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Round 9: 25th Rally Argentina
Pictures of the Rally Argentina 2005 here.
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HARRI ROVANPERA FIFTH FOR MITSUBISHI IN ARGENTINA .Gigi. Galli retires with gearbox problems three stages from the finish Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports claimed more points on the Rally of Argentina, the ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Harri Rovanperä and Risto Pietiläinen battled to the end and finished in a fighting fifth position in the Lancer WRC05, claiming points for themselves and the team. "Gigi" Galli and Guido D’Amore set a blistering pace early this morning but were forced into retirement with gearbox problems after stage 19.
The final leg of Rally Argentina took in two of the Championship’s most famous stages high in the Traslasierra Mountains to the south-west of Villa Carlos Paz. Giulio Césare split two runs through El Cóndor, both narrow and rocky 2,000 meter altitude stages in spectacular lunar-like landscape. The route then returned to Villa Carlos Paz, where the event reached its climax with two runs around the Pro Racing Super Special stage. Harri Rovanperä started the leg - where the predicted ice and snow was seen - 11 seconds adrift of Toni Gardemeister and the pair jostled for position throughout the morning. On stages that Harri won last year, the Finn set fourth and two second-fastest stage times to close to within 7.8 seconds of his fellow countryman. However, with just the super special stages remaining, the Finn was unable to overall Gardemeister and claimed fifth overall, 5.6 seconds away from fourth position. Team-mate Gigi Galli was third fastest through this morning’s opening stage, but the Italian then hit gearbox problems in the early part of SS19. Although he reached the finish of the stage, he then retired. "It’s obviously a shame not to reach the finish, but the important thing is that we drove each of the different stages", said Galli. "Generally I have to be very happy because the stages we drove without problems we set good times, especially for only our second time here. The car is very much improved but the next step will come in Finland; then there will be more performance". News from our rivals Sébastien Loeb racked up a record-breaking sixth consecutive victory, his seventh of the season and romps further ahead in the Drivers’ Championship. Marcus Grönholm pushed the Frenchman hard but ultimately claimed second in the lead Peugeot 307 WRC. Petter Solberg, after problems yesterday, finished on the podium in third after a trouble-free leg. Behind Gardemeister and Rovanperä, Markko Märtin remained in sixth and François Duval achieved his returning objective of finishing and claiming points for Citroën. 2005 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship (Round 5/8)
MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION DRIVER MEDEGHINI CLAIMS SECOND ON RALLY ARGENTINA The last leg was the shortest of the rally, but its 62 kilometers of stages were undeniably tough, for the route was concentrated on the rally’s most famous and arguably most demanding stages, El Cóndor and Mina Clavero, in the rugged, 2,000-meter mountains south-west of Córdoba. The temperature had plummeted to -4 degrees Celsius at dawn, making the roads treacherously slippery. Narrow and unforgiving for the drivers, the numerous vantage points and wonderful views make the area a spectator’s delight and the crowds had begun to assemble the previous afternoon. Second place has considerably improved Angelo Medeghini’s World Championship position, but the Italian was unlucky not to do better still, if it wasn’t for a steering problem on his Lancer Evolution on the morning’s first stage. Chilean Lancer Evolution driver Luis Rosselot achieved his best result of the season, taking a solid third place after a trouble-free final leg. "I’m very pleased with this result", said Rosselot. "It’s been a tough rally the whole way. You don’t expect rain like this here in July and it was really slippery. It’s good to have some points though". Federico Villagra looked to be out of the running after the first leg, but the Córdoba driver refused to give up, gradually climbing the leaderboard in his Lancer Evolution. Undeterred by the conditions, he rose to third place with the finish almost in sight and was then elevated to second following the exclusion of Mark Higgins for a technical infringement. He too was then excluded, also for a technical infringement. The FIA Production Car World Rally Championship now resumes in the middle of September with Wales Rally GB. |
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| M: drivers nominated in the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers P: drivers eligible for FIA Production Car World Rally Championship points |
(by mitsubishi-motors.com)