Greece (WRC) J - 7-10 Sep 23

Crunch time for Creighton/Regan as Junior World Rally Championship title up for grabs

Posted: September 4, 2023 2:27 PM

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton will head for the final round of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, [7-10 September] next weekend as series leader and just a solid result away from claiming the coveted title.

Creighton, 25 from Moira enjoys a 29-point lead over his nearest rival, but with double points available over the weekend, being assured of the title is far from a foregone conclusion.

But a solid haul of points on one of the toughest events in the Junior WRC calendar will see Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan receive a career-boosting prize package which includes four fully-funded WRC2 drives in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 for 2024, a pre-event test before each rally and 200 Pirelli tyres.

And the Irishman is well aware of the task in-hand.

“Going to the event as championship leaders shows just how strong our season has been and also shows just how much work everyone has been putting in all year, so that’s a big positive,” says Creighton.

“Of course, being out front was obviously the best we could have hoped for at this stage but as we know, Greece is a very unpredictable rally and the competition around us is very impressive indeed”.

“The Acropolis is super rough and very hard on the car and then when you add in the heat, it will be really tough on both the car and crew. We will need to factor that into our approach and manage our weekend, ensuring we only push at the times where it's needed.”

Creighton has been a shining light in the Junior WRC this season, his third attempt at the championship, taking wins in Sweden and Sardinia. He has also accumulated an impressive 34 stage wins and the associated bonus points across the four rounds so far, which have undoubtedly given him the leeway in the points heading into the decider.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing either, with the young charger being forced to use Super Rally in Croatia and Estonia. But his undeniable pace has kept him in the title fight, although this time around, it may not be all about being the fastest, all of the time.

“We will be working really hard on our strategy before the rally and adapt our pace and outlook depending on the conditions and how our competitors are doing, what’s going on around us and obviously trying to stay out of trouble which is going to be hugely important” he says.

Creighton has also had time to reflect on his season so far, citing it as one of the best progressions across a season in his short career.

“I'm encouraged by the pace we have shown this season and if you look at events like Estonia, we were up against the locals as well as Junior WRC guys so to go there and be consistently fastest against them in their backyard was very encouraging. That was made more special by the fact that actually, I wasn’t that quick there previously; that kind of event with the crest jumps and wide roads wasn’t something that came naturally to me so our pace this time showed how strongly we had developed over the course of the season.”

But now it all comes down to the final round and 15 stages and around 300 kilometres of competitive driving stand in the way of Creghton's maiden World title.

“We have had to work hard this year and it hasn’t always been easy, but the support from Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy has been second to none. Preparation for this one of course has been very focused and we have been working a lot with on-boards to ensure that we have not left any stone unturned and coupled with some testing in my own car, we are ready for the challenge ahead.”

“We will try to enjoy the event, although that will be difficult at times but it's not often in your career that you get to go to a rally in the fight for the Junior WRC title.”

TÄNAK AND TEAM TAKE ON THE RALLY OF GODS

Posted: September 4, 2023 2:25 PM

Regrouped, refreshed, and reset, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team readies itself for a Herculean challenge on the Rally of Gods. Ott Tänak and Pierre-Louis Loubet will lead the team’s assault on the 15 brutal special stages of Acropolis Rally Greece, renowned for its unforgiving roads and scorching temperatures.

A total of six M-Sport crews will take on the legendary Acropolis Rally for the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship’s tenth round.

Putting their previous misfortunes behind them, Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja return to their Puma fully focused on the final four rounds of the 2023 WRC.

Claiming podium spots in the last two editions of the famously tough event, the Estonian pair are well-suited to the gruelling Acropolis Rally, that requires the perfect balance of aggression and mechanical sympathy to come out on top.

Writing himself into the history books with last year’s memorable performance in Greece, where the youngster found himself locked in the battle for first overall with his childhood hero Sebastien Loeb, Pierre-Louis Loubet will be looking to replicate and improve upon his impressive experiences here.

Also competing in a Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 is Jourdan Serderidis, who looks forward to taking on his home rally once again and his fourth WRC outing in the Puma this season.

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team will also make a strong showing in the WRC2 support category, with three Ford Fiesta Rally2s lining up to do battle in a highly competitive field.

Bolstered by his recent successes in the British Rally Championship and after claiming second overall in WRC2 in Finland last month, Adrien Fourmaux sets out in Greece on good footing. With ample experience in rough gravel conditions, Fourmaux has every chance for an impressive result on the Rally of Gods.

Grégoire Munster and Robert Virves line up beside Fourmaux in their Fiesta Rally2s, both focused on gathering experience and speed as the weekend progresses. Virves claimed the win in the Junior category last year, taking the championship win that earned his seat in a Rally2 with M-Sport.

The FIA Junior World Rally Championship will also come to its conclusion in Greece, where eight junior crews in identical M-Sport Poland-built Fiesta Rally3s will battle it out on what will be a very close championship-deciding event.

Richard Millener, Team Principal, said:
“The last few weeks has given everyone the opportunity to have a break and refuel themselves, something we all needed! We go into the latter part of the season looking to achieve the best possible results over the final four rallies.

“Greece has often served us well; it is our most successful event with eight WRC wins over the years. Ott has had a good track record here recently and of course we all remember Pierre-Louis’ performance last year with his first-ever rally lead and multiple stage wins.

“There is no doubting that we have a huge task ahead of us; running six cars in total is no mean feat and the whole team will be feeling the pressure to push for the results we know we can get. It’s always a real challenge battling the heat both inside the cars and in the service area, but we’re fully prepared and hope to make a strong comeback after a difficult couple of events.”

Ott Tänak said:
“It’s been nice to have a few weeks off training and to get my mind fresh and ready for the last four events. Greece will be tough for us and the car as well, but I’m looking forward to push there. We will put all in to finish the year with great emotions!”

Pierre-Louis Loubet said:
“Going back to Greece after what happened last year is a fantastic feeling; after leading the rally and getting my first stage wins there in 2022. It was a great souvenir and a really strong event for us. So I hope we can do the same again and this time make the podium! So let’s see, the feeling was very good in the car during the test which is a very positive thing.”

Jourdan Serderidis said:
“Obviously I can’t wait to be in the Puma’s seat for my home WRC event with so many Greek fans! I will try to be at the level the event demands, I believe we have prepared this event even better than the other ones. So, I am reasonably confident to get a nice result and fight for the Greek cup, even though there are some very good Greek drivers in Rally2!”

Adrien Fourmaux said:
“I last did Greece in 2021 with the Fiesta WRC and I can’t wait for next week. I really like this rally; it’s tough when it’s dry but sometimes you can get some rain in the mountains which makes it very interesting! There are a lot of spectators, it’s a really famous rally because it’s so tough, but I had a really nice feeling two years ago. With the long stages and the heat inside the car, it’s a big challenge for everybody. But I want to enjoy this one and hope to get a good result in a very competitive field of Rally2s.”

Grégoire Munster said:
“I’m excited to go back to Greece, we competed there last year too. We’ve done a few events on gravel in the Fiesta now, and the confidence is always getting better. I’m really looking forward to the rally, but not so much the temperatures! It can get really hot inside the cars, but that’s just how it is!”

Robert Virves said:
“I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel again after the accident in Finland.

My season so far has been a bit disappointing, in terms of my performance and results. Greece might be the last rally for me this year, so I must get myself together and deliver a proper result.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes on titanic Greek test

Posted: September 4, 2023 2:23 PM

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team is ready to defend its lead in the FIA World Rally Championship on one of the most famous and toughest events on the calendar, the Acropolis Rally in Greece (September 7-10).

This year celebrating 70 years as an international event, the Acropolis is known for rocky mountain roads and arduous conditions that provide a harsh test for cars, tyres and crews. An almost permanent fixture on the WRC schedule until 2013, it returned in 2021 when TGR-WRT and Kalle Rovanperä claimed victory at the first attempt. Having experienced in last year’s edition just how tough the Acropolis can be, the team is determined to return to the podium this time around.

With four rounds remaining in the 2023 season, TGR-WRT leads the manufacturers’ championship by 67 points while defending drivers’ champion Rovanperä has an advantage of 25 points over team-mate Elfyn Evans, the winner of the last rally in Finland.

Sébastien Ogier, a winner in Greece in 2011, returns to the line-up for the first time since his victory on June’s Safari Rally Kenya: one of three wins from his five appearances so far this season. Takamoto Katsuta, fresh from a podium in Finland, drives a fourth GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID for just his second Acropolis start.

As usual, the rally will begin in the Greek capital Athens on Thursday evening with a ceremonial start below the ancient Acropolis monuments, followed by an all-new super special stage on the city’s waterfront. From there, the route takes crews westwards to Loutraki which serves as a hub for the first gravel action on Friday: two passes of the Loutraki stage itself sandwich the nearby Pissia test and a tyre-fitting zone. Two further stages – Livadia and Elatia – are tackled during the afternoon journey north to the service park in Lamia, around which the rest of the rally is based.

Saturday is the longest day with a 70.76-kilometre loop of three stages south of Lamia to be run twice either side of mid-day service. This includes Karoutes, the longest stage of the weekend at 28.49 km: using part of last year’s Bauxites but extended and driven in the opposite, downhill, direction. Sunday’s action takes place north-west of Lamia, starting with a single run over the classic Tarzan test. A final service separates two passes of Grammeni, which last featured in the WRC in 2005 and hosts the rally-ending Power Stage.

Quotes:

Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“We have had a good run of results on recent rallies and we hope to continue that in Greece, but we know just how challenging an event the Acropolis can be. Last year it was a very difficult rally for our team, but that is motivating us to do better this time, and we have been developing the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID a lot for rough and dry gravel conditions. Of course, if it stays dry then Kalle and Elfyn will likely face the toughest conditions at the start of the rally, but we hope we can still fight for strong results with them. And it will be great to also have Seb with us once more and aiming to achieve another victory together.”

Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver car 69)
“It’s been good to have a small break after Rally Finland and a chance to rest and recover before Greece. The Acropolis is a classic event and we have had some real highs and lows there in the past two years: to win on our first time there in 2021 was really nice, and then last year it was a tough weekend for us. I’m sure that it won’t be easy this time either as we will be opening the road again on Friday. But together with the team we have been working to improve for these conditions and we will definitely try our best to score some good points.”

Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin
Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It was very nice to win in Finland but we know that Greece is a very different rally. After the smooth and fast roads of Estonia and Finland, the Acropolis is one of the roughest gravel events we face during the year. It therefore requires something rather different in terms of car setup, something closer to the other rough rallies we’ve done earlier this year. We haven’t had a lot of luck in Greece the past two years, and if it’s dry then it could be a challenge on Friday running second on the road, but we’ll look to do the best job we can like always.”

Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais
Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 17)
“I’ve had some nice time off over the summer but I’m excited to get back in the GR YARIS and to compete in Greece. I really like the country and also the rally too. For most of my career, it was unfortunately not on the calendar, but now it’s back and I have motivation to do well there. I managed to win it once, and like always the plan will be to try and fight for another victory. Usually on this kind of rally with dry gravel, my road position should help me. But two years ago we actually had quite a wet and muddy rally, so let’s see. On this kind of event you need to be fast but also get through without trouble; the roads are very rocky, and it’s hard for the tyres and the cars.”

Hyundai Motorsport Preview: Round 10 – Acropolis Rally

Posted: September 4, 2023 2:20 PM

Hyundai Motorsport will be going for gold at Acropolis Rally following consecutive top-three finishes in Estonia and Finland. The gruelling gravel event is the tenth round of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and takes place next week (September 7-10), with the Service Park based in Lamia, Greece.

One of the most unique and exhilarating events on the calendar, Acropolis Rally featured in the WRC’s inaugural season and quickly established itself as one of the most challenging rallies for both crew and car. The rough and rocky mountain roads, paired with this year’s scorching hot temperatures, are sure to produce an even tougher competition than usual; tailored suspension and ride heights will be essential in preventing cars from sustaining rally-ending damage.

Last season, Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team expertly navigated the abrasive gravel stages to claim a historic 1-2-3 finish, with Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe on the top step and Dani Sordo/Cándido Carrera rounding out the rostrum in third. It was a dominant display by the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid, carrying its crews to nine stage victories and 22 top-three stage finishes. Both the Belgian and Spanish pairings will be hoping the success of 2022 will inspire another strong result this time around.

The team’s third crew in the line-up, Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm, have contested the Greek event previously in both WRC and ERC, with a best result of fourth place in the latter series. The duo has also displayed strong pace at this season’s pervious gravel rallies and will be hoping to emulate that performance and bounce back after a disappointing Rally Finland.

Special starts
Acropolis Rally is renowned for its unique and impressive super special stages which kick-off the event in style. The 2023 edition will commence in front of a new scenic backdrop, as the crews take on a 1.48km seaside stage on Thursday evening. 14 lengthy stages will follow, with the entire itinerary covering a total distance of 307.89km, with three clear splits in surface conditions.

Thoughts from the co-driver’s seat
Greece is home to some of the most demanding stages on the calendar for co-drivers. However, the often-overlooked road sections also pose a challenge in the heat of the Mediterranean sun, as Ferm explains:
“There are many long road sections at Acropolis Rally, so you need to stay focused throughout the whole day, even between stages. This is made harder when you have high temperatures, as it can be quite exhausting in the car. But I have actually always liked the hot rallies, so for me and Esapekka the heat is not something we are too worried about.”

Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul said:
“Following a podium in Finland and a dominant performance here last year, we are feeling confident for Acropolis Rally. An exciting battle for Teemu on Rally Finland’s Sunday showed how competitive the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid has become, and Thierry’s success in second shows that we are getting closer to our goal. Nevertheless, we continue to push the limits to keep developing the car and close the gap to Toyota. Our dream for this weekend is ultimately to have a repeat of last year's results; at a minimum we are targeting all cars finishing in the top five.”

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (#11 Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid)
Belgians target a third consecutive podium finish
Neuville only nine points behind second in the drivers’ standings

Neuville said: “I would rate Acropolis Rally as one of the harder events on the WRC calendar. It’s a bit of an endurance race across three days, three different areas, three different types of stages, which all feature rough conditions and hot temperatures. You need reliability, a strong car and the right setup for every challenge; if you can be comfortable in the car in every circumstance, it’s easier to go fast. Last year, we were much stronger than our competitors, so we were able to secure a 1-2-3. It was a great achievement for the whole team, for the brand, and for us drivers as well; being a part of the 1-2-3 for Hyundai Motorsport – our first – was an amazing feeling. Hopefully it is something we can repeat.”

Crew Notes: Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (#4 Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid)
Finns searching for redemption after retirement from home event
2023 will mark the crew’s second Acropolis Rally start in WRC

Lappi said: “After Safari Rally Kenya, Acropolis Rally is the toughest event of the season. It hasn’t been too gruelling in previous years as they have made a lot of repairs to the roads. However, it is either really tough or very hot, and sometimes it’s even both, and that is what makes this rally special. It’s very demanding for the tyres and brakes, and the drivers as well, as we have to keep hydrated. You need to stay out of trouble and try to keep the car on the clean lines to get maximum grip all the time. The goal is to make it onto the podium. That’s where I want to be on Sunday, so this needs to be what we push for.”

Crew Notes: Dani Sordo/Cándido Carrera (#6 Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid)
Duo back in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid for the sixth time this season
Spaniards looking to repeat last year’s podium finish

Sordo said: “Acropolis Rally is really rough, which is becoming more typical for these types of gravel rallies. In general, there is a lot of grip because the surface is quite hard on the tyres. Usually we run the car a little higher in Greece than at other events because of the surface and the stones. It’s not a big change, but it just gives a little more protection to the car. We are expecting hot weather which will also add to the challenge. However, we don’t have any particular preparations for this, we just need to drink a little bit more water and battle through it. It would be amazing this year to repeat our 1-2-3 finish from last season, but our goal is to just get the best out of the car, keep it clean and score as many points as we can.”

Weekend at a Glance
After shakedown on Thursday morning, Acropolis Rally starts that evening with the brand-new 1.48km EKO Super Special Stage
Friday will open with the scenic SS2 Loutraki 1 (18.10km), a stage set amongst Greek mountains and dirt tracks followed by SS3 Pissia (16.43km), a second loop of Loutraki, SS5 Livadia (21.03km) and SS6 Elatia (28.32km) to close the day
Saturday’s running will consist of six stages, including two passes of the weekend’s longest challenge: Karoutes (28.49km)
Three final tests on Sunday, including the 19.77km SS15 Grammeni 2 Power Stage, will bring the event to a close.

Entry List

Posted: September 4, 2023 2:19 PM

Greece (WRC) J - 7-10 Sep 23 - ENTRY LIST

Rally Guide / Details / Event Website

Posted: August 2, 2023 6:49 AM

Acropolis Rally (Greece)