Subaru teꦍam leader, Petter So🔯lberg has been forced out of the Rally Argentina in the penultimate stage of the day, the 20.29 kilometre-run through Amboy-Santa Monica.

Petter had been running comfortably third overall post-SS16, 25 seconds up on Mikko Hirvonen, who was fourth and around 15 seconds off Marcus Gronholm, who heads the chasing 🌜pack, behind current leader, Sebastien Loeb.

Solberg stopped 11 kilometres into SS17 though after his car suffered a mechanical problem. Early reports suggest it may have been engine related. It i♐s not yet 🐲known if he will rejoin the action on Sunday under the SupeRally and complete the event.

It is a shame as the Norwegian had been going well, setting top four stage times in ever single test. Speaking earlier in the day, in the mid-day service, prior to his exit, 'Hollywood' wa🐈s happy with his Impreza WRC2007.

"Not bad! It's a good start, actual🐷ly. It's worked very well except for a spin on the second stage this morning (SS11)," he told the Subaru WRT's official website. "Afterwards I had to stop and turn the car around anܫd that cost me quite a lot of time.

"Apart from that we've had a good run, the last stage (SS14) was good but it's a mystery why we weren't quite so quick on the one before (SS13).🎶 I think the guys will have to have to analyse the data because from inside it felt extremely quick and I can't see how I could have driven it faster.

"I think the road po🌼sition has something to do with it, in the wet weather the stages are breaking up quite a lot, which gives a big advantage for those up ahead."

Petter is the third major retirement, after Stobart Ford's Matthew Wilson and Munchi's Ford's Luis-Perez Companc went out in the first test of ꦗthe day, SS10.

More to follow as we get it...