But the will be remembered for the problems that followed Thursday night’s opening superspecial stage at River Plate Stadium, when severe rain and fog delayed onward flights to Friday’s stages.

Because of this, all of Friday’s official stages were cancelled, meaning yesterday’s running marked the first time the competitors had truly turned a wheel in anger.

An extra stage was added to the itinerary today, although the event was still 100 kilometres shorter than originally planned.

Loeb’s seven wins on yesterday’s nine stages effectively wrapped up the win for the Frenchman ahead of Sunday’s final leg, with Loeb happy to cruise home and increase his championship lead over Gronholm to three points.

Loeb said: “I am obviously delighted to have notched up another win with the Citroen C4 on what was yet another very different type of event.

“With the exception of the organisational hiccup on leg one, it’s always a pleasure to compete here in front of such enthusiastic crowds.”

Gronholm had no answer to the Citroens on the final day, with Dani Sordo picking up the honours on the stages where team-mate Loeb chose to ease off the gas.

But the Finn revealed after the race that he was taking it easy following a scare in the morning runs.

Gronholm said: “I went out to push hard this morning but the feeling wasn’t so good.

“I ran wide and hit a stone with the rear of the car. I was worried it didn’t feel right and it was hard to stay on the road.

“I dropped eight seconds to Loeb so I knew the fight was over. I’m disappointed that the fight with Seb wasn’t closer.”

Gronholm’s compatriot and team-mate Mikko Hirvonen claimed the final podium spot, ahead of Stobart Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala, who equalled his best ever result in fourth.

Henning Solberg, driving a second Stobart Ford came home in fifth place, ahead of the hard-charging Sordo, who crashed his C4 on the final Cordoba superspecial.

It was tough luck on the Spaniard, who had recovered well from hydraulic problems yesterday to be challenging on the fringes of the top five.

Chris Atkinson’s Subaru again had problems with grip after a miserable day yesterday, and was forced to settle for seventh in a car that looked set for a podium in the hands Petter Solberg before the Norwegian retired with engine problems on stage 17.

Manfred Stohl rounded-out the points-scorers with eighth in the OMV Kronos Citroen.

Britain’s Matthew Wilson (Stobart Ford) rejoined the race for the final leg under SupeRally regulations after ignition problems forced him out on stage 10, but he could only come home in 31st place, an hour adrift of the winner.

However, the youngster ended the weekend with something to shout about after going fourth quickest on the closing superspecial stage.

Loeb’s 32nd career win moves him onto 48 points in the drivers’ standings. Gronholm is second on 45, while Hirvonen completes the top three on 36 points.

Ford lead the way in the constructors’ battle with 81 points, nine clear of Citroen.