Often referred to as the ‘European Safari’ given the incredibly tough conditions, this weekend’s World Rally Championship Acropolis Rally is likely to be even tougher than its African counterpart.
WRC drivers are set to face possibly the roughest Acropolis Rally in recent memory thanks to series of contributing factors that has resulted in much rougher stage conditions.
The Greek round of the WRC is renowned for being one of its toughest but some of this weekend’s field believe the rally will be more challenging than Kenya’s Safari Rally, regarded as the WRC’s toughest event.
Long periods of dry hot weather have made it difficult for organisers to repair and prepare the gravel roads before hosting round 10 of the 2024 season. As a result, the stages are much rougher with more loose rocks and bedrock for competitors to navigate through in searing heat.
The road conditions have significantly increased the risk of punctures and damage to cars. It’s a stark contrast to last year’s event that was plagued by Storm Daniel that forced organisers to cancel shakedown due to flooding.
“We haven’t seen a Rally Acropolis this rough for many years. I think in 2009, this rally was extremely rough and there was many retirements, so it will be something like this,” said Toyota team principal Jari- Matti Latvala.
“The past years has been quite smooth, but now it hasn’t rained so the organisers haven’t been able to really repair the roads because you need the rain to, push the material into the ground and they were not able to do that.
Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“So now it’s a matter of tactics. You try to be smart with your driving. It’s not about having an attack all the time. The strategy of the drivers is going to be in a key element.”
Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier believes the stages are even rougher than those on Safari Rally Kenya, admitting that he struggled to pick a safe line through the rocks on the pre-event recce.
“I think it is [rougher than Kenya] because there are some sections where it’s just full of rocks everywhere so there is not much you can do,” Ogier told Motorsport.com.
“It’s very hard to pick a strategy to avoid them, there is no chance to avoid them.
“When in Kenya I felt that you can manage your risk by the line you take and everything, here there are sections full of rocks and you feel powerless in…
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