Rally Argentina SS 1 & SS2: Fords blitz Super Specials

The first two of Rally Argentina's stages were run on the Complejo Pro-Racing Super Special just outside of Cordoba. The stage, 3.44kms long, is run with two cars competing at a time, one on track A (SS1), the other on track B (SS2). The cars then swapped lanes for another run on the track to complete Thursday's timed tests.

The Ford drivers hooked their cars up well for the Super Special, but when the rally gets underway 'for real' on Friday, the pair of Blue Oval cars will be chased hard by the Subarus of Petter Solberg and Richard Burns who hold third and fourth place respectively overnight.

Francois Delecour in the third Ford is lying in fifth place, just ahead of the Seat Cordoba of Spaniard Marc Blazquez.

Current championship leader Tommi Makinen set the 10th fastest time in his first run through and the sixth fastest in his second to leave the Mitsubishi driver lying in ninth overall. Just once place back is World Champion Marcus Gronholm. But with just 12 seconds separating the Peugeot driver in 10th and McRae's top spot, the Finn is still within striking distance.

The first of Friday's stages is the 29.96km La Falda test which kicks of at 13:22 BST (09:22 local time).