The Acropolis Rally of Greece (Greek: Ράλλυ Ακρόπολις) is a rally competition that is part of the World Rally Championship (WRC). The rally is held on very dusty, rough, rocky and fast mountain roads in mainland Greece, usually during the Greek hot summer period. The rally is best known for being extremely tough on the competing cars and drivers.

Acropolis Rally
Ράλι Ακρόπολις
Statusactive
Genremotorsporting event
Date(s)May - June, September
Frequencyannual
Location(s)Athens, Lamia, Loutraki
CountryGreece Greece
Inaugurated1951 (1951)
FounderELPA
AreaAttica, Fthiotis, Phokis, Corinthia
Websitewww.acropolisrally.gr

History edit

The Acropolis Rally has been held since 1951 by the Greek Motorsports Organization Automobile and Touring Club of Greece (ELPA), making it one of the longest-standing competitions in world rallying. Many world renown drivers have won this event including Walter Röhrl, Björn Waldegård, Ari Vatanen, Stig Blomqvist, Juha Kankkunen, Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae, among others.

Due to the nature of the race, with a mix of rough, twisty, fast mountain stages and coupled with blistering heat and choking dust, the Acropolis Rally is one of the toughest on the European and World Rally circuits. The cars used in the race must be built with extra sturdiness in order to cope with the fast but rock-strewn stages. Drivers and co-drivers also have to contend with the pounding terrain and high summer temperatures which often reached 50 °C within the cockpit. Many drivers rate the event as a test of skill, patience, bravery and endurance in the past, going as far as comparing the Acropolis with the infamous Safari Rally.

Super Special Stages (SSS) edit

The Rally is also known for having used great Super Special Stages over the years.

This trend started with the Marlboro Super Stage held in the city of Anavissos, south of Athens, in the early 90's. After the event base moved to Itea and Lamia in the early 2000's, a Super Special Stage was used in the outskirts of Lilea Parnassos. In 2005 a new stage was introduced; a superspecial stage held within the Athens Olympic Stadium. The Super Special Stage (SSS) was the highlight of the rally as well as the 2005 WRC schedule and in the same year, the Acropolis Rally was awarded the “Rally of the Year” title. It was loved by drivers and fans alike, as the packed stadium provided an "arena" feeling to the stage.

In 2006 there were 2 superspecials, again in the same stadium. The rally headquarters and the service park also moved from Lamia to the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. In the 2007 event, the superspecial (along with the rally headquarters and the service park) moved to the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre. In 2008 the super special stage was held twice at the Tatoi military airport. In 2018, a superspecial was based again in the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre.

In the 2022 event, the rally made a return to the Athens Olympic Stadium for the rally-opening super special stage.

Historic locations edit

The Acropolis Rally started out as a marathon/endurance type event back in the early 50's. When the rally became part of the World Rally Championship after 1973, the crews had to face up to 800 competitive kilometers, in some of the most gruelling stages and conditions imaginable. This trip involved locations all over Greece up to the late 80's, such as the more known Kalambaka and Meteora, stages near Mount Olympus, Attica, Central Greece, and even down south in the Peloponnese. The traditional start always took place under the legendary Acropolis in Athens, and the finish ceremony was carried out in the Panathenaic stadium.

Recent years edit

With rallies ever so shrinking due to the new demands of the World Rally Championship and transitioning to "sprint" type events, the Acropolis Rally followed suit, basing the whole rally in certain areas and using stages nearby. The classic rally headquarters in the 90's and early 2000's were the cities of Lamia and Itea. In 2005, the rally headquarters and the service park moved from Lamia to the Athens Olympic Sports Complex and then in the 2007 event, the rally headquarters and the service park moved to the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre. In 2008, the headquarters where situated at the Tatoi military airport, and that was the last time since that the rally was based in Attica, and that special stages were used in that area. In 2009 the rally headquarters and the service park were moved to the Greek city of Loutraki near the Corinth Canal with stages in Argolis and Corinthia used for the rally. For the 2016 ERC Season, the rally headquarters were moved back to the classic and much loved mountain stages near Lamia.

Classic stages edit

The best stages in Greece are undoubtedly in the Phthiotis and Phokis regions, mainly around the Parnassus and Giona mountains. Recently used stages like Bauxites/Karoutes, Pavliani, Kaloskopi, Rengini, Eleftherohori and Moschokarya are favorites amongst drivers and fans alike, due to their fast and flowing nature, allowing the cars to reach their full potential, in a rally where it is otherwise risky to push hard, due to the hard surface which can damage the cars heavily. The same goes for other famous rally stages in Greece , like the Kineta and Aghi Theodori stages around the Geraneia mountains in Corinthia, Prodromos, Livadeia and Thiva in Boeotia, Parnonas in mainland Peloponnese. Other honorable mentions include the fast and beautiful Parnitha stage, the car breaker Ymitos, plus the Assopia and Aghia Sotira stages in Attica, as well as the spectacular Meteora stage which was last used in the late 80's in the longer version of the rally. Several stages feature significant archeological landmarks like the "Klenia-Mycenae" stage which includes the Archeological site of Mycenae. It's worth mentioning, that many favourite classic special stages (f.e. Grammeni Oxia, Gardiki, Hani Zagana, Evangelistria, Prodromos, Aliki, Loukissia) were asphalt paved at some point in the past, so it is no longer possible for them to be used in the Acropolis Rally, since it is a mainly gravel-based event.

The "Tarzan" test in Evrytania edit

This special stage, originally called the Fourna and Rentina test, is an unusually difficult 30.3 km test. The name "Tarzan" originates from Giorgos Burgos, who was from Fourna in Evritania, lived in Athens and was a police officer. He suffered from tuberculosis and was given a few months to live. He then moved to Fourna, and reached the age of 92. The Acropolis rally passed through the hut of Giorgos, whose nickname was "Tarzan", from the 22nd edition of the rally in 1975. At that time the special route was called "Fourna". The stage first appeared under the new name "Tarzan" in the 26th Acropolis Rally in 1979, in honor of Giorgos Bourgos, who was by then a well known and liked figure amongst the drivers and the organisers of the event. The presence of the full stage in the rally was continuous until the 42nd running of the event in 1995. For its last four years the route was renamed "Rentina-Tarzan", after using the second half of the classic 30,3km (finishing in Tsoukka).

In the Acropolis Rally of 2003, when the event reached its 50th anniversary, a shortened 20.65km version of the stage, called "New Tarzan", was held twice, paying tribute to the route's legacy in the event.

Didier Auriol in June 1991, dismantled a wheelrim and his suspension there, losing the lead and the overall victory in the race. Nevertheless, he later stated that "Tarzan" was his favorite Acropolis Rally special stage.

The Tarzan stage returns in the 2021 Acropolis Rally, as the Power Stage of the event, together with many other classic tests.

Return to the WRC in 2021 edit

In August 2020, rumours started to emerge about the possible return of the rally to the World Rally Championship. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis assured that the government was ready to support the organizers financially. In late December of the same year, the Hellenic Ministry of Sport agreed with the Organizing Committee for Motorsport to revive the Acropolis Rally.

In March 2021, it was officially announced that the Acropolis Rally of Gods would return for the 2021 World Rally Championship, taking place in September of the same year, with Lamia as the host city.

Winners edit

 
Toni Gardemeister with Ford Focus RS WRC 05 at the 2005 event
 
Harri Rovanperä with a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05 at the 2005 event.
 
Petter Solberg with a Subaru Impreza WRC05 at the 2005 event
 
Loeb with Citroën DS3 WRC at the 2011 event
 
Xavier Pons with a Citroën Xsara WRC at the 2006 event.
 
Nasser Al-Attiyah driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STI at the 2006 event.
Year Driver
Co-driver
Car Championship
1951   Petros Peratikos   Fiat 1400
1952   Johnny Pesmatzoglou   Chevrolet Deluxe (as ELPA Rally)
1953   Nikos Papamichail   Jaguar XK120
1954   Pétros Papadópoulos   Opel Rekord
1955   Johnny Pesmatzoglou   Opel Kapitän
1956   Walter Shock   Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
1957   Jean-Pierre Estager   Ferrari 250 GT
1958   Luigi Villoresi   Lancia Aurelia B20 GT
1959   Wolfgang Levy   Auto Union 1000
1960   Walter Shock
  Rolf Moll
  Mercedes-Benz 220 SE ERC
1961   Erik Carlsson
  Walter Karlsson
  Saab 96 ERC
1962   Eugen Böhringer
  Peter Lang
  Mercedes-Benz 220 SE ERC
1963   Eugen Böhringer
  Rolf Knoll
  Mercedes-Benz 300 SE ERC
1964   Tom Trana
  Gunnar Thermanius
  Volvo PV 544 ERC
1965   Carl-Magnus Skogh
  Lennart Berggren
  Volvo Amazon 122S ERC
1966   Bengt Söderström
  Gunnar Palm
  Ford Cortina Lotus ERC
1967   Paddy Hopkirk
  Ron Crellin
  Mini Cooper S ERC
1968   Roger Clark
  Jim Porter
  Ford Escort Twin Cam ERC
1969   Pauli Toivonen
  Martti Kolari
  Porsche 911 S
1970   Jean-Luc Thérier
  Marcel Callewaert
  Alpine-Renault A110 1600 IMC
1971   Ove Andersson
  Arne Hertz
  Alpine-Renault A110 1600 IMC
1972   Håkan Lindberg
  Helmut Eisendle
  Fiat 124 Sport Spider IMC
1973   Jean-Luc Thérier
  Christian Delferrier
  Alpine-Renault A110 1800 WRC
1974 Event cancelled due to the oil crisis.
1975   Walter Röhrl
  Jochen Berger
  Opel Ascona 1.9 SR WRC
1976   Harry Källström
  Claes-Göran Andersson
  Datsun Violet 160J WRC
1977   Björn Waldegård
  Hans Thorszelius
  Ford Escort RS 1800 WRC
1978   Walter Röhrl
  Christian Geistdörfer
  Fiat 131 Abarth WRC
1979   Björn Waldegård
  Hans Thorszelius
  Ford Escort RS 1800 WRC
1980   Ari Vatanen
  David Richards
  Ford Escort RS 1800 WRC
1981   Ari Vatanen
  David Richards
  Ford Escort RS 1800 WRC
1982   Michèle Mouton
  Fabrizia Pons
  Audi Quattro WRC
1983   Walter Röhrl
  Christian Geistdörfer
  Lancia 037 Rally WRC
1984   Stig Blomqvist
  Björn Cederberg
  Audi Quattro A2 WRC
1985   Timo Salonen
  Seppo Harjanne
  Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 WRC
1986   Juha Kankkunen
  Juha Piironen
  Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2 WRC
1987   Markku Alén
  Ilkka Kivimäki
  Lancia Delta HF 4WD WRC
1988   Miki Biasion
  Tiziano Siviero
  Lancia Delta HF Integrale WRC
1989   Miki Biasion
  Tiziano Siviero
  Lancia Delta HF Integrale WRC
1990   Carlos Sainz
  Luis Moya
  Toyota Celica GT-Four WRC
1991   Juha Kankkunen
  Juha Piironen
  Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v WRC
1992   Didier Auriol
  Bernard Occelli
  Lancia Delta HF Integrale WRC
1993   Miki Biasion
  Tiziano Siviero
  Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC
1994   Carlos Sainz
  Luis Moya
  Subaru Impreza 555 WRC
1995   Aris Vovos
  Kostas Stefanis
  Lancia Delta HF Integrale FIA 2-Litre Cup
1996   Colin McRae
  Derek Ringer
  Subaru Impreza 555 WRC
1997   Carlos Sainz
  Luis Moya
  Ford Escort WRC WRC
1998   Colin McRae
  Nicky Grist
  Subaru Impreza S4 WRC '98 WRC
1999   Richard Burns
  Robert Reid
  Subaru Impreza S5 WRC '99 WRC
2000   Colin McRae
  Nicky Grist
  Ford Focus RS WRC 00 WRC
2001   Colin McRae
  Nicky Grist
  Ford Focus RS WRC 01 WRC
2002   Colin McRae
  Nicky Grist
  Ford Focus RS WRC 01 WRC
2003   Markko Märtin
  Michael Park
  Ford Focus RS WRC 03 WRC
2004   Petter Solberg
  Phil Mills
  Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 WRC
2005   Sébastien Loeb
  Daniel Elena
  Citroën Xsara WRC WRC
2006   Marcus Grönholm
  Timo Rautiainen
  Ford Focus RS WRC 06 WRC
2007   Marcus Grönholm
  Timo Rautiainen
  Ford Focus RS WRC 06 WRC
2008   Sébastien Loeb
  Daniel Elena
  Citroën C4 WRC WRC
2009   Mikko Hirvonen
  Jarmo Lehtinen
  Ford Focus RS WRC 09 WRC
2010 Not held
2011   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
  Citroën DS3 WRC[1] WRC
2012   Sébastien Loeb
  Daniel Elena
  Citroën DS3 WRC WRC
2013   Jari-Matti Latvala
  Miikka Anttila
  Volkswagen Polo R WRC WRC
2014   Craig Breen
  Scott Martin
  Peugeot 208 T16 R5 ERC
2015   Kajetan Kajetanowicz
  Jarosław Baran
  Ford Fiesta R5 ERC
2016   Ralfs Sirmacis
  Arturs Šimins
  Škoda Fabia R5 ERC
2017   Kajetan Kajetanowicz
  Jarosław Baran
  Ford Fiesta R5 ERC
2018   Bruno Magalhães
  Hugo Magalhães
  Škoda Fabia R5 ERC
2019 and 2020 Not held
2021   Kalle Rovanperä
  Jonne Halttunen
  Toyota Yaris WRC WRC
2022   Thierry Neuville
  Martijn Wydaeghe
  Hyundai i20 N Rally1 WRC
2023   Kalle Rovanperä
  Jonne Halttunen
  Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 WRC

Number of victories per driver and manufacturer (WRC only) edit

Since 1973, the first WRC season.

References edit

External links edit