Loeb Overcomes Penalty to Win Argentina

Seven-times world champion Sebastien Loeb overcame a one-minute time penalty to take a narrow victory in the Rally of Argentina.

The Frenchman, winning his sixth Argentine title in a Citroen, won by 2.4 seconds from Finn Mikko Hirvonen with overnight leader Sebastien Ogier third 7.3 seconds behind.

A gripping race went down to the wire after Frenchman Ogier rolled his Citroen on the gruelling, 48.21 kms Ascochinga stage, the first of the day, with damage to the front of the car and the power steering.

'This morning I made a mistake and it was impossible to drive the car,' a visibly distraught Ogier, who was in the lead until the decisive final power special, said.

Ogier come in more than 11 seconds off the pace set by power stage winner Petter Solberg of Norway, who took three bonus points to two for second-placed Hirvonen and one for Loeb.

Loeb, who was penalised on Friday but had cut compatriot Ogier's overall lead to a mere 3.3 seconds in the penultimate special, is top of the standings with 126 points from six races.

Hirvonen is second on 113 with Ogier third with 96.

'After all the difficulties I had I'm pleased with this finish,' Ford driver Hirvonen said at the finish.

Fog hung over the hills of Cordoba province during the early kilometres of the day's first stage as cars continued to get punished on the often tight dirt and gravel roads.

'The first 20 kilometres were in fog and we were fighting well...We hit a few banks here and there but no dramas,' Hirvonen told the championship website.

Solberg, world champion in 2003 before Loeb notched up seven titles in a row, won the penultimate stage and the closing power stage in his Citroen for three bonus points. He finished fourth overall, just over half a minute behind Loeb.

Finn Jari-Matti Latvala, who led from early Friday until the 13th stage on Saturday before pulling out with suspension damage to his Ford, won the 17th special after being allowed to resume the race but finished seventh nearly 12 minutes off the pace.

'Rallying can be the hardest game,' said the 26-year-old Finn.