Preview: Security on high alert

Security has been tightened considerably in the wake of Monday evening's armed robbery in a local restaurant where many rally mechanics and TV crews, including Channel 4 presenter Robbie Head, were eating.

A spokeswoman for the rally, Laura Cereso, said today: "Since Monday we have brought in an additional 250 police from Cordoba and posted armed guards on all of the team hotels and the most popular restaurants. There are also 35 police vehicles patrolling the streets."

The now highly visible police presence is some six times the usual level of security in the lakeside holiday resort and is an indication of how seriously the event is taking the situation. With Argentina in the grip of a major economic crisis since early this year, the rally's place in the World Rally Championship is very much in doubt, especially in the wake of a highly praised Mexican event a few weeks ago that is bidding hard to join the 14-round series. If Argentina hasn't sorted itself out by the autumn it could be replaced by Mexico as early as next year.

"We hope that Monday's problems were just an isolated incident," concluded Mrs Cereso. "Some aspects of the matter were exaggerated in the press but we are taking it seriously nonetheless."

Colin McRae is eager to redress the balance after throwing away a near certain win in Cyprus last month and to repeat his 2001 victory on this event. "I'm quite happy with the car and the road conditions," he said during this morning's shakedown. "I'd have preferred the weather to be hot and dry rather than cool and damp but we're not going to worry about the niceties. Whoever said rallying had to be easy?"