Northern Ireland's driver Kris Meeke paid tribute to his late mentor Colin McRae after taking the first win of his world rally championship career in Argentina on Sunday.
“This one is for Colin,” said the Citroen driver, dedicating the victory to the 1995 world rally champion, who died in a helicopter crash near his family home in Scotland in 2007.
Dungannon driver Meeke, and co-driver Paul Nagle from Killarney, finished 18.1 seconds ahead of Citroen team-mate Mads Ostberg of Norway
Britain’s Elfyn Evans was third in a Ford for his first WRC podium finish despite breaking his car’s rear suspension on the last stage.
World champion Sebastien Ogier finished 14th for Volkswagen after a retirement on the opening day due to engine problems ended his hopes of a sixth successive win.
The Frenchman, who has never won in Argentina, returned to pick up three points for winning Sunday’s ‘power stage’ and remains comfortably ahead in the championship with 84 points after four rounds.
Ostberg moved up to second in the standings with 51 points.
It was the first time since Germany 2013 that champions Volkswagen, who also had Finnish driver Jari-Matti Latvala retire, had failed to finish in the top three. It was also Citroen’s first one-two finish since 2012.
