SS1 1033hrs Ortega – La Esperanza 1 (29.06km)
Overnight heavy rain altered the condition of the event’s opening stages and changed the road surface from dry and sandy to muddy and damp. With new FIA regulations limiting tyre options and no gravel crews to supply up-to-the-minute information on the road surface, teams had a tricky tyre choice to make for the opening two stages of the rally. Almost every WRC team elected to use a wide tyre with a closed tread pattern, yet both Subaru drivers opted for a narrow tyre with an open tread and, for SS1, this seemed to be the correct choice. Marking the competitive debut of the Subaru Impreza WRC2004, Petter Solberg was fastest to finish 8.7 seconds clear of the rest of the field, while Marcus Gronholm was second and Markko Martin third. Temperatures throughout the test hovered around 7°C. Peaking at 2,737 metres above sea level, the Ortega stage is the highest of the event and has a mean altitude of 2,469 metres. After the finish, crews travelled to the start of SS2.
Fastest Time: Solberg (Subaru) 16:38.7

SS2 1121hrs Santana – Cubilete (22.61km)
This time Sebastien Loeb was fastest, with Solberg second and Gronholm third. As the sun came out and temperatures rose to 18°C, sections of the 22.61km stage began to dry. Another high stage, at an average of 2,355 metres above sea level, meant thinner air and less engine power for all competitors. With the average speed of the winning car below 110kph, many drivers said they missed the extra power on the frequent wide and fast sections when they were absolutely flat out. Starting alongside a huge ruin in the village of Santana, the stage took crews past a large lake at La Luz before reaching an old church on the summit of EI Cubilete, one of the most distinctive landmarks in the whole area. There were no leading retirements, but Mitsubishi driver Gigi Galli struggled with brake problems and lost over 3 minutes. After the finish, crews returned to Leon for the first service of the day.
Fastest Time: Loeb (Citroen) 12:25.6

Driver Quotes - Service A – After SS2

Petter Solberg:

It's good, no problems at all. The first stage was a bit damp and the second one completely dry. We based our tyre choice on the first stage and I’m pleased with how fast we were. I pushed as hard as I could without going crazy and the feeling was good, especially on the high-speed sections. It’s giving me good confidence which I think is to do with the aerodynamic changes.

Mikko Hirvonen:

Perhaps I was a little too cautious on the first stage, but the second one was better. We had a right rear puncture on the first stage (SS1), but it didn’t cost us much time and the car has been feeling very good. The next stage (SS3) is a tricky one, so we’re going to concentrate on setting a good time there and not push too hard.

SS3 1416hrs Ibarrilla – El Zauco (27.30km)
Another stage win for Petter Solberg, who expertly negotiated the stage’s technical combination of narrow hard packed gravel tracks, fast open sections and twisty undulating roads, to take his second stage win of the event. Gronholm was second fastest and Loeb third. In the warm Mexican sunshine, road temperatures continued to rise and as a result all teams opted to use hard compound tyres to cope with the conditions. Not a great stage for Peugeot’s Harri Rovanpera. Making his first WRC appearance since 2003 Wales Rally GB, and having reported in the preceding service that he had found a good driving rhythm, the Finn’s 307 was struck by a brake problem in the second half of the stage. He was able to finish, but dropped more than 20 seconds to the leaders. Unfortunately for him, he would have to complete another stage and 165km before returning to service.
Fastest Time: Solberg (Subaru) 17:13.9

SS4 1534hrs Ortega – La Esperanza 2 (29.06km)
A repeat of the first stage of the day, but a changing road surface made it a very different challenge second time around. After five hours of Mexican sunshine the road surface had dried considerably, burning off the moisture to leave a mixture of hard-packed loose gravel and soft dirt. Answering Petter’s charge, Citroen’s Loeb was fastest to take his second stage win of the event. But it wasn’t enough for the lead at the finish and Petter was second fastest to maintain the overall lead by 5.6 seconds, despite running wide on a corner and damaging his Subaru’s rear right wheel and suspension. Gronholm was third fastest and Sainz fourth, while Rovanpera overcame his brake troubles to finish fifth. There were problems for Markko Martin when a sixth gear spin cost him almost half a minute and overall fourth, but he completed the test and ended the stage in fifth position overall.
Fastest Time: Loeb (Citroen) 16:22.9