After an amazing weekend photographing Rally Argentina, Australian photographer Michael Vettas wraps up Leg 3.
The last day of a long week of Rally Argentina. I started my Argentina trip not having any of the famous beef they talk about, now I can honestly say I have eaten my fair share - it's not really rally related but hey its Argentina related!
The famous El Condor stage has been mentioned more times than I can count, "Make sure you get there Michael", "Make sure you shoot it."
We made yet another early start on the final day of the rally. It's only 30 or so kilometres from Villa Carlos Paz (Rally Argentina hub), however the road is winding, and the early fog had set in - fog that had plagued my colleagues when they first arrived in Argentina having to wait almost 12 hours in Buenos Aires for their flights to Cordoba.
Driving this winding road up this mountain at 5.30 am and being caught in heavy traffic is quite amazing. Yet again the Argentinean fans show their true fanatical spirit with people walking miles and miles in pitch black cold weather just to see their heroes.
By the time the stage had begun some of the fog had lifted, however it did create a mood for the images and the moonscape-like stage of El Condor. It takes a mere five minutes and there it is, huge boulders with a flowing gravel stage running througgh it. People were all over the rocks like ants - I really wish we had these types of fans in Australia.
Unfortunately due to timing and the close proximity of stages we only managed to get in two stages yet again.
And that was that! I managed to make my way to the end of the Power Stage were Ogier won the stage over Hirvonen and Latvala but Latvala had done enough over the week to secure his first Rally Argentina win. He celebrated at the Power Stage Podium and you could see just how thrilled he was to win.
Making my way back to the Service Park to catch Latvala celebrating his win with his team, I reflected on both my time in Argentina and the Rally. It was an amazing, eye-opening 18 days visiting the Andes, Mendoza, watching the Boca Juniors football game and capping it all off with Rally Argentina.
The rally itself is spectacular, there is so much to choose from but getting your head around the fact you can only do two stages per day and having to deal with traffic jams that last hours and having to detour 60 kilometres in the opposite direction to move around the traffic, is quite an experience. Seeing a sea of spectators on stages and hearing how vocal and educated they are is something you have to experience. Will I be back? A big resounding YES!
Story and photos by Michael Vettas.
Visit our Photo Gallery for more of Michael's awesome photos from Rally Argentina.
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