of Matthew Wilson (Ford). Mads Ostberg (Ford) is 8th ahead of Ken Block (Ford).

The first stage will resume tomorrow afternoon with 6 special stages on the program.