After a disappointing start of season which saw the reigning champion retire on the first two rounds, Federico Villagra bounced back to claimed his first victory with the Ford Fiesta Maxi Rally.
In the same car he drives within the World Rally Championship -based in a S2000 spec-, "Coyote" felt like driving in a world rally event since he also had his usual co-driver in the Munchi's WRT Jorge Pérez Companc alongside him.
The third round of the Argentine Rally Championship set in the Patagonian province of Neuquén was the scenery of a great showdown between two regular WRC enterers, since the VRS driver had to battle hard to beat Miguel Baldoni, runner-up in the WRC Academy Rally d'Italia.
Baldoni started the race in good spirits claiming the lead after setting the p ace in the first section. However, in the second loop Villagra showed a vast improvement with his driving and after three consecutive fastest times he snatched Baldoni's first position in the last kilometres of the first leg by only 3,7s.
On Sunday Villagra stunned Baldoni after an impressive run on the first stage of the day to increase the gap to nine seconds. The Team Baratec driver hit back with his Volkswagen Gol Trend and shaved over four seconds in the next two sections, however, in the last stage Federico gave again the most of himself to secure the victory by 11,1s.
In third position came Juan Marchetto with his old Mitsubishi Evo IX. Villagra team-mate rounded off a good result for his tittle ambitions and recovered the lead in the championship over Claudio Menzi (Fiat) who finished sixth. Fourth was Gabriel Pozzo (Volkswagen) and fifth Cristian Confetti (Fiat).
In the Champioship Marchetto leads with 70 points followed by Menzi (64 ,5), Baldoni (54) Villagra (49) ando Pozzo (47,5).
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