The Citroen team has sought clarification from the Rally Argentina organizers over the one-minute penalty incurred by Sebastien Loeb earlier today.
Loeb was hit with the penalty for going into the regroup too early. The Frenchman said the area around the entrance to the control was crowded with people and he could not see the board which marks the start of the control.
"I know how to check into a control," said Loeb. "I have been doing it for 10 years! But there was a lot of people and I couldn't see the right place. It was the first time at the regrouping and I didn't see where to stop."
Asked if the fault lay with him or co-driver Daniel Elena, Loeb said: "He should have stopped me and I should have stopped."
The matter is being investigated by the clerk of the course.
"I hope the penalty is taken away," said Loeb, "but I'm not sure what the team has done. I didn't have much time to talk to them, we haven't had any phone service between the stages. Maybe it's possible to win the rally without the penalty, but not with it."
Loeb is in fifth place overnight, 1m30s behind leader Jari-Matti Latvala.