WRC Rally Argentina 2013: Latvala tops qualifying

Volkswagen driver Jari-Matti Latvala set the pace this morning in qualifying for Rally Argentina.

Latvala, who took his first podium with VW in Portugal, completed the 4.59 kilometre test in 2 minutes 31.128 seconds, which put him just 0.035 seconds up on Citroen's Sebastien Loeb, who is back in action this weekend and taking in his third of four planned outings in the 2013 World Rally Championship. Latvala will now get first choice of starting position for the opening day on Thursday.

Current championship leader Sebastien Ogier meanwhile was third in his works VW Polo, ahead of Citroen duo Dani Sordo and Mikko Hirvonen.

Mads Ostberg was next up and sixth for the Qatar M-Sport WRT, with Thierry Neuville one spot back.

Drivers will now select their start positions at 13.00 hours local time. The action then starts gets underway with SS1 - a short 6.04 km SSS - at 16.00 hours local time.

Rally Argentina - Qualifying stage:

1. Jari-Matti LatvalaVolkswagen Motorsport Polo R WRC2m 31.128s M
2. Sebastien LoebCitroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT DS3 WRC+0.035s M
3. Sebastien OgierVolkswagen Motorsport Polo R WRC+0.292s M
4. Dani SordoAbu Dhabi Citroen Total WRT DS3 WRC+0.912s T
5. Mikko HirvonenCitroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT DS3 WRC+0.951s M
6. Mads OstbergQatar M-Sport WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC+1.3s M
7. Thierry Neuville Qatar WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC +1.8s T
8. Evgeny NovikovQatar M-Sport WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC+2.8s M
9. Andreas MikkelsenVolkswagen Motorsport II Polo R WRC+3.7s T
10. Martin Prokop Jipocar Czech National Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC +6.2s T
11. Michal Kosciuszko Lotos Team WRC MINI John Cooper Works WRC +7.5s T
12. Gabriel PozzoQatar WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC +9.2s T

all times unofficial