Loeb wins Argentina rally title

Buenos Aires, April 30 (IANS) Citroen's French racer Sebastien Loeb won the Rally Argentina for the seventh time, coming in 15.2 seconds ahead of teammate Mikko Hirvonen of Finland in the fifth stop of the 2012 World Rally Championship.

Racing across Argentina's Cordoba mountain range, the eight-time World Champion (2004-2011) crossed the finish line in 5 hours, 34 minutes and 38 seconds (05:34:38), well ahead of second-placed Hirvonen Sunday.

Norway's Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta) took third place, a full three minutes and 10 seconds behind Loeb, after Spain's Dani Sordo (Ford Fiesta) was forced to abandon the race due to what appeared to be alternator failure, Xinhua reported.

Fellow Norwegian Petter Solberg (Ford Fiesta) finished sixth despite having given up any hope of a win after going out of the track Friday when he was 20 seconds ahead.