WRC: Loeb tops shakedown in Argentina.

[Rory Phoulorie]

Citroen number one driver, Sebastien Loeb was quickest in the shakedown for the Rally Argentina on Wednesday, the sixth round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship.

Loeb, who comes into the event having won the last two events on the trot, as well as having won this event itself the last two years running, completed the 4.59 kilometre test between Villa Garc�a and Cabalango, about 14 kilometres from the service park, in 2 minutes 27.9 seconds.

�Today's shakedown was reasonably representative of what we can expect to find this weekend,� the Frenchman told the Citroen WRT's official website. �It's nice to be back competing here in Argentina after a few weeks' break.

�I like coming here and the event itself is one of the most varied of the championship. You really feel you're in another country and the locals are both very welcoming and big motor sport fans. Our previous outings with the C4 indicate that we should be competitive, but it promises to be a close fight for victory.�

Petter Solberg meanwhile was second best, 0.3 seconds slower, in his Subaru Impreza WRC2007, while BP Ford's Marcus Gronholm completed the top three, 1.2 seconds off Loeb.

Next up was Citroen's Daniel Sordo and Stobart Ford's Henning Solberg, the former just 0.2 seconds off Gronholm.

�Everything went well,� noted Dani. �The test stage included a water-splash which we took cautiously because we have yet to see how the C4 copes with these river-crossings. During recce, I found the fords were deeper in fact than in previous years and also that the stages were rougher. It's still a great event though, and very varied.�

The Rally Argentina now begins on Thursday evening at 18.35 hours local time, with the River Plate Stadium super special.


Leading shakedown times:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 2mins 27.9secs M
2. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2006 2mins 28.2secs M
3. Marcus Gronholm BP Ford Focus RS WRC 06 2mins 29.1secs M
4. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC 2mins 29.3secs M
5. Henning Solberg Stobart Ford Focus WRC 06 2mins 30.0secs M


Key:

M denotes Manufacturer entry


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