Shakedown honours to Solberg in Argentina

Subaru's Petter Solberg took the shakedown honours ahead of this weekend's Rally Argentina, despite heavy rain did not stop. With a time of 2:27.6, Solberg was 0.4 seconds faster than Sebastien Loeb on the 4.59 kms test.

After a period of dry and sunny weather in the Cordoba region, rain showers have fallen in Carlos Paz since the start of the week, making the event's soft gravel stages muddy, slippery and less than ideal for the hard compound tyres all the WRC crews will be using.

“The softer compound tyre would work better in these conditions - for sure,” said Solberg, "but it’s the same situation for everybody. We’ll just have to take it a little bit careful, take a little bit more care on mud patches. If the weather stays like it is now, and we are using tyres which are at their best in 30 degrees and on hot dry roads, then all of us are going to have to back off a bit.”

Rally Argentina commenced Friday night (Australian time).

Times – Shakdown

1. P. Solberg: 2:37.6
2. Loeb: 2:38.0
3. Hirvonen: 2:38.9
4. Latvala: 2:39.5
5. H. Solberg: 2:40.7
6. Galli: 2:40.9
7. Atkinson: 2:42.6
8. Villagra: 2:44.6
9. Wilson: 2:45.6
10. Gardemeister: 2:46.1

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