IT’S been a long, seven-week wait for rally fans, but the FIA World Rally Championship is back in action (and on your screens) at YPF Rally Argentina this weekend.
Argentina is one of the toughest events on the 14-round WRC calendar, but the challenge won’t come any bigger than for three-time World Champion Sebastien Ogier of the Volkswagen Motorsport team. If he wins he’ll wrap up a career grand slam of every current WRC rally.
Seb is WRC’s dominant driver, but I wouldn’t like to bet on him winning this weekend on the rugged roads around the lake-resort town of Villa Carlos Paz.
Follow the WRC action from YPF Rally Argentina - including the final Power Stage LIVE - on FOX SPORTS Australia this weekend. Click here for times.
The only event to elude Monsieur Ogier went last year to Kris Meeke, in 2014 to VW teammate Jari-Matti Latvala and in 2013 to countryman Sebastien Loeb.
Jari-Matti is more determined than ever to keep his 2016 championship rolling after winning the previous round in Mexico last month. And world rallying being as close and unpredictable as it is, it’s impossible to rule out a host of other current contenders including Kiwi Hayden Paddon (Hyundai) or Mads Ostberg (M-Sport Ford).
But the hard-charging Northern Irishman Meeke isn’t running, with his factory Citroen team on the sidelines this year while it develops its 2017 car and his sometime privateer team remaining in Europe.
“Argentina is the only rally on the calendar I have not yet won,” says Ogier, 32.
“This year will not be easy either because we will once again be the first car onto the route. Whatever happens, I will do my best to improve my record here and to win for the first time.
“I’m very optimistic about Argentina. However, the weather can be tricky. Thick fog often restricts visibility, which is not very pleasant for a rally driver.
“As far as the surface is concerned, we must adapt from Mexico, as the gravel is much softer and the ground far sandier. It requires a different driving style.”
Seb’s Volkswagen Motorsport team is also on the cusp of history. Victory for him or teammates Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen would be a 13th consecutive win for the German manufacturer, making it the first to go an entire year unbeaten.
The Villa Carlos Paz rally base is 700km northwest of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
The rally starts on Thursday evening local time with a 1.5km Super Special Stage around the streets of the region’s main city, Cordoba.
The stages of the Quit Forest Rally in Round 1 of the Kumho Australia Rally Championship in WA are going to test my ability in the Subaru this weekend, but my WRC pals have an even bigger challenge with 18 special stages covering 364.68km before Sunday afternoon’s finish.
As always, the WRC will show again why it’s an epic motorsport challenge for crews and cars.
