Small WRC entry for Rally of Argentina

Entries for Rally Argentina, the fifth round of the 2017 World Rally Championship, closed with 25 entries in the WRC category, of which only 20 are for points-eligible homologated cars, and five under special rules admitting local produced cars.  

Ari Vatanen winning the 1981 Brazil Rally in a Ford Escort. (Photo: Martin Holmes)In addition, 57 cars have been entered for the national Rally Argentino Rally Championship category.  

The Argentino category admits locally made Chevrolet, Ford, Peugeot, VW, Audi, Renault and Citroen Maxi Rally cars, examples of all of which are due to take part.  

Twelve 2017 World Rally Cars have been entered, together with one old version World Rally Car (Gorban’s WRC Trophy Mini).  There are seven WRC2 entries, but no WRC3 entries.  

As the wisdom of encouraging more long-haul events into the WRC calendar becomes a major talking point, it is interesting to note that if no late entries are accepted, this event will equal the lowest ever world championship event entry level for a WRC event.  

This was in Brazil 1981 in which only 20 homologated cars took part, and which was won by Ari Vatanen in his Rothmans Ford Escort RS1800 (pictured).  

It is also notable that of the WRC homologated cars, there are only three drivers from the Americas – Gustavo Saba from Paraguay, Benito Guerra of Mexico, and Pedro Hello from Chile.
 
- Martin Holmes  

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