WRC TV special celebrates 40 years of Rally Argentina

Apr 20, 2020

Classic WRC – a fresh look at what makes Rally Argentina special
Show relives intense battles for victory on pampas stages
Drivers reveal what makes iconic South American event unique
Broadcasters screen programme in regular post-event slot

WRC fans can enjoy classic rally action from South America this month with a TV special celebrating magical memories from Argentina’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Global broadcasters will screen WRC’s hour-long Rally Argentina show, which spotlights pulsating pampas action and contains captivating features and revealing interviews about the tough gravel road fixture.

Next week’s 40th edition of the event has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and an anniversary programme will replace the traditional post-event highlights show.

It will be available in the week beginning 26 April – the day on which the rally was due to climax with the spectacular El Cóndor Wolf Power Stage.

The programme digs deep into the archives to include spectacular action from stars of yesteryear including Colin McRae, Tommi Mäkinen, Miki Biasion and Didier Auriol, as well as interviews with today’s big names such as Ott Tänak, Elfyn Evans and Esapekka Lappi.

It recalls the fascinating story of local hero and two-time winner Jorge Recalde and examines how Sébastien Ogier has won six world titles without ever mastering Rally Argentina in 10 attempts.

“The performance has never been really bad here, but somehow we have never managed to win it. I was close a couple of times,” admits the Frenchman, who leads the 2020 WRC drivers’ standings.

There is a review of the 2002 event which had three different winners when first Marcus Grönholm and then Richard Burns were disqualified from first place, leaving Carlos Sainz to take the spoils.

The mighty El Cóndor is one of the WRC’s iconic speed tests and drivers talk about the electric atmosphere and the challenges of the twisty rock-strewn climb up the mountain.

Legendary co-drivers feature too, as they reveal the stresses and strains the rough tracks place on the occupants of the right-hand seat.

Thierry Neuville’s thrilling 2017 victory, big crashes involving Mäkinen and Kalle Rovanperä, how Juha Kankkunen snatched victory from Richard Burns in 1999’s controversial encounter and a lookback to the 2019 event are also included in a packed programme.

Ahead of the scheduled Rally Argentina weekend, the WRC’s regular half-hour magazine show reflects on last month’s opening gravel fixture of the season at Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

The FIA’s exciting Rally Star initiative comes under the microscope along with the battle to be named The Greatest WRC Driver, which is currently approaching the quarter-final point on the championship’s wrc.com website.

Fans should check their local broadcast schedules for the exact timings of both programmes. A list of WRC’s global broadcast partners can be found at https://www.wrc.com/en/footer/business/broadcaster/

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