The 25th Rally Argentina takes place this coming weekend - the ninth round out of sixteen in the 2005
FIA World Rally Championship.
Argentina will also play host to the fifth round in the 2005 FIA Production WRC.
The rally starts on Thursday July 14 with two sprints around a Superspecial stage at the Pro-Racing motorsport complex, 3km east of Villa Carlos Paz. It comprises three legs, 340 competitive kilometres and 22 timed stages. For the first time in the event's 25 year history, the start, service park, headquarters and finish will all be at the Pro-Racing complex. The winning car is expected to cross the finish ramp at 1323hrs on Sunday 17 July.
Special notes:
Run on the edge of the Pampas and in the hills close to the city of Cordoba, Rally Argentina is often cited as the most beautiful of the year. Breath-taking scenery and numerous water splashes make for spectacular viewing, and every year tens of thousands of fans flock to the stages to cheer on their favourites.
For the drivers, the event is characterised by high-speeds and fluctuating conditions. Loose gravel stages high in the mountains combine narrow, twisty sections with flat-out sprints and numerous surface changes. But while the roads offer a wide variety of conditions, the biggest question mark hangs over the weather.
Rain - often torrential - is a common occurrence, and has the potential to turn each stage into a mud bath.
An additional challenge is the altitude, Argentina is one of the highest events of the year, and with many stages running at more than 1,000 metres above sea level, the thinner air saps power from cars' engines.
FIA World Rally Championship news:
Sebastien Loeb continues to lead the World Rally Drivers' championship - having again extended his advantage after winning in Greece. The Frenchman is 23 points ahead of
Petter Solberg and a further 3 points up on
Markko Martin and
Toni Gardemeister, who are both joint third.
