# 2012 Rally Argentina

The 32nd Philips Rally Argentina was the fifth round of 2012 FIA World Rally Championship. It is the longest rally of the year, covering total of 502.73 stage kilometres, with Ambul also being the longest stage of the year. The event took place between 26 and 29 April 2012.

## Report

Ford World Rally Team driver Jari-Matti Latvala was forced out of the rally after his accident while training two weeks before the rally. He was replaced by Dani Sordo.

## Results
### Event standings

| Pos. | Driver | Co-driver | Car | Time | Difference | Points |
| Overall |||||||
| 1. | Sébastien Loeb | Daniel Elena | Citroën DS3 WRC | 5:34:38.8 | 0.0 | 25 |
| 2. | Mikko Hirvonen | Jarmo Lehtinen | Citroën DS3 WRC | 5:34:54.0 | 15.2 | 20 |
| 3. | Mads Østberg | Jonas Andersson | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | 5:37:49.2 | 3:10.4 | 15 |
| 4. | Martin Prokop | Zdeněk Hrůza | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | 5:44:24.1 | 9:45.3 | 12 |
| 5. | Thierry Neuville | Nicolas Gilsoul | Citroën DS3 WRC | 5:45:56.4 | 11:17.6 | 10 |
| 6. | Petter Solberg | Chris Patterson | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | 5:46:41.0 | 12:02.2 | 11 |
| 7. | Sébastien Ogier | Julien Ingrassia | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 5:47:04.1 | 12:25.3 | 6 |
| 8. | Evgeny Novikov | Denis Giraudet | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | 5:55:49.0 | 21:10.2 | 4 |
| 9. | Nasser Al-Attiyah | Giovanni Bernacchini | Citroën DS3 WRC | 6:03:01.4 | 28:22.6 | 3 |
| 10. | Ott Tänak | Kuldar Sikk | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | 6:11:58.3 | 37:19.5 | 1 |
| PWRC |||||||
| 1.(11.) | Benito Guerra | Borja Rozada | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 6:12:00.6 | 0.0 | 25 |
| 2.(13.) | Nicolás Fuchs | Fernando Mussano | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 6:16:19.7 | 4:19.1 | 18 |
| 3.(14.) | Valeriy Gorban | Andriy Nikolaiev | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | 6:18:45.2 | 6:44.6 | 15 |
| 4.(15.) | Marcos Ligato | Rubén García | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | 6:25:00.0 | 12:59.4 | 12 |
| 5.(16.) | Gianluca Linari | Nicola Arena | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | 6:40:24.8 | 28:24.2 | 10 |
| 6.(17.) | Ezequiel Campos | Cristian Winkler | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 6:47:27.4 | 35:26.8 | 8 |
| 7.(18.) | Subhan Aksa | Hade Mboi | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 6:47:44.9 | 35:44.3 | 6 |
| 8.(23.) | Lorenzo Bertelli | Lorenzo Granai | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | 7:35:06.4 | 1:23:05.8 | 4 |

### Special stages

| Day | Stage | Time | Name | Length | Winner | Time | Avg. spd. | Rally leader |
| Leg 1 (26–27 Apr) | SS1 | 20:08 | SSS Amarok 1 | 6.04 km | Petter Solberg | 4:54.9 | 73.73 km/h | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (26–27 Apr) | SS2 | 7:28 | La Pampa / La Pampa 1 | 37.51 km | Sébastien Loeb | 23:12.5 | 96.97 km/h | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (26–27 Apr) | SS3 | 8:21 | Ascochinga / Agua de Oro 1 | 51.88 km | Petter Solberg | 37:50.7 | 82.25 km/h | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (26–27 Apr) | SS4 | 12:46 | La Pampa / La Pampa 2 | 37.51 km | Sébastien Loeb | 22:56.3 | 98.11 km/h | Mikko Hirvonen |
| Leg 1 (26–27 Apr) | SS5 | 13:39 | Ascochinga / Agua de Oro 2 | 51.88 km | Sébastien Loeb | 37:21.8 | 83.31 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 1 (26–27 Apr) | SS6 | 17:23 | Cosquin / Villa Allende | 19.18 km | Mikko Hirvonen | 13:36.7 | 84.54 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS7 | 8:30 | San Agustin / Santa Rosa 1 | 20.18 km | Sébastien Loeb | 12:41.3 | 95.42 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS8 | 9:18 | Amboy / Santa Monica 1 | 20.33 km | Mikko Hirvonen | 10:40.5 | 114.26 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS9 | 10:31 | Intiyaco / Golpe de Agua 1 | 39.74 km | Mikko Hirvonen | 22:48.1 | 104.57 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS10 | 14:44 | San Agustin / Santa Rosa 2 | 20.18 km | Petter Solberg | 12:32.3 | 96.57 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS11 | 15:32 | Amboy / Santa Monica 2 | 20.33 km | Petter Solberg | 10:30.4 | 116.10 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS12 | 16:45 | Intiyaco / Golpe de Agua 2 | 39.74 km | Petter Solberg | 22:36.2 | 105.49 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 2 (28 Apr) | SS13 | 20:08 | SSS Amarok 2 | 6.04 km | Thierry Neuville | 4:49.4 | 75.13 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 3 (29 Apr) | SS14 | 8:00 | Matadero / Ambul | 65.74 km | Petter Solberg | 38:16.0 | 103.08 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 3 (29 Apr) | SS15 | 9:51 | Mina Clavero / Giulio Cesare 1 | 17.41 km | Petter Solberg | 15:38.1 | 66.81 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 3 (29 Apr) | SS16 | 10:32 | El Condor / Copina | 16.32 km | Petter Solberg | 13:17.5 | 73.67 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 3 (29 Apr) | SS17 | 14:07 | Mina Clavero / Giulio Cesare 2 | 17.41 km | Petter Solberg | 15:29.3 | 67.44 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 3 (29 Apr) | SS18 | 14:48 | El Condor / Casilla Negra | 11.16 km | Petter Solberg | 9:37.6 | 69.56 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |
| Leg 3 (29 Apr) | SS19 | 15:21 | Copina (Power stage) | 4.15 km | Petter Solberg | 2:32.9 | 97.71 km/h | Sébastien Loeb |

### Power Stage

The "Power stage" was a 4.15 km (2.58 mi) stage at the end of the rally.
| Pos | Driver | Time | Diff. | Avg. speed | Points |
| 1 | Petter Solberg | 2:32.915 | 0.000 | 97.7 km/h | 3 |
| 2 | Mikko Hirvonen | 2:34.063 | +1.148 | 97.0 km/h | 2 |
| 3 | Nasser Al-Attiyah | 2:34.470 | +1.555 | 96.8 km/h | 1 |

## Championship standings after the event
### Drivers' championship

Points are awarded to the top 10 classified finishers.
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
| Points | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | GER | GBR | FRA | ITA | ESP | Pts |
| 1 | Sébastien Loeb | 1 $^1$ | 6 $^1$ | 1 $^2$ | Ret | 1 | | | | | | | | | 91 |
| 2 | Petter Solberg | 3 | 4 $^2$ | 3 $^1$ | 3 | 6 $^1$ | | | | | | | | | 73 |
| 3 | Mikko Hirvonen | 4 $^2$ | 2 | 2 | DSQ | 2 $^2$ | | | | | | | | | 70 |
| 4 | Mads Østberg | | 3 | 4 $^3$ | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | 68 |
| 5 | Evgeny Novikov | 5 $^3$ | 5 | Ret | 2 | 8 | | | | | | | | | 43 |
| 6 | Jari-Matti Latvala | Ret | 1 $^3$ | Ret | 13 $^2$ | Inj | | | | | | | | | 28 |
| 7 | Martin Prokop | 9 | 9 | | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | 26 |
| 8 | Nasser Al-Attiyah | | 21 | 6 | 4 | 9 $^3$ | | | | | | | | | 23 |
| 9 | Dani Sordo | 2 | Ret | | 11 $^1$ | Ret | | | | | | | | | 21 |
| 10 | Ott Tänak | 8 | Ret | 5 | 14 $^3$ | 10 | | | | | | | | | 16 |
| 11 | Sébastien Ogier | Ret | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 16 |
| 12 | Thierry Neuville | Ret | 12 | 13 | 8 | 5 | | | | | | | | | 14 |
| 13 | François Delecour | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 14 | Dennis Kuipers | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 15 | Armindo Araújo | 10 | 15 | 7 | 15 | Ret | | | | | | | | | 7 |
| 16 | Henning Solberg | 13 | 7 | DNS | DNS | | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| 17 | Pierre Campana | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| 18 | Patrik Sandell | | 8 | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 19 | Jari Ketomaa | | Ret | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 20 | Ken Block | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 21 | Peter van Merksteijn Jr. | | 19 | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 22 | Ricardo Triviño | | | 10 | 26 | Ret | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 23 | Eyvind Brynildsen | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | GER | GBR | FRA | ITA | ESP | Pts |
Key :
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Did not finish (Ret) |
| Black | Excluded (EX) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Withdrew entry from the event (WD) |
Notes:
* $^1$ $^2$ $^3$ refers to the classification of the drivers on the 'Power Stage', where bonus points are awarded 3–2–1 for the fastest three drivers on the stage.

### Manufacturers' championship

| Pos | Manufacturer | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | GER | GBR | FRA | ITA | ESP | Pts |
| 1 | Citroën Total World Rally Team | 37 | 28 | 43 | 0 | 43 | | | | | | | | | 151 |
| 2 | Ford World Rally Team | 15 | 40 | 15 | 26 | 10 | | | | | | | | | 106 |
| 3 | M-Sport Ford World Rally Team | 16 | 12 | 10 | 31 | 12 | | | | | | | | | 81 |
| 4 | Qatar World Rally Team | | 8 | 8 | 15 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 37 |
| 5 | Citroën Junior World Rally Team | | | 6 | 12 | 12 | | | | | | | | | 30 |
| 6 | Adapta World Rally Team | | | 12 | | 15 | | | | | | | | | 27 |
| 7 | Mini WRC Team$^†$ | 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 26 |
| 8 | Brazil World Rally Team | | | | 10 | 0 | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| – | Armindo Araújo World Rally Team$^‡$ | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Palmeirinha Rally$^‡$ | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Manufacturer | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | GER | GBR | FRA | ITA | ESP | Pts |
Notes:
* † — The Mini WRC Team lost its manufacturer status in February when parent company BMW withdrew works support from the team, demoting them to customer team status. The team kept the points it scored on Rallye Monte Carlo although it was no longer classified as a manufacturer entrant. They were replaced by the WRC Team Mini Portugal as the official Mini works team.
* ‡ — Armindo Araújo World Rally Team and Palmeirinha Rally merged to form WRC Team Mini Portugal. The points they scored at the Rallye Monte Carlo were removed from the manufacturers' championship.

### PWRC Drivers' championship

| Pos | Driver | MON | MEX | ARG | GRE | NZL | GER | ITA | ESP | Pts |
| 1 | Benito Guerra | | 1 | 1 | | | | | | 50 |
| 2 | Michał Kościuszko | 1 | 3 | Ret | | | | | | 40 |
| 3 | Nicolás Fuchs | DNS | 2 | 2 | | | | | | 36 |
| 4 | Gianluca Linari | | 4 | 5 | | | | | | 22 |
| 5 | Louise Cook | 2 | | | | | | | | 18 |
| 6 | Valeriy Gorban | | | 3 | | | | | | 15 |
| 7 | Marcos Ligato | | | 4 | | | | | | 12 |
| 8 | Rodrigo Salgado | | 5 | | | | | | | 10 |
| 9 | Ramona Karlsson | | 6 | Ret | | | | | | 8 |
| 10 | Ezequiel Campos | | | 6 | | | | | | 8 |
| 11 | Subhan Aksa | | | 7 | | | | | | 6 |
| 12 | Lorenzo Bertelli | Ret | | 8 | | | | | | 4 |
| Pos | Driver | MON | MEX | ARG | GRE | NZL | GER | ITA | ESP | Pts |
Key :
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Did not finish (Ret) |
| Black | Excluded (EX) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Withdrew entry from the event (WD) |