Team Abu Dhabi Citroen driver Kris Meeke was solidly in third place after Friday’s first full day of racing at Rally Argentina. just over a minute off leader Jari-Matti Latvala’s pace and over 2.5 minutes ahead of fourth-place chaser Elfyn Evans.
Friday’s action took Rally Argentina, the fifth race on the World Rally Championship calendar, through its first five stages and nearly 158 kilometres.
Briton Meeke came in at 1:58:43.7, 49.7 seconds behind second-placed Sebastien Ogier and 1:07.4 behind leader Latvala. He holds a 2:40.7 lead on Evans.
Abu Dhabi Citroen teammate Mads Ostberg came second in the first stage of the race, but crashed during the second stage and will hope to rejoin the race on Saturday in 18th overall.
Meeke finished the day in top form, coming third in the fifth stage at 38:17.0, 19.7 seconds behind leader Latvala and putting himself in position to challenge the two drivers ahead of him over the weekend.
Teammate Ostberg is third in the WRC standings, with 48 points from the first four races. He is 14 points behind second-placed Latvala and 43 behind leader Ogier.
Meeke has 17 points, putting him 10th in the driver standings. He has not registered a point in the last two races, at Mexico and Portugal.
Abu Dhabi Citroen are second in the constructor standings.
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