The 69th edition of the EKO Acropolis Rally, the seventh round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), kicked off under tough conditions. With temperatures hitting 40°C and plenty of dust in the air, the event began with close competition and even a few unexpected delays.
Shakedown
During the morning shakedown, things were already heating up. Takamoto Katsuta and Thierry Neuville both posted the exact same fastest time of 2:37.9, tying for first place. Not far behind was Ott Tänak with 2:38.5, followed by Kalle Rovanperä at 2:38.8. Sébastien Ogier came in fifth with a time of 2:39.4.
Rally starts in Athens
Both the ceremonial start and Stage 1, held in Athens over 200 kilometers away from La, faced major delays due to heavy traffic. Stage 1, originally set to begin at 18:05, didn’t start until 19:28.
Despite the late start, Stage 1 ended with another tie. Rivals yet friends Tänak and Ogier both finished the stage with the same time of 1:18.1. Right behind them was Katsuta, just 0.9 seconds slower with a time of 1:19.0.
Mārtiņš Sesks, taking part in Rally Acropolis for the first time after his recent victory in Rally Poland, put in a strong showing and finished Day 1 in 8th place with a time of 1:20.3.
Weekend ahead
The Acropolis Rally is famous for its tough, rocky roads and demanding terrain. The real test begins on Friday, which will include six different stages. Unlike many other rallies where stages are repeated in the morning and afternoon, Friday’s stages will only be run once, except for Aghii Theodori. The route moves from Loutraki toward Lamia, where the Rally Service area is located.
Saturday features six more stages: Pavliani, Karoutes, and Inohori, each run twice. Then on Sunday, drivers face four more stages. The new Smokovo stage and the legendary Tarzan stage will both be run twice. Tarzan will also feature the Power Stage, where bonus points are up for grabs.