2008 Argentinean Rally Championship Round 1

[Wim_Impreza]

Thank you for the news, interesting to read and it is great that Pozzo wins the rally. Hopefully he can do the other rounds from now on in the championship. A bit surprising that Cancio was the first driver of the VRS Team, or was it his home round?

Nice to see that the performances from the Subaru's and Mitsubishi's are really close. Good to see also that there were not much technical problems.

I will really thank you for this information, because there is absolutely no information in English. If you have the time, can you please tell more when the next round will take part? Thank you very much in advance.

[ZequeArgentina]

First ofall one mistake in my previous report, San Luis was theTHIRD Round of the National Champinship, not the 4th!!!


Next round, the real 4th!!, will be held in Tucuman, which by the way is also valid for the FIA Southamerican Championship.; therefore some other international drivers are expected (mainly from Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Perú).

Tucuman round uses roads which were in part used in the 1992 WRC Argentina Round. (At least it has alwaysbeen that way).

Main candidates are:
Villagra (back to the championship)
Ligato
Pozzo (if he runs)
Bernardi and Madero (two of the fastest youngsters)
Sanchez (local driver in hislast year before retiring)

From the Southamerican championship Paraguayns Arias and Dominguez could do OK too.

[Wim_Impreza]

Thanks again for the news. No problem about the little mistake, no one is perfect. My sister is in Perú until the end of July, so I follow the rallies outside Europe more.

[ZequeArgentina]

A bit surprising that Cancio was the first driver of the VRS Team, or was it his home round?

Cancio drives for Tango Rally Team, and he is a good driver, have done good times in every rally, just a little consistency is what he needs.
Nope, he is not local driver.

Cancio is 2005 champion of the N4 Light subcathergory (at the time with some year old machinery, like 3 or 4 year old versions of imprezzas or lancers).
He issome 31 or 32 years old, so established driver, not young gun!!

[Wim_Impreza]

I had never heard of him, sorry. Thanks again for the explanation.

[Ladyrally1976]

Hello i am new here, and an argentinean rally's fan.
Cancio is from Patagonia, and he is very famous there.
And I would like to write about N3 and N2, ok?

Sorry about my english, there´s meny years without write or speak in english ...

Kisses

S

[ZequeArgentina]

It would be perfect if you comment about N2 and N3.

So here is a brief about last weekend 4th Round of the Argentinean Championship:

First of all because of a conflict between agricultural producers and Government, which included road blockades, the date of the rally hadto be postponned for some time.

This had a result in the entry list, loosing 2 of the main participants:
- Gabriel Pozzo (leader of the Subaru. Barattero) who had to race same weekend in Chile, where he is under contract with Honda Chile (Chilean Manufacurers Championship limited to certain N3 machinnery).
And current leader in cHampionship, and always candidate Federico Villagra who was having some test with Munchis for the Rally of Finland.

Another special news: this was the last rally of Roberto Sanchez, local in Tucuman, and retiring in his homeland.

Rally itself:
Very strategic and unexpected. New Kumho tyres (limited at 10 per driver) sufferend a lot in Tucuman.
First day saw 3 Subarus N14 on top:
Local hero and in his last race Sanchez Leading
Menzi 6,9 s behind
N. Raies 8,3 s
Ligato 27,3 s (being the fastest Lancer, but strangelly out of pace)
Cancio 30s
Confetti 40 s
Bernanrdi 45 s

Nicolás Madero from the Tango team was very fast all day but picked a 2minute 10 second penalty dropping down the field

Second day:
Things got out: Ligato had been saving tyres for Sunday and quickly started gaining time.
After 3 stages postions were the same but time gap reducing.
Al mid day Sanchez blew a tyre and lost some 30 seconds,, Menzi was leading with Ligato comming too fast to keep him behiund till the end.
FInal classification:

Ligato (Mitsu - Tango) 1 h 32 m 37 s
Menzi (Subaru - Barattero) + 4.9 s
Sanchez (Subaru - Barattero) + 12.9 s
Raies (Subaru - Barattero) + 15.9 s
Bernardi (Mitsu - VRS) + 36.9 s
Cancio (Mitsu - VRS) + 44,8


Fastest all day winning every stage was Tango driver Madero. He was so fast all rally long that would have won the rally for some 30 seconds without the penalty!! He finally got the 9th position.

Championship after this round looks still uncertain:
1- Bernardi 39 pts
1- Villagra 39 pts
3- Sanchez 25 pts
4- Ligato 24 pts
5- Madero 20 pts
5- Menzi 20 pts
7- Marchetto 19 pts
8- Pozzo 18 pts
8- Raies 18 pts
10- Cancio 17 pts

So we got 10 drivers in 22 point difference with still 6 rounds to go, one of them with extra points, so everything to be sorted out!
Very interesting for sure, and now better with the Subarus N14 gaining speed and consistency!!!

[ZequeArgentina]

Ahh, another great news, there are now english reports on officil site:

see an example of the last race:
http://www.rallyargentino.com/08/amp...p?id_noti=1715

[Wim_Impreza]

Thank you very much again for the news, results... Great that the championship is so close and that Bernardi and Villagra both leads the championship.

Off course, I am happy with English news on the site too.