Zoom Loeb takes over the championship lead

Sébastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and their Citroën C4 WRC overcame the three days of rain, fog and treacherous conditions that were thrown at them during the 2008 Rally Argentina to end the fiercely fought battle on top spot.

The mud didn't deter the spectators from turning out in their usual high numbers as Dani Sordo and Marc Martí joined their team-mates on the podium in third place. The visit to South America turned out to be highly successful for Citroën-Total, with Sébastien taking control in the Drivers' championship, while Citroën is now just three points short of the lead in the Manufacturers' standings.

The final leg of the event was once again marked by wet weather, with fog also making an appearance high in the mountains of the 'Giulio Cesare' and 'El Condor' tests. These were the only true stages of the day before one last visit to the super-special in Córdoba and the finish ceremony in Villa Carlos Paz.

Just like Diego Maradona in the days when he starred with the N°10 jersey in Argentina's national soccer squad, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena deftly dribbled round the weekend's countless pitfalls to put their rivals on the wrong foot as they powered home to victory with their Citroën C4 WRC. During Thursday's shakedown session, as guest passenger alongside Seb, 'El Pibe de Oro' had been able to see at first hand that the defending World Champion is not just strong technically but also that it's not only with a ball that a top sportsman can juggle!

One of the challenges faced by Seb over the three days was having to run on Pirelli tyres which, in keeping with the regulations, turned out to be too hard for the wet conditions. Along with near-zero grip, crews often had to contend with extremely low visibility, too, so it's no surprise that Sébastien and Daniel were delighted with their 39th world class win. "Believe me, it wasn't easy," admitted Loeb.

"Given the delicate conditions, we had to stay doubly concentrated from start to finish. We also benefited from a faultless performance from our Citroën C4 which was once again competitive and reliable. Before coming here, we had been hoping that Rally Argentina would enable us to take the lead in the Drivers championship and score points for Citroën, and that's what we've done."

Sunday's result is Citroën's fifth straight success in Argentina, while Loeb has become the most successful driver ever on the South American fixture with a score of four consecutive wins to his name.