SS14: Solberg wins the WRC’s longest stage

Factory Ford driver closes on Citroen’s Neuville in South America

By Franck Drui

29 April 2012 - 14:25
SS14: Solberg wins the WRC's (...)

Petter Solberg’s bid to score as many points as possible on Philips Rally Argentina remains on course after he cut the gap to Thierry Neuville to less than two minutes by winning the monster 65.74-kilometre Matadero/Ambul run, the longest in the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia.

Factory Ford pilot Solberg, world rally champion in 2003, was 23.7s faster than his Belgian rival to reduce the deficit to the Citroen youngster to 1m57.1s with five stages remaining.

“My focus is to score as many points as I can so I didn’t take any risks,” Solberg said at the completion of day two. “I would like to have more kilometres to chase the people ahead, but I only have one day remaining so I will do my best.”

Neuville’s effort moves him ahead of Sebastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen into sixth position in the overall classification. Ogier, meanwhile, is now just 1.8s ahead of Mikkelsen, in an identical Super 2000-specification Skoda Fabia, as the thrilling battle between the Volkswagen Motorsport team-mates continues unabated. Mikkelsen completed the stage 3.2s quicker than Ogier.

Evgeny Novikov was third fastest with Martin Prokop fourth in his similar Fiesta. Dani Sordo set the fifth quickest time with Mads Ostberg sixth. Mikko Hirvonen set the seventh best time and trims Citroen team-mate Sebastien Loeb’s overall lead to six seconds. Loeb was ninth fastest.

Ott Tanak, who was running at the head of the field in his M-Sport Fiesta, was almost one minute adrift of Solberg’s stage best.

Oliveira forced to retire

Daniel Oliveira has been forced to retire from Philips Rally Argentina, round five of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia.

It had been hoped that the Brazil World Rally Team driver would be able to return for Sunday’s closing six stages under Rally 2 rules to the extent the 26-year-old appeared on the start list for day three.

However, an engine problem - caused by an oil leak yesterday - has been identified and Oliveira and Portuguese co-driver Carlos Magalhaes will take no further part on the Villa Carlos Paz-based event.

Fuchs delayed in Argentina

Nicolas Fuchs has lost the lead of the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship section of Philips Rally Argentina.

Fuchs, from Peru, started the final day of the event on course for his first victory in the category with an advantage of 50.3s. However, he took 2m03.2s more than new PWRC leader Benito Guerra to complete the 65.74-kilometre Matadero/Ambul stage.

It means Mexican Guerra, in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, now leads the division by 1m12.9s with Fuchs, who is at the wheel of an older specification Lancer Evolution IX, dropping down to seconn. Ukrainian Valeriy Gorban is third on his first appearance in this year’s PWRC, one place ahead of local hero Marcos Ligato.

The reason for Fuchs’ time loss is currently unclear. He lost time with a differential problem on Saturday morning and needed to make extensive repairs to his car at midday service yesterday, incurring a one-minute penalty in the process after the work overran.

If Guerra can maintain his advantage then he will claim his second win of the season following his maiden success on home soil back in March. He would also move ahead of Ralliart Italy team-mate Michal Kosciuszko in the drivers’ standings. Kosciuszko retired with suspected engine failure on Saturday having led.

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