OGIER RETURNS FOR EKO ACROPOLIS RALLY GREECE

Sébastien Ogier returns to FIA World Rally Championship action next month for the first time since June, bolstering the Rally1 entries for EKO Acropolis Rally Greece to ten.

Ogier will join Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mates Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä for the 70th edition of the event which takes place in and around the central Greek city of Lamia from 7-10 September. He will be targeting his fourth win of the season – his most recent coming on his previous start at Safari Rally Kenya.

It is from his team-mates that the eight-time world champion is likely to face his toughest competition with 2021 Greece winner Rovanperä currently leading second-placed Evans by 25 points in the championship standings.

Secto Rally Finland podium finisher Takamoto Katsuta will drive a fourth GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid, albeit not scoring points in the Teams’ Championship.

2023 Acropolis winner Thierry Neuville is back to lead the Hyundai Motorsport charge, joined as always by Esapekka Lappi, while Dani Sordo, like Ogier, will make his first appearance since Kenya, driving the third Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid.

Following on from two forgettable rounds, M-Sport Ford will aim to bounce back in Greece with regulars Ott Tänak and Pierre-Louis Loubet being joined in a third Puma Rally1 by local driver Jourdan Serderidis, with the part-timer lining up for his fourth start this season.

Greece sports one of the strongest and biggest WRC2 fields in recent memory with the top five drivers in the championship standings among the 30 WRC2 starters. Topping them is championship leader Andreas Mikkelsen who will run an identical Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to Sami Pajari, Oliver Solberg and Gus Greensmith who sit third to fifth respectively in the standings. Breaking up the Fabia party is Yohan Rossel, currently sat second overall in his Citroën C3 Rally2.

Additionally, eight teams will line up for the final round of the Junior WRC Championship. While Ireland’s William Creighton currently leads the standings, double points on offer for the final round mean the title is anything but secure.

- WRC