The competition in Rally Argentina, round five of the 2019 World Rally Championship, begins today. The crews face eighteen special stages with combined length of almost 350 competitive kilometres. Road conditions are very tough: the surface is very wet after heavy rain, water stands in many places and there are huge ruts. It looks like the first appearance of Kajetanowicz in South America will be very challenging – at the same time this is his first gravel event behind the wheel of his new rally car.
Rally Argentina is a classic event which always attracts hundreds of thousands of rally fans. Despite poor weather, massive crowds arrived in Villa Carlos Paz in order to support their heroes, just like every year. Poland is represented by the LOTOS Rally Team crew: triple European Rally Champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz, co-driven by Maciej Szczepaniak.
– This is my first appearance in Rally Argentina. The fans create an incredible and hot atmosphere, which gives us wings. I already know after recce that the stages are very demanding. Additionally the weather plays some tricks: the route is very wet, with ruts on the stages. There ale plenty of stones, including really big ones, and there will be even more. I have to be extremely focused. I will do my best to drive in a reasonably safe manner but you cannot be sure of finishing this difficult rally even if you are pushing at 80% only. However, I am very pleased that we are here. There were plenty of fans on the shakedown, when we tried out our car on one relaxed run. Everything is OK, our whole team works very well. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
– says Kajetan Kajetanowicz, the LOTOS Rally Team driver.
The opening test, city stage Villa Carlos Paz (1.90 kms) begins eight minutes after midnight (all starting times are CET). On Friday the competitors will fight on seven stages: SS2/6 Las Bajadas-Villa del Dinque (16.65 kms, starts at 13:08 and 19:51), SS3/7 Amboy-Yacanto (29.85 kms, starts at 13:55 and 20:38), SS4/8 Santa Rosa-San Augustin (23.44 kms, starts at 15:08 and 21:51) and SSS5 Parque Tematico (6.04 kms, starts at 17:03).
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz are supported by strategic partner of the LOTOS Rally Team – Grupa LOTOS – as well as Delphi Technologies, Driving Experience and Pirelli.
