Acropolis Rally - 2011

[Kriss]

Official website: http://www.acropolisrally.gr/EN/2011/

Entry list: http://planetemarcus.free.fr/entrylistgreece11.pdf

Itinerary: http://www.acropolisrally.gr/EN/2011/ev ... rary-2011/

Programme: http://www.acropolisrally.gr/EN/2011/ev ... amme-2011/

[sleenster]

Thanks Kriss

But I think Rally Argentina comes first before Acropolis

[Kriss]

Thanks Kriss

But I think Rally Argentina comes first before Acropolis

Really
It looks like I'm only focusing on the Kimi related rallies

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Haha me too! Can´t wait for the Greece rally But after that rally there is another looooong break

[sleenster]

Kris and Dani won't be in Greece

[Plapoutas]

Kris and Dani won't be in Greece

There will be however two MINI John Cooper Works WRCs (Armindo Araujo and Daniel Oliveira).

Unfortunately Ken Block's Fiesta won't pay us a visit...

[Acropolis]

Kris and Dani won't be in Greece

There will be however two MINI John Cooper Works WRCs (Armindo Araujo and Daniel Oliveira).

Unfortunately Ken Block's Fiesta won't pay us a visit...

Yes,its a pity!

But our Kimi will be here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kriss]

Kris and Dani won't be in Greece

There will be however two MINI John Cooper Works WRCs (Armindo Araujo and Daniel Oliveira).

Unfortunately Ken Block's Fiesta won't pay us a visit...

Plapoutas
No Ken?

[sleenster]

Acropolis gets strong entry for WRC return

06 Jun 11

Eighteen World Rally Cars will be in action on Acropolis Rally of Greece next week as part of a 42-car entry assembled for the all-gravel event.

World championship leader Sebastien Loeb heads the entry in his Citroen Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC alongside co-driver Daniel Elena. The seven-time world champion, winner of the previous two rounds in Italy and Argentina, is one of six drivers using the DS3 WRC in Greece, the highest number of DS3 WRCs to start a world championship rally this season.

Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia appear in a second factory DS3 with Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson lining up in their Petter Solberg World Rally Team entry. Kimi Raikkonen is back on WRC duty after missing the previous two rounds and will be co-driven by Kaj Lindstrom in an Ice 1 Racing Citroen. Peter van Merksteijn Sr and and Peter van Merksteijn Jr will also use the French machine.

Mikko Hirvonen, the winner in Greece when the country last staged a world championship rally in 2009, heads the Ford challenge alongside navigator Jarmo Lehtinen. Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila will compete in a second Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team-entered Fiesta RS WRC.

Mads Ostberg and Matthew Wilson will drive the lead M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team Fiestas. Evgeny Novikov and Henning Solberg will also compete under the M-Sport Stobart banner in their Fiestas.

Federico Villagra is entered in his familiar Munchi’s Ford World Rally Fiesta, while the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team will field a second Fiesta RS WRC for Rene Kuipers alongside his son Dennis. Rene Kuipers has campaigned a Super 2000-specification on selected events this year but Greece will mark his first appearance in the higher specification WRC version.

Armindo Araujo and Daniel Oliveira will drive the two MINI John Cooper Works WRCs for Motorsport Italia and the Brazil World Rally Team respectively. Local hero Lambros Athanassoulas will drive a Fiesta RS WRC under the Team Greece banner.

Ten drivers will battle for Super 2000 World Rally Championship honours, while several non-priority drivers will also be competing.

Acropolis Rally of Greece forms round seven of the World Rally Championship and is based in the seaside town of Loutraki from 16-19 June.

http://wrc.com/news/acropolis-gets-stro ... ?fid=14822

[sleenster]

I like Henning, he's just a big ol' teddybear

Hope for Henning as Greece drive is confirmed

07 Jun 11

Henning Solberg will return to the World Rally Championship in Greece next week - and M-Sport Stobart boss Malcolm Wilson has backed the Norwegian to challenge for podium finishes once again.

Solberg skipped last month’s Rally Argentina to finalise a long-term sponsorship package but will be back on WRC duty on Acropolis Rally of Greece at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC he shares with Austrian navigator Ilka Minor.

“We’ve put an entry in for him and he’ll be back for Greece,” said Wilson. “He’s been working with new sponsors and really needed the time to get everything pulled together so he can get a longer-term plan in place. It was no problem [that he missed Argentina], I’d rather he got everything sorted out properly.”

The 38-year-old Solberg has struggled for form this season and was replaced as M-Stobart’s second nominated manufacturers’ championship scorer by Matthew Wilson for Rally d’Italia Sardegna. But Wilson Sr believes he can rediscover his old magic and challenge at the sharp end of the field in the WRC.

“He’s still the same driver but he’s really had to dig deep to get the funding just to do the rallies,” said Wilson. “Whatever anybody thinks you have to admire the way he’s been able to stay in a World Rally Car for so many years. Hopefully, if he can get something proper in place and a bit more structure to it, he will have less worry so he can really just concentrate on driving. He does do an incredible amount for his sponsors and if he knows there’s a long-term structure it will benefit him. I know myself when you’re paying for [a drive] there’s a lot of pressure. I don’t see why he can’t be on the podium again.”

Solberg started his 100th WRC event in Jordan earlier this season. He has been a podium finisher on five occasions although his last top-three score was in Poland back in June 2009.

http://www.wrc.com/news/hope-for-hennin ... ?fid=14825

[sleenster]

Wrc.com preview: Acropolis Rally

WRC round 7 of 13. Thursday 16 June - Sunday 19 June.

The rally
Billed as the Rally of Gods, the Acropolis Rally is one of the world championship’s most iconic, yet demanding events thanks to the high ambient temperatures and punishing gravel roads.

Having missed out on a slot on the 2010 calendar under the event rotation system, the rally returns with a tweaked route including a night stage, a fresh identity thanks to the work of a new promoter, plus plans for a spectacular start at the site of the historic Acropolis in the Greek capital Athens, which is part of a new agreement with the country’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Running for a 57th time this year, the event will be based in the seaside town of Loutraki, 90 kilometres west of Athens. Loutraki hosted the rally the last time it appeared on the WRC schedule in 2009 and its coastal setting proved a hit with competitors and fans alike.

The stages in Greece are characterised by their hard bedrock surface rather than the loose, sandy and rock-strewn stages crews encountered on the last round in Argentina. Coupled with the traditionally high ground temperatures, tyre wear is at a premium, which requires drivers to balance speed with a degree of caution, particularly on Friday’s opening day.

Following Thursday evening’s ceremonial start in Athens, Friday’s action will take place north of Loutraki with three of the six special stages run close to Mount Kallidromon on roads that have not used by the rally in places since 2005. Following the 23.60-kilometre Thiva test more than 100 kilometres from the main service park in Loutraki, crews head another 80 kilometres further north for the 39.10-kilometre Elatia test, the longest of the rally.

With four more stages to run before the overnight halt in Loutraki, including a repeat of Thiva, teams would normally expect a full service to carry out a complete overhaul of their cars. Instead, competitors will be restricted to a 15-minute remote service in the town of Kamena Vourla, where only a tyre change and basic repairs using components carried in competing cars is permitted under the regulations. The limited service will place a huge onus on self-preservation, as drivers will be required to avoid major problems and delays.

Saturday’s itinerary features three repeated stages run to the west of Loutraki, where a total of three service halts will take place. The final service stop follows the Nea Politia stage, a 17.71-kilometre test based to the east of Loutraki and run at night, which marks a return to Acropolis Rally formats of old and is set to create a major spectacle not to mention a potential sting in the tail for the competitors.

The final day’s competition is based north of Loutraki and includes two runs of the 19.42-kilometre Aghii Theodori stage, the first four kilometres of which will form the Power Stage on Sunday afternoon.

The Acropolis Rally also counts as round four of the Super 2000 World Rally Championship. All 10 registered crews will be in action and a preview on this hotly contested category will appear next week.

Who’s going to win?
Sebastien Loeb, the seven-time world champion, arrives in Greece on the back of stunning victories on the last two events in Italy and Argentina, which have enabled the Citroen Total World Rally Team star to sneak clear in the title race. But the 37-year-old will recall his last appearance in Greece ended in retirement following a spectacular crash on the second day of the event.

While the Acropolis Rally in 2009 was a troubled occasion of Loeb, for his team-mate, Sebastien Ogier, it served as a major turning point in his season. Up until then the former Junior world champion had failed to land a podium finish but his performance in Greece reignited his campaign and helped him secure a long-term contract with Citroen.

Mikko Hirvonen was victorious when the WRC last visited Greece and the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team ace will be desperate to repeat that success next week in his efforts to check Loeb’s charge. Hirvonen hasn’t won since the season-opening Rally Sweden and will take heart from a successful test in Greece last month, when he managed extensive running.

Jari-Matti Latvala will pilot the second factory Ford Fiesta RS WRC. The Finn shone on the previous round in Argentina but dropped out of contention with broken suspension. He’s yet to win this season but has the pace - not to mention a slightly favourable road position on day one in fourth place - to end his barren run.

Mads Ostberg’s run to fifth place in Argentina exceeded his expectations on a rally he was contesting for the first time. With prior knowledge of the roads in Greece, the M-Sport Stobart Ford driver will have high hopes of another top-five placing in his Fiesta. Team-mate Matthew Wilson also has previous experience of competing in Greece and has been a regular point-scorer in 2011.

Henning Solberg was absent in Argentina while he finalised his budget for the remainder of the season. Although broken suspension prevented a points’ finish on the Acropolis Rally in 2009, the Norwegian has an impressive record on rough gravel events and he will be looking for an upturn in form following a frustrating run of late.

Younger brother Petter Solberg was boosted by winning the Power Stage in Argentina, which went someway towards making up for the delay he suffered with broken powersteering on the second day of the South American rally. He will be looking to make the most of a short test in Greece on Monday in his privateer Citroen DS3 WRC.

Kimi Raikkonen is back on world championship duty after skipping the last two events to make his NASCAR debut in the United States. He reacclimatised to his DS3 WRC during a test in the south of France on Wednesday, which co-driver Kaj Lindstrom said was hugely beneficial to the ex-Formula One world champion.

Evgeny Novikov has shone on two outings in a privateer Fiesta this season and gets a new co-driver in Denis Giraudet for this event due to regular navigator Stephane Prevot’s prior commitment to the Asia Pacific championship-counting rally in New Caledonia. Russian Novikov was fourth starting the final day on the Acropolis Rally in 2009 only for a driveshaft glitch to hobble his Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC.

Rene Kuipers will join son Dennis in the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team in a second Fiesta RS WRC. The veteran Dutch driver will be using the car in competition for the first time. Peter van Merksteijn Sr and Peter van Merksteijn Jr will provide further Dutch interest in their Citroen Racing Technologies-prepared DS3 WRCs.

Munchi’s Ford Fiesta driver Federico Villagra was fourth on his last Acropolis Rally appearance in 2009, while local hero Lambros Athanassoulas will make his Fiesta RS WRC debut under the Team Greece banner. The Loutraki resident won the SWRC section of the Acropolis Rally two years ago and, despite lacking seat time and recent competitive experience, the Greek driver is determined to reach the finish.

Armindo Araujo and Daniel Oliveira will head the MINI John Cooper Works WRC challenge for their respective entrants, Motorsport Italia and Brazil World Rally Team. Portuguese Araujo finished ninth overall when the WRC last visited Greece. For Oliveira, the event represents unchartered territory.

On this rally last time (2009)
Mikko Hirvonen handed Ford its 70th victory in the World Rally Championship following an impressive display in his works Focus with team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala third. But while Sebastien Ogier brought some cheer for Citroen by finishing second, there was disaster for team leader Sebastien Loeb who suffered a heavy crash on day two. The punishing stages took their toll with Petter Solberg and Dani Sordo among the drivers to hit trouble.

Did you know?
The 1995 world champion Colin McRae will be inducted into the Acropolis Rally’s Hall of Fame after the legendary Scot topped an online poll.

Tyres
Michelin runners will use the hard-compound version of the company’s Latitude Cross gravel tyre.

Website links
You’ll find more information on the Acropolis Rally, including this year's itinerary and links to the official website, in the Acropolis Rally section of wrc.com.

We’ll bring you preview information from each of the leading teams over the coming days here on wrc.com.

http://wrc.com/news/features/wrccom-pre ... ?fid=14831

[sleenster]

Villagra's battle with Räikkönen heats up as WRC moves to Greece

Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team driver Federico Villagra is aiming to increase his lead over his closest rival in the WRC Drivers’ Standings, Kimi Räikkönen, at next week’s Acropolis Rally of Greece.

At the most recent FIA World Rally Championship round in his home country Argentina, Villagra moved ahead of the 2007 Formula One Champion in the standings whilst simultaneously posting his best result of the year so far in Ford’s Fiesta RS WRC.

The nine-time Argentine Rally Champion is currently two points ahead of Räikkönen, and Munchi’s Ford six ahead of the Finn’s Team Ice 1 Racing in the Manufacturer’s Standings. With Villagra due to skip upcoming events Rally Finland and Rallye Deutschland, a strong finish next week is vital to ensure the experienced South American retains his place within the top eight.

Regular co-driver Jorge Pérez Companc is unable to attend the event in Greece due to business commitments, so Villagra will be joined in the co-driver’s seat by José Diaz.

Villagra and Diaz have already enjoyed success in Greece in the past – in 2009 the duo posted the best ever result for Munchi’s Ford with a fourth place finish. It will also be the fourth time that Villagra has contested what is usually one of the hottest, gruelling and most physically challenging events in the WRC calendar, so his past experience should help the pair prepare for the tricky event.

This year’s Acropolis Rally of Greece will begin with a ceremonial start under the Rock of the Acropolis on Thursday evening in Athens. Friday’s stages will see the Munchi’s Ford crew travel north where they will tackle a set of stages close to Mount Kallidromon. There will also be a remote service at Kamena Vourla.

Saturday’s stages remain largely unaltered from 2009 but there will be a new 17.71 km night stage. Two stages, close to the rally base in Loutraki will be run twice on Sunday while the first 4 km Aghii Theodori stage will be host to the event’s Power Stage.

Greece will be Villagra’s last WRC event until Rally Australia in September. Over the summer break the Munchi’s Ford driver will be contesting events in his home championship, including Rally de Catamarca which runs from 24 – 26 June.

Federico Villagra said:
“Greece is one of the most challenging rallies in the WRC, but it’s been an event that has gone well for me in the past so hopefully we should get a good result next week. I found a good feeling in the car in Argentina – we made a lot of small changes over the first couple of days so I’d like to find the right set-up for this event no problem. The heat is always a difficult factor at this rally, it definitely makes concentration difficult and you need to remember to drink a lot of water as you sweat so much in the car. Many of the stages in Greece have loose gravel and bedrock so finding a good traction is another difficulty we will have to try and manage next week. In some places the speed of the stages changes a lot and it’s hard to find a nice flow and to concentrate, but I’d really like to find a comfortable pace from the beginning and I really hope to get another top-five finish there again.”

http://www.m-sport.co.uk/index.php/news ... -to-greece

[Arli Racegirl]

Ford looks to turn up the heat as WRC turns tough in Greece

Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team faces the toughest round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Greece next week intent on extending its excellent record in one of the series' classic fixtures. Intense heat and rocky mountain tracks make the Acropolis Rally (16 - 19 June) a gruelling test of man and machine, but Ford has won there seven times in the last 10 encounters.

The rally returns to the series after a year's absence and this seventh round marks the halfway point of the 2011 season. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen lie second in the drivers' standings, while the Finns and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila have propelled the Ford Abu Dhabi squad into second in the manufacturers' points with the Fiesta RS World Rally Car.

The challenges posed by the Acropolis are physical and mechanical. Air temperatures in the gravel speed tests near the rally base of Loutraki, 90km west of Athens, are likely to exceed 30ºC, with cockpit temperatures well above that. Driver fitness is crucial, especially in the longer tests, and regular fluid intake is vital to stave off dehydration to ensure the crew operates at peak performance.

Mechanically, success in Greece demands a blend of strength, reliability and speed. The heat that affects human performance also places high demands on engines and gearboxes, with little cooling from the flow of air in the relatively slow winding, climbing mountain special stages.

The gravel roads in the Acropolis have a fearsome reputation. While the tracks are less rough than they were, cars must still withstand severe punishment from rocks which litter the surface, as well as unyielding bedrock which forms the basis of the region's loose surface roads. The combination of heat and abrasive stages will also demand strong durability from Michelin's tyres.

Hirvonen knows what it takes to win the Acropolis, having stood on the top step of the podium when the rally was last held in 2009. Thirty-year-old Hirvonen has seven starts to his name and said: "Years ago all the stages were rough and abrasive. Today there are some smooth sections but there are many rocks - and it's still hot!" he said.

"If you're lucky you can survive for three days driving flat out from start to finish. But there are plenty of places where you must be careful and it pays to be smart. It's vital to think about how to drive here, as well as doing the actual driving. Ford has always built strong, reliable rally cars and after testing in Greece last month, I know the Fiesta RS WRC lives up to that.

"The heat is a big challenge. It's essential to drink a lot before the rally to be properly prepared. It also helps to be in good physical shape, although that's a requirement for every rally. I plan to do some exercise when I arrive in Greece to help acclimatise to the temperatures there," he added.

Latvala, fourth in the drivers' championship, claimed his best Acropolis result in six starts in 2009 when he finished third. The 26-year-old Finn also acknowledges how tough the rally is.

"Greece is the hardest round of the season," he admitted. "There were many retirements in 2009 due to the rough conditions. There are sections in which the roads are good and can be driven flat out. But there are also sections, especially in the second leg, where it will be essential to ease the pace to protect the car and tyres because of the rocks. The fastest car and driver might not win - it could be the one that is the strongest and cleverest.

"We tested in Greece last month and the Fiesta felt strong on the rocky tracks. We also tested in darkness to prepare thoroughly for the night stage during Saturday's second leg. That test could be decisive. If there is no breeze late in the evening then dust could be a problem for all except the first car in the running order. It could generate a big difference in times," he added.

Team News

* Michelin's Latitude Cross gravel tyre will be used by the Ford Abu Dhabi drivers and will be available in hard compound only. Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the tyres and each car can carry two spare wheels.

* Eight other Fiesta RS WRCs are entered. Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin and Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson are nominated by the M-Sport Stobart Ford team, which has also entered Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor and Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet. Dennis Kuipers / Frederic Miclotte and Rene Kuipers / Annemieke Hulzebos are entered by the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team while Munchi's Ford World Rally Team will be represented by Federico Villagra / José Diaz. Competing on their home event will be the Team Greece pairing of Lambros Athanassoulas / Nikolaos Zakheos.

* The Acropolis is the fourth round of the S-WRC support category. Five Ford Fiesta S2000 cars are entered, including Martin Prokop / Jan Tomanek and Ott Tanak / Kuldar Sikk, who are level on points at the head of the championship.

* Following the Acropolis Rally, the team will step up its preparations for the asphalt rallies during the second half of the season. A four-day test will be held on sealed-surface roads in France on 27 - 30 June, with Latvala and Hirvonen behind the wheel for two days each.

Rally Route

Organisers have retained much of the 2009 format, when the rally base moved from Athens to Loutraki, while also introducing several new aspects. Thursday's start ceremony returns to the rally's spiritual home, at the foot of the spectacular Acropolis in central Athens. Friday's opening leg heads north around the Gulf of Corinth to tackle classic stages on the flanks of Mt Kallidromo that have not been used since 2005. There will be a remote service area in Kamena Vourla. Saturday's route journeys west across the Corinth Canal for stages in the Peloponnese peninsula and the final test will take place in darkness. The final leg on Sunday is based east of Loutraki and includes the final Power Stage, which offers bonus points to the fastest three drivers. Competitors tackle 18 stages, covering 348.80km in a route of 1217.82km.

http://www.mikkohirvonen.com/

[sleenster]

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Thursday 16 June

Ott Tänak, FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship
Hermann Gassner, FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship
Jari-Matti Latvala, Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Sébastien Loeb, Citroën Total World Rally Team
Mads Østberg, M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team
Kimi Räikkönen, ICE 1 Racing

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pr ... w-grc.aspx

[Suomileijona]

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!