After SS5 : Hänninen takes overall lead in Rally Argentina
Meeke second and Wilks third
After SS2: Hänninen moves into the lead
Juho Hänninen has leapt from his overnight fourth place to lead Rally Argentina after Saturday’s opening stage. The Škoda Fabia driver was fastest through the 16.57-kilometre Las Bajadas-Villa del Dique stage, which was held in dry conditions after the threat of overnight rain subsided.
Kris Meeke, who started the day with a slender 1.4-second lead, dropped to second with the second fastest time.
After SS3: Hänninen extends overall lead
Factory Škoda Fabia driver Juho Hänninen has extended his lead of Rally Argentina following his second stage win of the day. The Finn, who feared he’d picked up a puncture at one point during the run, edged Peugeot UK’s Kris Meeke by 1.1s.
Jan Kopecký dropped time with a fourth-gear spin but remains fourth overall behind Guy Wilks, who reported inconsistent surface grip on the stage.
After SS4: Wilks claims first stage win
Guy Wilks has closed the gap to overall leader Juho Hänninen with his first stage win of Rally Argentina. Wilks, who remains third overall in his Škoda UK Fabia Super 2000, topped the times on the 21.53-kilometre Santa Rosa-San Agustin stage.
Hänninen, who was second fastest on the stage, now heads Kris Meeke by 6.6 seconds after Meeke could only manage the third best time in this Peugeot UK 207 S2000.
After SS5: Hänninen wins again in Argentina
Juho Hänninen has resumed his dominance of Rally Argentina by winning the fifth stage of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event to increase his lead over Kris Meeke to 13.5 seconds. Meeke is now just 0.2s ahead of fellow British driver Guy Wilks, who was second fastest through the stage.
Meeke has reported his Peugeot 207’s engine momentarily cutting out, which he fears cost him as much as three seconds on the stage, which was cut to 8.46 kilometres in length due to damage to the road caused by rain in the build up to the rally.
Crews are now returning to the service park in Carlos Paz before they tackle the final loop of three stages later today.