Ford World Rally Team driver Petter Solberg has taken the opening’s night stage of Rally Argentina in Villa Carlos Paz.
Solberg was 3.6-seconds ahead of stand-in team-mate Dani Sordo, while Sebastien Loeb dropped 10.2s and was seventh fastest in his Citroen DS3 WRC.
“It feels good,” Solberg said.
“A tricky stage to start off with so maybe we were too careful.”
Vodafone Rally de Portugal winner Mads Østberg was third quickest in his Adapta Fiesta.
Earlier in the day Sebastien Loeb set the fastest time in the qualifying session and has chosen to start first on the road tomorrow.
Normally on gravel rallies it’s best to start down the running order and make use of the swept roads. However, with rain expected throughout the opening leg the Citroen driver decided the best of the road conditions would be for the leader.
“I hope this is the best place on the road,” said Loeb.
“On rallies when it rains it can be muddy further back and if we were going to start 15th on the road [on this event] then we could lose a lot of time in the mud. Sometimes, when the rain comes, the first place is the best one.
“OK, we start the stage tomorrow when it is still the night time, but with our rivals choosing second, third and fourth then I think it will be the same for them.”
Rally Argentina: SS1 – Super Especial Amarok
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time |
| 1. | Petter Solberg | Ford Fiesta WRC | 4:54.9 |
| 2. | Dani Sordo | Ford Fiesta WRC | +0:03.6 |
| 3. | Mads Østberg | Ford Fiesta WRC | +0:04.8 |
| 4. | Ott Tanak | Ford Fiesta WRC | +0:05.2 |
| 5. | Evgeny Novikov | Ford Fiesta WRC | +0:05.2 |
| 6. | Thierry Neuville | Citroen DS3 WRC | +0:05.6 |
| 7. | Sebastien Ogier | Skoda Fabia S2000 | +0:08.0 |
| 8. | Sebastien Loeb | Citroen DS3 WRC | +0:10.2 |
| 9. | Armindo Araujo | Mini Countryman WRC | +0:11.7 |
| 10. | Andreas Mikkelsen | Skoda Fabia S2000 | +0:12.7 |
