The last four victories in the Rally Argentina are the property of Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, the current World Rally Championship (WRC) champions. The Franco-Monegasque pair has also notched up a run of four straight wins since the start of the 2009 WRC campaign driving for the Citroen Total World Rally Team.
"It's the best start we've ever had to any season," notes Loeb. "In South America, we don't really have any other choice than to go for victory. Rally Argentina holds so many special memories for us, and that's not just because we have won the past four events. I really enjoy the stages and the spectators make the atmosphere unique.
"There are spectators everywhere: at service, on the road sections and on the stages," he says. "You practically don't need a roadbook because the route is picked out for you by the crowds!"
Loeb and Elena finished on top after last year's particularly wet event: "That wasn't an easy win. Our hard compound gravel tyres weren't really suited to the conditions on certain stages and we nearly didn't make it to the finish.
This year, we will have a soft version of the Pirelli Scorpion and that's a good thing. It will no doubt be more versatile, although it could wear very quickly if the weather turns out to be very hot. But Pirelli have done a first class job. They faced a big challenge and have come up with a range of tyres that are both competitive and strong. For example, there was concern when run-flat mousse was dropped, but that's no longer an issue."
Reported on www.Rally-Live.com
