Demanding gravel roads, rock-lined passes, high ambient temperatures and hanging dust combine to make the Acropolis Rally a formidable task to conquer.

As the penultimate gravel event of the WRC season, the Acropolis Rally takes place during a decisive phase in the championship chase. Thirty-six points separate the top three in the provisional standings with 120 up for grabs across the remaining four rounds, making for an exciting climax to the current campaign.

First run in 1953 and a founding round of the WRC in 1973, the 2023 edition of the Acropolis Rally forms the event’s 67th running. It relies on the support of 500 volunteer safety marshals working along the route with a further 400 personnel giving their time free of charge to ensure the event happens.

Seventy-two crews have entered the Acropolis Rally with all FIA rally car categories represented. They include ten Rally1 Hybrid cars, plus 37 Rally2 cars, 14 Rally3 cars, nine Rally4 cars and two entry-level Rally5 cars.

Two new-format media and promotional activities trialled on Rally Estonia and Rally Finland will be repeated in Greece with FIA WRC Media Pen and FIA WRC Meet the Crews live interview sessions taking place prior to the opening EKO Super Special Stage in Athens on Thursday September 7.

Aimed at increasing spectator accessibility as well as refreshing the existing offering to accredited media, the tweaks are part of ongoing efforts by the FIA and WRC Promoter – the company behind the promotion of the WRC – to further enhance the show and media service offering.

With doubling motor sport participation across the globe one of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s key targets, it’s essential that the WRC becomes even stronger by being more accessible and more appealing.

All Rally1 cars competing on the Acropolis Rally will use the Scorpion KX hard and soft compound tyres from official supplier Pirelli. The hard compound is the first choice for use in warm and dry conditions, while the soft compound option is for cool and damp weather. Rally1 teams can use a maximum of 28 tyres for the event including four for Shakedown.


THE ROUTE IN SHORT

Following the traditional ceremonial start in front of the historic Acropolis, the spotlight remains on Athens with the Greek capital hosting the opening Super Special Stage on Thursday September 7, using a compact asphalt-only route. 

The action resumes on Friday with crews departing Loutraki for a five-stage leg split by a Tyre Fitting Zone in the coastal town. The 18.10-kilometre Loutraki stage runs in the opposite direction compared to 2022, while the first 7.48 kilometres of Pissia were last used more than a decade ago. Following the rerun of the Loutraki stage the competitive route heads north to event base Lamia and takes in single passes of the Livadia and Elatia stages. 

Saturday’s route consists of three stages each run twice with a midday service halt in Lamia providing welcome respite. The opening Pavliani and Karoutes stages are followed by a regroup in Itea ahead of the Eleftherohori test, which formed the rally-deciding Power Stage in 2022. At 28.49 kilometres, including an untried opening 11.95-kilometre section, Karoutes is the longest stage of the event. Tarzan, a legendary Acropolis Rally sage, launches 

Sunday’s itinerary having run on Saturday in 2022. Two tuns through the 19.67 kilometres of Grammeni will decide the winner of the 67th Acropolis Rally with the second run forming the Power Stage when bonus points are awarded to the fastest five drivers overall and the quickest three in WRC2.

EKO ACROPOLIS RALLY GREECE DATA

RALLY1 HYBRID CONTENDERS

Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team: France’s eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier makes his sixth appearance of the season alongside provisional championship leader Kalle Rovanperä from Finland and second-placed Briton Elfyn Evans. Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta switches to the fourth Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 and won’t be eligible to score Manufacturers’ championship points.

Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team: Dani Sordo returns to WRC duty in the third Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid after Teemu Suninen drove the car in Estonia and Finland. Finland’s Esapekka Lappi and Belgian Thierry Neuville, the Acropolis Rally winner in 2022, complete the line-up.

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team: Estonia’s Ott Tänak and Frenchman Pierre-Louis Loubet are joined in the British squad by Greek Jourdan Serderidis, who competes in a third Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid.

 

SUPPORTING CATEGORIES

Thirty crews are set to chase FIA WRC2 points in Greece with provisional championship leader and former champion Andreas Mikkelsen heading the entry in a Toksport WRT-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.

Yohan Rossel, second in the current standings for PH Sport, will also be in action in his Citroën C3 Rally2 along with Mikkelsen’s Toksport team-mate Sami Pajari, the category winner on Rally Finland last month.

Other drivers taking part on the Acropolis Rally include Oliver Solberg, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Adrien Fourmaux (Ford Fiesta Rally2), top Cypriot driver Alexandros Tsouloftas and leading Greek contender Lambros Athanasoulas.

All eyes on the Junior WRC fight

As well as and FIA WRC3 counting round, the Acropolis Rally marks the deciding round of the FIA Junior WRC Championship. William Creighton heads the standings but with double points on offer the destination of the coveted title – and a 2024 WRC2 prize drive – is wide open.

The 25-year-old Irishman is one of six entered contenders still in mathematical contention of claiming the 2023 laurels.

The driver who is crowned FIA Junior WRC champion in Greece will 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.


MEDIA INFORMATION

Media accreditation

Media accreditation must be collected personally by accredited Pass Holders at one of the following Accreditation Desks: 

1) Motorsport Greece's office in Athens, OMAE Spyrou Loui Avenue 1 Athens Olympic Complex (Velodrome) 15123 Maroussi

OPENING HOURS - ATHENS:
Monday 4 September: 14:00 - 19:00
Tuesday 5 September: 14:00 - 19:00
Wednesday 6 September: 08:00 - 21:00
Thursday 7 September: 08:00 - 20:00

2) EKO Service Park, Lamia National Trade Fair (GPS: GPS: N38°53.422 E22°26.929)

OPENING HOURS - LAMIA: 
Tuesday 5 September: 14:00 - 19:00
Wednesday 6 September: 08:00 - 21:00
Thursday 7 September: 08:00 – 21:00 
Friday 8 September: 08:00 - 20:00

Media Centre

The Media Centre is located in the Service Park, Lamia National Trade Fair, Lamia and open as follows:

Monday September 4: 14h:00-19:00
Tuesday September 5: 08:00-21:00
Wednesday September 6: 08:00-21:00
Thursday September 7: 07:15-until last media leaves
Friday September 8: 07:45-until last media leaves
Saturday September 9: 06:20-until last media leaves
Sunday September 10: 06:30-until last media leaves

EKO Acropolis Rally Greece Media Activities and Opportunities 
 

FIA WRC Media Pen - Thursday 7 September

P1 drivers and P2 drivers, as well as P1 manufacturer team representatives, will be available for media interviews in the FIA WRC Media Pen organised on Thursday, 7 September 2023 from 10:00  to 11:30 in the Lamia Service Park. All other priority drivers or codrivers can be available upon request by the media representatives to the FIA Media Delegate or National Press Officer. 

FIA WRC Meet the Crews - Thursday 7 September (streamed live on WRC social channels)

An FIA WRC Meet the Crews live interview session will be organised on Thursday, 7 September 2023 at 18:30 at the SS1 MTC area in attendance of:

18:30 – P1 Manufacturer Team Representatives
- Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – Kaj Lindström (FIN)
- Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT – Cyril Abiteboul (FRA)
- M-Sport Ford WRT – Richard Millener (GBR)

18:45 – FIA WRC Drivers and Co-drivers
- Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – Sébastien Ogier (FRA) and Jonne Halttunen (FIN), GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid
- Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT – Thierry Neuville (BEL) and Dani Sordo (ESP), i20 N Rally1 Hybrid
- M-Sport Ford WRT – Ott Tänak (EST) and Jourdan Serderidis (GRC), Puma Rally1 Hybrid

Media zones

Media Zones attended by all drivers and selected team representatives will operate as follows: TC 0 (holding area at start ramp in Athens), 3A, 6A, 9A, 12A, 14A and 15A (pre-podium holding area).

FIA post-event press conference - Sunday 10 September (streamed live on Youtube and wrc.com)

The FIA post-rally press conference on Sunday 10 September will take place at 15:25 on the finish ramp before the final podium ceremony and will feature the following crew and team representatives:
- Slot 1: Top 3 drivers in overall classification, plus winning co-driver and representative of winning manufacturer
 - Slot 2: WRC2, WRC2 Challenger, WRC3, WRC Masters Cup and Junior WRC winning drivers as well as 2023 Junior WRC Champion driver and co-driver


2023 EKO ACROPOLIS RALLY GREECE MANUFACTURER ENTRIES
 

2023 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATIONS 

The provisional classifications following round 9 of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship are available here: https://www.fia.com/events/world-rally-championship/season-2023/standings

2022 ACROPOLIS RALLY GREECE RESULTS
 

ACROPOLIS RALLY RECENT WINNERS