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| 2008 Acropolis Rally : WRC Round 7 of 15 : 30th May - 1st June In this issue: 1. Event Preview 3. Other News 4. Team by Team Preview 5. Event statistics 6. Event Schedule 7. Championship Points 1. Event Preview The Acropolis Rally's gravel speed tests west of Athens have a fearsome reputation. Cars must withstand severe punishment from loose rocks which litter the surface of the mountain tracks as well as hard bedrock which forms the base of the roads. Air temperatures often exceed 30şC, placing high demands on engines and gearboxes. Because the winding roads and hairpins make this a relatively slow rally (only Argentina was slower in 2007), there is little cooling from the through-flow of air. Drivers, too, can expect a tough time for the same reasons. There is no cooling inside the cars during special stages so cockpit temperatures are high and fitness plays a crucial role. A regular fluid intake is also vital to stave off dehydration and ensure drivers and co-drivers operate at peak performance. For the third consecutive year, the rally has a new base. It will be centred at the military airport of Tatoi, 20km north of the centre of Athens. The airfield hosted a stage of the rally in 1975 and this year will also be home to a gravel super special stage on Friday evening and the rally's finale on Sunday afternoon. Also new for 2008 is the start ceremony at the famous Acropolis, high above the city and for many years the traditional start location. The route itself is broadly similar to 2007. The opening leg heads north and west of Athens, and contains the only all-new test of the rally. The second day is the longest of the event and takes competitors west of the city, passing close to the Corinth Canal. The final day is again north-west of the city before the finish ceremony at Tatoi. Drivers tackle 20 tests covering 339.94km in a total route of 1311.32km. 3. Other News " Impreza WRC2008 debuts in Greece http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=7003 4. Team by Team Preview BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team http://ford.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=2 Rocky mountain tracks, punishing heat and physically demanding cockpit conditions are the hallmarks of the Acropolis Rally of Greece (29 May - 1 June), widely regarded as the toughest challenge in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar. It is a trial in which BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, leader of both the manufacturers' and drivers' standings, has excelled to claim six wins in the last eight years with the Focus RS World Rally Car. Success in Greece, round seven of the 15-event series and one of the championship's classic fixtures, demands a blend of strength, reliability and speed. Drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila will hope to reproduce the form which powered them to second and third in Italy earlier this month to keep Ford on top in both title races. The team heads the manufacturers' battle by seven points and Hirvonen tops the drivers' table by three points. #3 : Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen: Twenty-seven-year-old Hirvonen finished third in both 2006 and 2007 and five starts have given him plenty of experience of what lies ahead. "The Acropolis is usually the hottest rally in the championship but having been to Jordan last month where temperatures were close to 40şC, I don't think we will experience that kind of heat here," said Hirvonen. "Although Jordan was also abrasive, I think Greece will be more so. There are plenty of loose rocks, especially during the second pass of stages, and the road base is hard bedrock. That's why the rally has earned its reputation as a car-breaker. "The conditions are tough on cars and tyres but I'm not worried about either. The Focus RS has proved its strength many times. Pirelli's tyres have also been remarkably strong this year with few punctures. The heat and rough roads will combine to make tyre wear greater than on other gravel events so I'll need to remember that I must look after them," he added. #4 : Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila: Latvala, fourth in the drivers' standings, made his World Rally Car debut in a Focus RS in Greece in 2003 when he was just 18. "That was a very special moment," said the 23-year-old Finn. "It was only my second world rally and I was so tired from the heat because it was a new experience for me in the hot conditions. My car was totally reliable and I finished 10th, which at 18 years old was amazing. "This is my fifth start but I expect it to be just as tough. Last year's rally contained a 48km stage which gave us difficulties with tyres. This year that test has been split into two so it should be easier for tyres, cars and drivers. My podium in Italy has given me great confidence after Argentina and Jordan weren't so good for me, and I believe I can take that pace to Greece," added Latvala. #19 : Khalid Al Qassimi/Michael Orr: Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third team Focus RS on a rally that the 36-year-old driver finished in 2004 and 2006. "A lot has changed since then but it's still a very rough rally," he said. "Some places are similar to Jordan, others to Sardinia, but some are distinctive only to the Acropolis. Although there are several new stages, Michael has a lot of experience here. Together we had a long consultation with my engineers after Sardinia and I hope we see the results in Greece. "Without testing things are always difficult and I'm going to have to keep improving my technique and adapting my style as I go along. I'll start at a comfortable pace and see how the car is reacting. If things are going well, I'll increase my pace," he added. Citroen Total World Rally Team http://citroen.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=1 Following the team's superb win in Sardinia, Citroën Total has already turned its attention to the 2008 Acropolis Rally, round seven of this year's World Rally Championship. Four Citroën C4 WRCs will be in Greece to take on the country's demanding stages: two for Citroën Total crews Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Martí, plus those cars entered by Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk and Conrad Rautenbach/David Senior which are run by PH Sport with the support of technicians from Citroën Technologies. #1 : Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena: That is the wish of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, too, and the reigning World Champions have no intention of seeing their score of world class wins stagnate at 40. "It's true, I like round numbers, but I have nothing against adding to our current tally, especially since that would mean we are competitive and fighting for the title," confirms Seb. "In Sardinia, we succeeded in closing the gap with our rival, and the Acropolis Rally could be a good chance to reduce the deficit further still. It's not my favourite rally. These rough roads make the cars suffer, and that's not something I like. The fact that we now have to run without run-flat mousse in our tyres could also see the 2008 event turn out to be something of a lottery, although we saw in Sardinia that the Pirelli Scorpion Hard is capable of soaking up the knocks. Let's hope that will be the case again in Greece where we will be aiming for first place." #2 : Daniel Sordo/Marc Marti: The question of tyres is also present in the minds of Dani Sordo and Marc Martí. "A top result will necessitate keeping clear of punctures, or at least being quick about it if we do need to stop and change a wheel," predicts Dani. "Running fifth on the road on Day 1 will play in our favour and I will try to make the most of that to build up a sufficient gap over our rivals. I don't want to suffer the same fate as I did in Sardinia where all the 'road sweeping' we had to do was a handicap. I felt very comfortable with the C4 on the Greek stages last year and I hope that will again be the case this time round. This is a rally that calls for patience, endurance and taking it gently with the car. I'm hoping for a good finish; for us and for Citroën." Subaru World Rally Team http://subaru.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=5 The completely redesigned and eagerly anticipated Subaru Impreza WRC2008 will make its competitive debut on the classic Acropolis Rally, after an official introduction to the car on Wednesday evening before shakedown. Aboard their new machines, Solberg and Atkinson will relish the challenge of the season's toughest event at the dawn of a new era for the Subaru World Rally Team. The Subaru World Rally Team have entered two all-new Impreza WRC2008s for the Acropolis Rally. Petter Solberg / Phil Mills will drive car number five and Chris Atkinson / Stéphane Prévot will be aboard number six. Solberg and Mills finished third on this event last year, and 2008 will be Atkinson's fourth running. His highest finish was sixth last year, alongside Prévot. #5 : Petter Solberg/Phil Mills: "We finished third here last year and this time we have the new car, so I'll be really pushing for a strong result. It's a very difficult event; very rocky and hot, and the stages have always been very rough so it's hard on us and the cars. We've had a few days in the new car now, so I have a good feeling from it and really hope that we'll be in a good position to fight at the front. I'll be at 110 per cent, definitely." #6 : Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prevot: "It's the first time out in a new car so it's very exciting but you're always a little cautious! If the feeling's good I'll be pushing straight away. There's no reason not to, and obviously I'm looking forward to the opportunity to see where we are with the car. We know it's going to be a very tough event as there are so many variables, so it won't be easy but I hope we can take another step in the right direction and start to close up to the frontrunners." Stobart VK M-Sport Ford World Rally Team http://ford.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=2 Next week the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team take on the BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally of Greece. The seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship will see Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud return to the squad as a nominated points scoring crew. Joining the pair as the second nominated points scorers will be Italians Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini fresh from their fourth place finish in Sardinia last week. Brits Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin round off the terrific trio of Stobart crews as they embark on one of the most demanding and toughest rounds in the championship. The team's goal for the event is to again close the gap to Subaru in the Manufacturers' Championship as they lurk just eight points behind the third placed Japanese outfit. Galli has also closed the gap to just four points on fifth place in the Drivers' Championship and will be looking for another strong points haul for his championship campaign. #7 : Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud: "I like the rough conditions on this rally and generally enjoy the event; it is very challenging. We didn't have a good event in Sardinia and we plan to improve on that pace. The good thing about the next two rallies is that they are close together. Because we don't get testing it takes a while for me to settle into a good rhythm at the start of a rally but with events close together it means we can be faster right from the start. So my confidence is better for this rally and I am aiming for a top-five finish. That would be good and would give me some more important points for the championship." #8 : Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini: "I am looking forward to the Greece Rally as we found a good level of consistency in Sardinia and hopefully it will be possible to keep this going. Although I haven't competed in this event for a few years, we did the recce for the last two years and so have a good understanding of the stages and the rocky conditions. Even so it is still sure to be a tough event, the stages are rough and demanding and I expect the temperatures to be hotter than in Sardinia. It's definitely going to be a hard test for the car, crew and the Pirelli tyres, but I'm confident we are all up to the challenge." #16 : Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin: "Sardinia wasn't the greatest event for us so in Greece we will look to improve and get back to the pace we had on previous gravel rallies this year. The route it is not much different to last year which is going to be good for us. Greece is a hot rally where our training will be a big benefit especially on some of the longer stages. Hopefully the weather will stay warm and dry so we can get a good consistent feeling with the tyres. Sardinia was hard to get a good feeling with the changing conditions but fortunately we never incurred any punctures. I'm looking forward to rolling over the start ramp at the Acropolis - it is going to be quite some sight." Suzuki World Rally Team http://suzuki.rallye-info.com/teams.asp?sid=12 Suzuki's latest challenge in its WRC adventure is the legendary Acropolis Rally, one of the oldest and most prestigious events on the World Rally Championship. The all-gravel event has changed beyond recognition since it was first run as an asphalt rally in 1951, but the traditional start at the Acropolis the most famous monument in Athens remains. This year, the rally has a brand-new base in the Tatoi Military Area, just north of Athens city centre. The stages however are largely unchanged from last year, and as always they have a fearsome reputation. #11 : Toni Gardemeister/Tomi Tuominen: With the Acropolis Rally being one of the classic events of the World Rally Championship, both drivers have accumulated some experience of the Greek stages in the past. This will be Toni Gardemeister's seventh Acropolis Rally, with a best result of second overall in 2005. Despite contesting only a limited programme in 2006, he was a solid fourth on the Acropolis two years ago as well. The challenging stages suit the 32 year-old's fluid and precise driving style, so he is hoping to make the most of his Greek outing this year as well. "The Acropolis is a rally that I have always liked, but along with most rallies these days it is more of a sprint event than the marathon it used to be", said the Finn. "If we have the strength and reliability that we are aiming for, then it could actually be a rally that suits our car because the most important thing is to be there at the finish. I think we will approach the rally in much the same way as we did in Sardinia: there is no point in pushing flat-out everywhere. We learnt a lot in Sardinia, so hopefully in Greece we can finish in the points." #12 : Per-Gunnar Andersson/Jonas Andersson: P-G Andersson has competed on the Acropolis Rally twice, on the Junior World Rally Championship with Suzuki. The young Swede has mixed memories of the event: on his first experience of the rally in 2004 he rolled his Ignis Super 1600 twice, but in 2005 he won the Junior category. "I've had some very different experiences of the Acropolis, that's true!" says P-G. "It's never the easiest event, but I think for any driver actually, for the whole team it's a real challenge. Although I've been to Greece before, I've never done the stages around Athens, as when I competed on the rally previously all the stages were near Lamia a long way to the west of Athens. Sardinia was a very positive experience for both myself and the whole team so our aim is to repeat that in Greece. I'll just be taking it carefully and driving around the biggest rocks." 5. Event Statistics o Surface: gravel o Base: Tatoi military airport. This year sees a change to the norm as the event's service park has been moved for the third year running, this time to the Tatoi military airport. Thursday's spectator Superspecial stage has been similarly relocated to the roads surrounding the base. o Practical information: the local currency is the Euro. The time-zone for Greece is +0300 GMT. o Tyres: only one type of tyre is available: the Scorpion WRC 205/65R15 Hard. It is possible to carry two spares but the 're-cutting' of tread patterns is not permitted. 36 tyres may be used during the event (including shakedown). 6. Event Schedule Thursday 29 May: Ceremonial start Start Acropolis, Athens 19.30 Friday 30 May: Day 1 Athens - Athens Start Tatoi 08.15 SS1 Schimatari 1 11.57km 09.16 SS2 Thiva 1 23.76km 10.04 SS3 Psatha 1 17.41km 11.27 Serv A Tatoi (30 mins) 13.09 SS4 Schimatari 2 11.57km 14.40 SS5 Thiva 2 23.76km 15.28 SS6 Psatha 2 17.41km 16.51 SS7 SSS Tatoi 1 4.60km 18.30 Serv B Tatoi (45 mins) 18.42 Finish Tatoi 19.27 Saturday 31 May: Day 2 Athens - Athens Serv C Tatoi (15 mins) 08.30 SS8 Aghii Theodori 1 32.16km 09.58 SS9 Pissia 1 16.60km 10.41 SS10 Aghia Triada 1 10.80km 12.09 Serv D Tatoi (30 mins) 13.27 SS11 Aghii Theodori 2 32.16km 15.10 SS12 Pissia 2 16.60km 15.53 SS13 Aghia Triada 2 10.80km 17.21 Serv E Tatoi (45 mins) 18.21 Finish Tatoi 19.06 Sunday 1 June: Day 3 Athens - Athens Serv F Tatoi (15 mins) 05.50 SS14 Avlonas 1 20.00km 06.48 SS15 Assopia 1 17.87km 07.27 SS16 Aghia Sotira 1 15.20km 08.30 Serv G Tatoi (30 mins) 09.59 SS17 Avlonas 2 20.00km 11.12 SS18 Assopia 2 17.87km 11.51 SS19 Aghia Sotira 2 15.20km 12.54 SS20 SSS Tatoi 2 4.60km 14.30 Serv H Tatoi (10 mins) 14.45 Finish Tatoi 15.03 7. Championship Points Drivers 1. M Hirvonen 43pts 2. S Loeb 40pts 3. C Atkinson 31pts 4. J-M Latvala 24pts 5. D Sordo 21pts 6. G Galli 17pts Manufacturers 1. BP Ford Abu Dhabi 71pts 2. Citroen Total 64pts 3. Subaru 42pts 4. Stobart VK M-Sport 34pts 5. Munchi's Ford 16pts 6. Suzuki 7pts Full standings http://www.rallye-info.com/points.asp |