Petter Solberg and Peter van Merksteijn Jr will drive two Citroën DS3 WRCs entered under their own banner and put at their disposal by Citroën Racing Technologies in Rally Argentina, the sixth round of the 2011 World Rally Championship. A test session was held for Petter Solberg and Peter van Merksteijn Jr in the south of France to prepare for this event. The two drivers relayed each other at the wheel of a Citroën DS3 WRC to find their setups. “Petter Solberg has had a very good preparation for this rally,’ said Benoit Nogier, the boss of Citroën Racing Technologies. “His podium finish in Sardinia has given the whole team’s morale a big boost. This kind of result is crucial in a season. In Argentina, a rally for old hands, his experience could give him a decisive advantage. It’s certainly one of the events that suits him the best. He’ll be in the thick of the battle.” “This session was also a big help for Peter van Merksteijn Jr,’ Nogier adds. “He was finally able to take advantage of a day and half’s testing to run through a wide range of setups. This has helped boost his confidence. We hope that this test will help him during the rally. He needed time in the Citroën DS3 WRC to find his marks. The whole team’s worked hard. I think it’s now in the right frame of mind before leaving for Argentina.” Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson’s (Petter Solberg World Rally Team)) podium finish in Italy achieved their first aim. In Argentina, the Norwegian will be back in an environment that he knows by heart as he has raced in the last ten events with three podium finishes. “ I feel stronger than ever. Everything’s possible in Argentina,” he grinned in Sardinia. Peter van Merksteijn Jr (Van Merksteijn Motorsport) will be racing in his fourth rally in a Citroën DS3 WRC. The young Dutchman has made constant progress and he will be out to finish Rally Argentina, which has a reputation as a difficult event. The 2011 Rally Argentina has 378 timed kilometres and it is using a route that is quite well known in the valleys of Traslasierra, Punilla, and Calamuchita in the Cordoba region. It will start on Thursday 26th May at 14h40 and will finish early on Sunday afternoon. Rally Argentina Round: 6/13 Base: Villa Carlos Paz Service park: Avenida Presidente Arturo U. Illia and Gobernador Álvarez, Villa Carlos Paz Surface: gravel Weather: temperatures from 7 to 20°C Sunrise and sunset on the first day of the rally: 8h03 / 18h23 Local time: UTC-3. When it’s midday in Paris, it’s 7h00 in Villa Carlos Paz. Currency: the local currency is the Argentinean peso (1 euro = 5,86 $). Internet site: www.rallyargentina.com Tyres: 36 Michelin soft gravel tyres including 6 for the shakedown. Reconnaissance: from Tuesday 24th May 8h00 to Wednesday 25th May at 18h00. Shakedown: Thursday 26th May from 8h00 to 12h00 in Villa Carlos Paz - Cabalango on a 6,23 km stage 11,08 from the service park. Press conference: Thursday 26th May at 13h30 in the Media Centre. Start: Thursday 26th May 14h40, exit of the service park. Itinerary: 1457,08 km, including 378,15 timed kms. 19 stages (11 different) Podium: Sunday 29th May at 13h30, Service Park. Final press conference: Sunday 29th May at 14h00, Media Centre Citroën Racing’s hot tips Thanks to the long journey to the Southern Hemisphere you can (re) discover Buenos Aires before leaving for Villa Carlos Paz. Stroll along the streets in the pedestrian zone, admire the Tango dancers and don’t forget to attend the Citroën Road Show in the capital! In the Cordoba region take advantage of the magnificent light of the Pampas at the summit of the El Condor stage with its lunar landscape and its condors. Don’t hesitate to make friends with the locals who will certainly invite you eat an asado whatever the time. And finally on Sunday evening, book into the Zebra to enjoy one of the best parties of the season!