New winner ensured in Argentina

There will be a fresh face on the winners’ podium at next month’s Rally Argentina.

None of the drivers entered for the fifth round of the World Rally Championship have won the South American event.

Sébastien Loeb has dominated there in recent years, taking eight consecutive WRC wins, including the 78th and final victory of his career last May.

Juho Hänninen won the rally in 2010 when it was not a WRC round. He was due to drive a Hyundai i20 this year until he was replaced by Dani Sordo shortly before entries closed.

Forty entries have been received, compared with 34 last year.

Eleven crews are entered in World Rally Cars, although missing from the list is Benito Guerra. Guerra hoped to return to the series following his sixth place finish at Rally Mexico, but the financial support he required has not materialised.

There is a strong entry in the WRC 2 category with five of the top six in the championship - Yuriy Protasov, Lorenzo Bertelli, Jari Ketomaa, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Max Rendina - all making the journey to Argentina.

Other top names in WRC 2 include Ott Tänak, Quentin Gilbert and Yazeed Al Rajhi.

The rally is based in Villa Carlos Paz on 8 - 11 May.