This weekend's fourth round of the World Rally Championship moves to South America for Rally Argentina (28-30 March).

One of only two visits to the Southern Hemisphere in 2008, Argentina precedes New Zealand (the 11th round to be held in late August) on the long-haul WRC calendar. 

To the northwest of capital city Buenos Aires, host city Córdoba has a rich Spanish heritage with an acknowledged European influence. Famous for their grilled beef, residents are well known for urging visiting rally competitors to contest culinary competitions prior to the three-day rally.

Traversing open plains and rock-littered mountain passes similar to Mexico, the diversity of the roads will extend driver capability in both the WRC and Production World Rally Championship (P-WRC) categories. With only one compound of the prescribed Pirelli tyre available for the weekend, drivers and teams will face varying road conditions - from low-lying soft sand to mountain side rocks - as well as significant altitude changes. Similarly, weather during the event is expected to be variable as the region heads into autumn.

With a solitary point separating title leader Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) from defending champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) heading in to Rally Argentina, Hirvonen will again play road sweeper for the first day.

"I can't change that situation so there's no point in worrying about it," said the 27-year old Finn.  "I learned things about running first on the road in Mexico that will help me in Argentina, but I don't think it will be as big a disadvantage here as it was in Mexico. Argentina is the greatest country to drive in of any of the WRC rounds. The fans are so enthusiastic and, on some stages, the road is lined with people virtually from start to finish. It's a fantastic atmosphere and something that I really notice from inside the car."

New for the event will be a Superstage based at Córdoba soccer stadium, while the rally retains its traditional format of a double-run loop of stages. On each day, drivers travel to a different valley within the province, varying the contested scenery. Following Thursday night's ceremonial start, the first day of competition covers nine competitive tests, returning for service at the Carlos Paz base in the Punilla Valley. A further nine tests on the Saturday in the southern-set Calmuchita valley is concluded by a three-stage sprint on the Sunday.

2008 FIA World Rally Championship:

Driver points (after round three) - top ten

1. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) - 21 pts

2. Sébastien Loeb (F) - 20 pts

3. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) - 16 pts

4. Chris Atkinson (AUS) - 14 pts

5. Gigi Galli (I) - 9 pts

6. Petter Solberg (N) - 9 pts

7. François Duval (B) - 5 pts

8. Henning Solberg (N) - 4 pts

9. Andreas Mikkelsen (N) - 4 pts

10. Matthew Wilson (GB) - 3 pts