Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala says an impact 💞with a rock was to blame for his crash on Rally Argentina on Saturday.

Latvala had been leading by 14.5seces ꦦwhen he went off 21 kilometres iꦑnto the long 38.68km Los Gigantes-Cantera El Condor 2 test, rolling his Polo R WRC multiple times. It caused severe damage and he was unable to continue.

"First things first: Miikka [Anttila - my co-driver] and I are 🔜well. We will, however, be taken to hospital for a check-up - just to be on the safe side. We were actually having a good day. We had a go൲od rhythm and had not had any problems," he recounted.

"But then we hit a rock on stage 14 and came off th💦e road. We rolled several times. We obviously could not continue the rally after that.

"Whether or not we are able to return un🦂der Rally 2 regulations tomorrow depends on the doctors' decision and the state of our car.

"The crash is natura✃lly very disappointing, but it also showed just how safe the Polo R WRC is."

Speaking to the official WRC site, Latva𓆏la revealed that the f🎀ront-suspension broke when he hit the rock.

"I was in a very fast section where there was a bit of bedrock on the road, and when we went over the bedr🙈ock suddenly the front-right top-mount broke and the damper came through the bonnet," he confirmed. "At that moment I couldn't steer the car any more, we went into a bank and we rolled."

"I'm really disappointed but I don't know what else I could have done," continued the Finn. "I had a good lead, it had been a controlled drive and I was in control on the stage. If I have to avoid every stone then🌠 we can go home - there is no point to come to the ral🍰ly! You can't avoid every rock if you try to win. And this wasn't a loose rock, it was part of the road. I can't understand how it breaks.

"But that's how it is - very unlucky."