Still two and a half weeks until the start of the next rally. Here's the description from WRC.com: Round 5 27 - 29 Apr 12 Categories:WRC, PWRC Based:Villa Carlos Paz Surface:Gravel Website:Rally Argentina | 31ra edición Argentina, which first hosted a round of the World Rally Championship in 1980, is regarded as one of the toughest events on the WRC trail and the revised competitive route for 2012 will make it the longest since the Safari Rally in 2002 at 503 kilometres. Based in Villa Carlos Paz north of the capital Buenos Aires, the town lies on the banks of the spectacular San Roque Lake in the south of the Punilla Valley close to the city of Cordoba. The event is popularised by its jumps, water splashes and the lunar landscape of the high altitude El Condor stage, not to mention the tens of thousands of fans who line the route, and who are considered some of the most enthusiastic on the planet. Although they are flowing in nature, the stages in Argentina are renowned for being slightly slower but more technically demanding than some of the other tests drivers experience in the WRC. The surface is also quite sandy, which increases the risk of punctures because of a greater likelihood of rocks being pulled into the road by the competing cars. Because the road surface is softer, ruts can form following the first pass. Argentina’s Southern Hemisphere location means the rally will take place in early autumn, which will increase the challenge facing the crews as they negotiate the testing terrain in colder and wetter conditions. However, the freezing mornings experienced during the event in 2011 are unlikely to be such a factor in 2012 as the event is running one month earlier than last season. Organisers had considered including stages in neighbouring Chile and Uruguay but while those plans have been dropped for now, the focus is very much on endurance. As well as the demanding competitive route of 503 kilometres over 19 stages, the event will feature the 66-kilometre El Durazno-Ambul stage on the final morning, while Friday’s itinerary includes two runs over the Ascochinga-Agua de Oro test, which has been increased to 52.8 kilometres in length.
Dani Sordo has another different running mate for this round. Salazar to drive Mini in Argentina (MaxRally.com)
I agree. Some people seem confused by the word endurance though. There's a push to create more endurance rallies, that is, add a couple days to the schedule with or without adding overall distance. I'm personally not happy with that option, esp if they maintain the overall rally distance and just spread it out over additional days as it makes each day shorter and less interesting. Individual endurance stages are a different thing and can add to the overall rally distance without extending the rally weekend. Plus an endurance stage can have a huge impact on standings, altering seemingly predictable outcomes. Some drivers are against the endurance rallies, some are against the endurance stages. Seems many of the drivers who've had success as things have been done in recent years don't want things to change. No surprise there.
A few videos from last year: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6WEXcexPLE]Highlights - WRC Rally Argentina - Best-of-RallyLive - YouTube[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do3iQq-CVuo]Ford WRC 2011 - Rally Argentina Review - YouTube[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87dgUvUakvg]WRC Rally Argentina 2011 DÃa 2 - 2 de 2 - YouTube[/ame]
Purely as an aside, two years ago the "endurance" phase was removed from the "Three Day Event" (Horses). The phase made the riders complete a long course, in such a manner as to still have enough horse left to complete the cross country phase. Most of the current riders did not know how to deal with it and were happy to see it go. Modern times I guess. Jim
Don't know nothin bout horses other than the ones that pull a beer wagon.:beer I do know rallying used to be an endurance sport. Glad to see the endurance aspect come back even if it is only for a stage. How about one day being an endurance day. Long stages with very limited service opportunities. Break the car & you are out. No second chance to fix the car & come back. That would separate the men from the boys for sure.
I like the analogy. That's the same thing the rally organizers try to do, use an endurance leg to force the teams and drivers to plan ahead and either save the "horse" or lose out, though I'm sure the penalty for poor judgement is much more severe with real horses. Strategy, good judgement and durability in place of a little outright speed. Run as fast as you can in every stage and you'll probably lose the rally. Some don't like that philosophy. If nothing else, it would force the teams to make less compromises in design and build less fragile cars. :yesnod:
Isn't that the pits. Zooms around the WRC course just fine and then falls, while walking on XC skis. :nonod: Jim
Here's a strange twist. Unconfirmed at this point. Sordo linked to Ford drive in Argentina (MaxRally.com)
Sort of sounds like "rats deserting a sinking ship". :lol: Kris may get his seat back yet, or not. :confused5: Jim
Nah, if he does this it will be a loan. Prodrive would probably decide it would be good seat time for Sordo...plus he might learn something useful. :ihih:
Sordo is a racer...he ain't going to stay happy long sitting on the side lines watching his career go by.... so they need to let him race more, even if its with another team. Things don't change soon, my money is on him being somewhere else next season, if not sooner though.