Thierry Neuville has moved closer to his first FIA World Rally Championship title with a stunning victory at the 2024 EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. The Belgian driver weathered a harrowing three-day event in Lamia to secure a Hyundai Motorsport 1-2-3 finish, overshadowing his main title rival Sébastien Ogier, who faced a dramatic roll in the final stage.
A Grueling Event
The Acropolis Rally, known for its brutal conditions, lived up to its reputation. Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe emerged victorious in their Hyundai i20 N despite early setbacks. A misfiring engine on the opening morning threatened their rally but they expertly managed their strategy, balancing risk and reward to avoid further mishaps.
Hyundai’s dominance was evident as Neuville led a podium sweep, with Dani Sordo and Ott Tänak finishing in second and third respectively. Neuville’s win stretched his lead in the drivers’ standings to 34 points over Tänak, while Ogier, who had been leading early on, suffered a significant setback.
Ogier’s Dramatic Roll
Sébastien Ogier, who had initially set a strong pace, encountered a turbocharger failure on Friday that compromised his rally. The Frenchman’s misfortunes continued as he rolled his Toyota GR Yaris on the Wolf Power Stage. Although Ogier managed to push his car back onto its wheels and finish the rally, he dropped more than 20 minutes and fell down the standings, ultimately finishing out of the top three.
“The rally was incredibly tough, and I didn’t have the information about Ogier’s crash until I saw the car,” Neuville commented. “We knew we had to focus on getting through the rally and achieving our objectives. I am incredibly proud of my team and Martijn for getting the car to the end.”
Tänak and WRC2 Success
With Ogier struggling, Ott Tänak capitalized on the opportunity, earning 11 points from Super Sunday and securing his 50th WRC podium. Tänak now holds a narrow four-point advantage over Ogier in the drivers’ championship.
In the WRC2 category, Sami Pajari excelled, securing victory and fourth place overall in his Rally2-spec Toyota. Pajari’s quick times, including a standout SS1 performance, allowed him to edge out Robert Virves on countback.
The Acropolis Rally was so punishing that it saw WRC2 drivers fill the top 10 positions, with Yohan Rossel, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, Fau Zaldivar, Josh McErlean, and Roberto Daprà rounding out the top spots.
Rally Classification:
1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 3h 38m 4.2s
2. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +1m 46.8s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +2m 57.3s
4. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +7m 1.1s
5. R Virves / A Lesk EST Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +7m 1.1s
Championship Standings
With the Acropolis Rally complete, the WRC championship standings are as follows:
- Thierry Neuville – 192 points
- Ott Tänak – 158 points
- Sébastien Ogier – 154 points
The WRC now shifts its focus to South America for Round 11, the Rally Chile Bio Bío, taking place in Concepción from September 26-29.
Source: WRC
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