Loeb on track for Argentina win

Loeb is heading for a fourth straight Rally Argentina win

Sebastien Loeb remained on course for a fourth straight Rally Argentina victory by winning three of the nine stages on day two to lead by almost 80 seconds.

The Frenchman stayed clear of Norway's Petter Solberg, who won five stages to overtake his Subaru team-mate Chris Atkinson by 49 seconds.

The second Citroen, driven by Daniel Sordo, was fourth, more than three and a half minutes behind Loeb.

Britain's Matthew Wilson retired his Stobart Ford with suspension damage.

The points for Subaru are the biggest priority now Chris Atkinson

Loeb, the four-time world champion, held a one-and-a-half minute lead over Atkinson after the opening day with Solberg a further eight seconds behind.

But the Norwegian moved up to second with a commanding win in the day's first stage.

He shaved 15 seconds off Loeb's advantage but the Frenchman hit back by winning the 11th and 12th stages to move one minute 34.5 seconds ahead of Solberg.

Solberg kept up the pressure and claimed four of the five afternoon stages, but with only three stages remaining, Loeb is one minute 19.6 seconds ahead of the Norwegian.

Atkinson appeared to be making up ground on Solberg when he won the final stage of the morning to close within four seconds but the Australian lost ground in the afternoon.

"I've backed right off," said Atkinson. "I'm not going slowly but there's no need to take any risks.

"The points for Subaru are the biggest priority now. Of course second place would be nice, but I still have a chance for my third podium from four rallies - which is a better start to the season than I had originally hoped for."

World Rally Championship leader Mikko Hirvonen, who won three of the first four stages on day one before crashing out, climbed from 23rd to sixth but is nearly 25 minutes adrift.