Sixth round of the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship, the Rally Argentina offers to the competitors their first trip to the Southern hemisphere this season. Three Citroën Xsaras have traveled for a long journey to Córdoba. Two of them, in compliance with the 2006 specifications, will be entered under the Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team banner, currently leading the Manufacturers championship. They will be driven by reigning World champions, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, the 2005 Rally Argentina winners, and by their Spanish team-mates Xevi Pons and Carlos Del Barrio.
The third Citroën Kronos Racing 2005 versions Xsara is rented since the start of the season by Dani Sordo thanks to the support of his Spanish partners. Marc Marti who won the event in 2004 next to Carlos Sainz co-drives as usual the Junior World Champion.
The 2006 edition of the rally includes big news. Córdoba La Docta, Argentinas second city and Córdoba Provinces capital, takes over from the balneal town of Villa Carlos Paz as host city. Rally HQ, service park, shakedown and super special stage all move around 30 kilometres to the East. However, the playground remains similar. The rally route covers the same stages as for previous years, as most drivers appreciate its various terrains including a large number of jumps and water-splashes. The event will take the competitors through the Córdobas Sierras, located West of the town and will pay a visit to the three different valleys of Punilla, Calamuchita and Traslasierra. Taking place for the past two years during the Argentine winter, the event comes back to its 2003 date. Competitors will not experience snowy stages like last year in the area of Mina Clavero or Camino de las Altas Cumbres, and fall promises much more clement temperatures and probably dry weather
It was the case three years ago but one thing needs to be remembered: in the stages, the drivers will have to face heavy dust suspended in the air when no wind blows. Globally, the terrain isnt aggressive said Sébastien Loeb. Its quite sandy with a uniform grip but can be rutted on the second passage in a stage. The speed tests are various, technical and specific. On the recce, it is difficult to note the jumps on which you dont take off flat but which launch the car in spectacular poses. Its also tricky to evaluate the waters level the day of the rally in the water-splashes which we will cross at high speed. On the driving side, I put Argentina in my top five rallies. The sensations are great and we take a lot a pleasure driving there.
Dry conditions might also mean road sweeping on Friday for the first drivers in the rankings, like Sébastien Loeb current leader of the Drivers championship. Another similarity with the 2003 edition is that the first leg covers over 110 competitive kilometres. The first days classification might depend on the thickness of gravel to be cleaned from the surface. In any case, Seb or Marcus Grönholm starting just behind will experience pretty similar conditions. In Mexico, Petter [Solberg] took profit from his starting order and proved afterwards that he was still in the pace on gravel, specified the two-times World Rally champion. Marcus [Grönholm] after a rather long road cleaning session was 4 seconds ahead of us. He also has always been very competitive in Argentina. So, the strategy is very simple: opening the road, we will have to drive flat out from the very first meter and clean the road on more than 110 kilometres. Marcus will start just behind me and Petter will only have four cars in front of him. I hope that Friday night the victory could still be possible. In the opposite case, we will see. With thee consecutive wins and a small cushion in the championship leaderboard, it gives us a bit of fresh air
For the fourth year in a row, a thrilling battle might oppose Marcus to a Xsara driver. In 2003 and 2004, the Finn fought against Carlos Sainz. They both won one event. Last year, Seb took over from his experienced former team-mate and succeeded in winning over his main rival for this years title. For this rally, we had at disposal a solid technical basis, add Seb. Since 2003, the Xsara has always fought for a win on the Argentine ground. To this data, we have added the information gathered during the seasons first gravel round in Mexico, especially regarding the mechanical differentials working. We have worked like our rivals in Sardinia where you can find some stages with quite a lot of similarities to Argentina. The classical preparation work included the usual tyre tests with BFGoodrichs technicians. We also tried to fine-tune every single detail. This is important as the fight is very tight
After an outstanding performance in Catalunya, Dani had to confirm this result in Corsica. He claimed an excellent third place, bringing once again the Kronos Racing Xsara on the podium. His teams warm congratulations in Ajaccio and the enthusiasm caused by his incredible tarmac achievements so far, havent however affected the Junior World Champions lucidity. His feet on the ground, he explains that he has to go back to school in Argentina. I competed there two years ago and it was a real adventure. We went through a water splash on stage three and some water came in the engine. It broke down and we were forced to retire. We restarted in SuperRally on Saturday and drove one stage where we broke the differential and retired again. On Sunday, still in SuperRally, we were finally able to complete all stages. From Ive seen it looks like its a great event and a nice country. Im convinced it will be difficult for me on the recce as I need to take completely new notes, but weve already done a gravel event in Mexico and we did quite well there, so hopefully we can repeat that there. During the rally, I will start on a controlled pace, increasing it if everything goes well, for example on the second passage through a stage. I feel no pressure but I just want to drive without making mistake and maybe finish in the points, which will be a reasonable result considering our experience. Of course, a good result could help me to continue my apprenticeship. All my partners are carefully looking at me and I need to show Im worth their trust. Ive just learned that I will be competing in Sardinia and Greece with the Xsara as well. Of course, this is very good news. Its great to know that I still have three opportunities to learn
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