This is one of the championships most popular super special stages. It is located on the edge of the rally base of Carlos Paz and two cars at a time cover two laps of a twisty circuit. The surface is good and jumps, hairpins and fast sections provided great entertainment for the tens of thousands of people enjoying the May Day holiday. Sebastien Ogier laid down a marker for the weekend when he won this afternoons opening test by 1.9sec from Dani Sordo.
The championship leader was paired with arch rival Sebastien Loeb in the highlight heat. Ogiers Volkswagen Polo R outgunned his fellow Frenchmans Citroen DS3 to claim the first bragging rights in the duel that everyone is talking about.
Ogier was relaxed and smiling at the finish, saying: It was a nice feeling but the rally starts tomorrow. This was really fun and nice for the spectators.
Loeb was third fastest in his first gravel stage since the opening day of Rally de España last November and paid tribute to his rival.
Ogier was really fast. I did a lot of mistakes, usually I dont do so many. Its a great atmosphere here in Argentina. We will try to do a good rally and try to find a rhythm, he said.
Sordo was a convincing winner in his head-to-head with Mads Ostberg. I didnt push like hell because I didnt want to make a mistake at the beginning. This is only for show, but its part of the rally so we had to be careful, said the Citroen DS3 driver. Ostberg was seventh fastest in his Ford Fiesta RS.
Qualifying stage winner Jari-Matti Latvala was fourth in his Polo R, edging out fellow Finn Mikko Hirvonens Citroen DS3. Latvala missed the rally last year through injury and admitted: I was a bit cautious in places on the first lap while I found my rhythm because I havent driven this stage for a while.
Andreas Mikkelsen was fifth in another Polo R, just ahead of Hirvonen.
Michal Kosciuszko felt the dampers were too soft on his Mini John Cooper Works while a deflated Martin Prokop was unhappy with the engine in his Fiesta RS.
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