Last Saturday afternoon, just a few days before the Rally Argentina gets underway in the province of Cordoba, the inhabitants of Buenos Aires enjoyed a special taster of the action to come, thanks to the Citroen Road Show. On a specially-organised 300-metre stage that included a spectacular jump, near the ‘Spanish Monument’ in the Palermo area of Buenos Aires, the Citroen drivers were able to give local motorsport fans something to remember.

Alongside Daniel Elena, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, Sebastien Loeb pointed out the massive enthusiasm shown by all the Argentine fans.

“Rally Argentina is always a highlight of the season, because of the very warm welcome we receive and the great atmosphere over all three days of the event,” said the five-time World Rally Champion. “The Citroen Road Show event in Buenos Aires really gave us a valuable opportunity to get close to the public and I think they were able to get a good idea of the potential of our cars. The whole event was a real celebration, which we all enjoyed every bit as much as the people watching us.”
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SOURCES:

“The Citroen Rally Road Show Revs Up Buenos Aires”
Rally News
Paddock Talk
?Apr 20, 2009?
http://paddocktalk.com
http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=107130&newlang=&topic=26&catid=26

PHOTO by:
Diario Clarin
http://www.clarin.com/

VIdeo By:
TN – Todo Noticias
http://www.tn.com.ar/

The combination of stunning scenery, high-speed stages and more than a million fanatical Latin American spectators make Rally Argentina one of the World Rally Championship’s classic fixtures.

This season Argentina is one of only two rallies outside Europe, and as the only round in the Americas it pulls in an enormous number of fans. As usual the event’s base is Villa Carlos Paz, a holiday town close to Cordoba which is completely swamped by the WRC for the rally week.

Most of the fans, however, can be found camping, eating and partying out in the pampas where most of the stages are based. This rally does a festival atmosphere like no other.

Organisers have made major changes to the 2008 route to produce a more compact event this year. Rather than each day visiting one of Cordoba’s three valleys, the first and final days will be based in the open plains of the Punilla Valley, north of Carlos Paz, with Saturday’s action based to the south-west in the Traslasierra Mountains.

In general the stages are soft and sandy, with many river crossings, and frequently become rutted during the second pass. However, Saturday’s classic tests high in the mountains are narrow and rocky, leaving no margin for error.

Unlike last year’s event, the rally will get underway on Thursday 23 April with a new spectator Super Special stage held in Cordoba Stadium, home to the World Cup in 1978. Friday’s route in the north of the Punilla Valley is virtually identical to 2008. Drivers face a double pass over the rocky El Condor and Giulio Cesare tests on the second day, two of the most famous and toughest of the year, which peak at 2195m.

The final day comprises just four stages south of the Punilla Valley, close to Carlos Paz, over roads last used in 2007. Both the second and third days conclude with a repeat of the stadium test. In total drivers face 23 stages covering 331.80km in a route of 1533.65km.

Tyres

The championship’s control tyre regulations dictate the use of just one pattern for the majority of WRC events, and in Argentina Pirelli’s 205/65R15 soft compound Scorpion gravel tyre is the only one available.

Competitors may carry two spares, but the ‘re-cutting’ of the tread patterns is not permitted.
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SOURCE:
“Countdown to Rally Argentina”
17/4/09
News
World Rally Championship
http://www.wrc.com
http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=4566&desc=Countdown to Rally Argentina

The entry features ten WRC cars as well as entries in both the Production World Rally Championship and the Junior World Rally Championship. A range of national championship runners boost the entry yet further.

Amongst the ten WRC cars entered, there are no surprises with the five manufacturer teams all represented along with Petter Solberg in his Citroen Xsara. One change is in the Citroen Junior Team, where Sebastien Ogier is eligible for points in the second car with Evgeny Novikov not competing.

In the PWRC, neither Arimdo Araujo nor Patrik Sandell will make the trip to Argentina, with Martin Prokop, Toshi Arai and Nasser Al-Attiyah likely to be amongst the main contenders. Eyvind Brynildsen will also hope to challenge.

In the JWRC, only three cars are entered, with Michal Kosciuszko looking to move into the lead of the series on his own, with the Pole going into the weekend level with Prokop. Aaron Burkart and Alessandro Bettega will be his challengers for victory.

Rally Argentina – Entry List:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC M
2. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC M
3. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC M
4. Jari-Matti Latvala BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC M
5. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC MT
6. Henning Solberg Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC MT
8. Conrad Rautenbach Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC MT
9. Federico Villagra Munchi’s Ford Focus WRC MT
11. Petter Solberg PS WRT Citroen Xsara WRC A8
12. Sebastien Ogier Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC A8

131. Martin Prokop Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
133. Toshi Arai Subaru Impreza P
136. Eder Valdez Subaru Impreza P
137. Frederic Sauvan Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
138. Gabor Mayer Subaru Impreza P
139. Stefano Marrini Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
143. Luciano Bernardi TBA P
144. Spyros Pavlides Subaru Impreza N14 P
149. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX P
150. Nasser Al-Attiyah Subaru Impreza N14 P
159. Gabriel Pozzo Subaru Impreza P
160. Marcos Ligato Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X P

31. Aaron Burkart Suzuki Swift S1600 J
32. Michal Kosciuszko Suzuki Swift S1600 J
39. Alessandro Bettega Renault Clio J

152. Alejandro Cancio Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4
153. Claudio Menzi Subaru Impreza N4
154. Nicolas Madero Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
155. Juan Marchetto Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4

65. Nicolas Fuchs Subaru Impreza N4
66. Raul Martinez Subaru Impreza N4
67. Ezequiel Campos Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
68. Sebastian Abramian Subaru Impreza N4
69. Jose Ignacio Canton Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
70. Agustin Elvira Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
71. Daniel Oliviera Subaru Impreza N4
72. Gonzalo Monarca Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
73. Sergio Benetti Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII N4
74. Rodrigo Alenaz Subaru Impreza STI N4
75. Daniel Sacur Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX N4
76. Alberto Nicolas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X N4
77. Salvador Pensato Subaru Impreza STI N4
78. Manuel Machinea Peugeot 206 RC N3
79. Dario Hernandez FIAT Palio N2
80. Niguel Debasa FIAT Palio N2
81. Jorge Diaz FIAT Palio N2
82. Guillermo Bottazzini Renault Clio 1.6 N2
83. Fernando Fourcade Honda VTi N2
84. Miguel Angel Durante Renault Clio N2
85. Adrian Jurado FIAT Palio A6
86. Marcelo Rodio FIAT Palio N2
87. Roberto Jauregui Peugeot 206 XSI A6
88. Ulises Morales FIAT Palio 1.6 N2
89. Luiz Perez Lobo Peugeot 206 1.6 A6
90. Carlos Castro Opel Corsa A6
91. Benjamin Alvarez FIAT Palio A6
92. Orlando Silvi FIAT Palio N2
93. Marcelo Paredi Opel Corsa A6
94. Gustavo Pereyra Opel Corsa A6

M – denotes Manufacturer entry.
MT – denotes Manufacturer Team entry.
P – denotes Production Car WRC entry.
J – denotes JWRC entry
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SOURCE:
“Rally Argentina entry list released”
WRC
CRASH.NET
16 April 2009
http://www.crash.net
http://www.crash.net/World+Rally/News/145391/1/rally_argentina_entry_list_released.html

Nasser Al-Attiyah will start among the favourites in P-WRC having won this event and finished second in South America. The sweeping roads around Villa Carlos Paz clearly suit the Qatari driver’s attacking style, and the pace he has already shown on his two previous Production outings this season will fill him with confidence ahead of his trans-Atlantic trip.

“The car feels very good,” said Al-Attiyah of his Subaru Impreza WRX. “I like Argentina, it’s a good rally with some really nice stages. And the spectators are incredible – the fans are just everywhere and so many of them.”

The spectators are always a big feature in Argentina, which is the World Rally Championshp’s sole event in the Americas this season. And those fervent fans will be treated to a fascinating tussle between the fastest Group N cars on the planet, as Toshi Arai aims to clinch his first win of the season in a similar Subaru to Al-Attiyah.

Arai retired from the season opener in Norway, suffering an engine failure ahead of and during the first round. He then collected fourth place in Cyprus and missed Portugal. As the only driver ever to have won the P-WRC title twice, Arai is desperate to collect a third award, but he knows he’s going to have to register a big score in Argentina.

Mitsubishi men Eyvind Brynildsen and Martin Prokop are currently lying third and fourth respectively in the P-WRC standings and a win for either of them would move them to the top of the table. The two Lancer drivers have shown consistency on the first two rallies of their 2009 Production programmes, with both registering a second and a third.

Pirelli Star Driver Mark Tapper will also be competing in Argentina, having added this event to his PSD schedule. The Kiwi drives his own Lancer Evo IX on his first attempt at the Villa Carlos Paz-based event.
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SOURCE:
“Rally Argentina P-WRC preview”
News
World Rally Championship
http://www.wrc.com/
http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=4557&desc=Rally Argentina P-WRC preview

Ford and Citroën will be the official manufacturers fighting for victory in Argentina. But apart from them, Stobart, Citroen Junior and the Petter Solberg World Rally Team, will also battle for a place in the podium of this fifth round of the FIA WRC calendar.

Attention will also be centered on the supporting categories, with the usual visit of the Production WRC to our country, plus the addition of the Junior WRC show to this years’ edition.

“Chateau” Stadium comes back to stage for the start

On Thursday, April 23, the “Chateau Carreras” Stadium will host the start with the first skids of the weekend. The event will open with a spectacular night show and the running of a Super Special Stage with two cars contesting at a time.

The world football stadium will vibrate again with the passage of the world rally cars at the end of Saturday 25, and again on Sunday 26 when competitors cover the last timed kilometers of the rally.

A weekend full of action in the “sierras”

Villa Carlos Paz, the same as in the past editions, will be the base of the action, hosting the Service Park during the three rally Days.

On Day 1 fans will be able to enjoy two passages over the Punilla Valley stages: La Cumbre-Agua de Oro; Ascochinga-La Cumbre; Capilla del Monte-San Marcos and San Marcos–Charbonier.

The emblematic landscapes of Traslasierra will receive the second competition Day. The double passage over the classic: El Mirador-San Lorenzo; Mina Clavero-Giulio Cesare and El Condor-Copina, promise to be a tough test for the pilots. The itinerary for Saturday will be completed with Icho Cruz–Carlos Paz.

Finally, the definition of the rally will go back close to the base of the event in Punilla Valley: Villa Giardino–La Falda; Valle Hermoso-Casa Grande; Cosquin-Tanti and Tanti Nuevo-Villa García.

The big finish of the weekend will take place at the shore of San Roque Lake with the crowning of the winners.

THE RALLY ROUTE

Start – Thursday April 23                                                   Time

SSS1 Estadio Córdoba I                               2,40km            19:35

Day 1 – Friday April 24                    

SS2 La Cumbre – Agua de Oro I                  18,70km          7:45

SS3 Ascochinga – La Cumbre I                    18,74km          8:41

SS4 Capilla del Monte – San Marcos I          22,95km          9:44

SS5 San Marcos – Charbonier I                   9,61km            10:16

SS6 Ascochinga – La Cumbre II                   18,74km          14:26

SS7 Capilla del Monte – San Marcos II         22,95km          15:29

SS8 San Marcos – Charbonier II                   9,61km            16:01

SS9 La Cumbre – Agua de Oro II                 18,70km          17:04

Total Day 1:               142,40km

Day 2 – Saturday April 25

SS10 El Mirador – San Lorenzo I                  20,65km          9:24

SS11 Mina Clavero – Giulio Césare I            20,32km          9:58

SS12 El Cóndor – Copina I                           15,99km          10:46

SS13 Icho Cruz – Carlos Paz I                     13,04km          11:32

SS14 El Mirador – San Lorenzo II                 20,65km          15:09

SS15 Mina Clavero – Giulio Césare II           20,32km          15:43

SS16 El Cóndor – Copina II                          15,99km          16:31

SS17 Icho Cruz – Carlos Paz II                    13,04km          17:17

SSS18 Estadio Córdoba II                            2,40km            18:30

Day 2 Total:               142,40km

Day 3 – Sunday April 26

SS19 Villa Giardino – La Falda                      15,50km          8:38

SS20 Valle Hermoso – Casa Grande           10,95km          9:10

SS21 Cosquín – Tanti                                   11,27km          9:53

SS22 Tanti Nuevo – Villa García                   7,68km            10:16

SSS23 Estadio Córdoba III                            2,40km            11:44

Day 3 Total:               47,80km

Rally Total                 332,60km
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SOURCE:
“RALLY ARGENTINA 2009 PREPARES THE GROUND”
Rally Mundial Argentina
2009-02-13
http://www.rallyargentina.com
http://www.rallyargentina.com/english/ampliar_noti.php?id_noti=358

One of the WRC’s most spectacular and demanding events, Rally Argentina is based from the town of Villa Carlos Paz, 35km south of Cordoba and right in the heart of the stunning Cordobese Sierras.
The competitive action takes place in the three valleys of Cordoba province, each of which offers gravel stages of differing character and landscape. The scenery ranges from huge expanses of open plains north of Carlos Paz, to the mountains further west where narrow rocky tracks wind through a dramatic, high altitude landscape that resembles the surface of the moon.
In general the stages of Rally Argentina are soft and sandy, with many river crossings, and frequently become rough and rutted on repeat passes. The blend of high speeds and bumpy terrain can make Argentina a car breaker. If that wasn’t enough, the high altitude of the stages, just as in Mexico, saps the cars of power as they struggle for breath in the thin air.

New for 2009

The 2008 edition of Rally Argentina was run in March and was notable for torrential rain and treacherous, muddy stages. Scheduled one month later in the calendar this year’s event should be drier – statistically at least. April’s average rainfall of 53cm compares favourably to March’s 109cm. Argentina is one of only four events this year eligible for the WRC, P-WRC and J-WRC competitions.
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SOURCE:
World Rally Championship
http://www.wrc.com/