Scheduled for September, the Acropolis Rally is one of the classic events in the WRC calendar. It is known for its rocky gravel roads, where high speeds test the endurance of the cars.
The Acropolis returned to the WRC four years ago after a seven-season hiatus. The three events since the return have followed the same format, although this year’s event has parts rearranged differently.
Updated route
This year, the rally will start not from the spectator stage in Athens on Thursday, but directly from the rally headquarter, in Lamia on Friday. The day includes three slow, over 20-kilometre stages driven twice, with Tarzan being the most notable.
The Dafni special stage is likely a shortened version of Pyrgos, although another stage with the same name was run further south in 2022.
Saturday begins with the rally’s longest, a 28-kilometre special stage at Rengini. The day essentially runs in reverse of previous years’ Friday route, mostly comprising stages driven only once towards the town of Loutraki, where tyres will be changed. A total of 115 special stage kilometres must be covered without proper servicing.
Saturday evening concludes with the Eko SSS spectator stage, whose location has not yet been announced. However, based on the lengths of liaisons and refueling stops, it is presumed to be north rather than in Athens.
Saturday is an outright, almost absurd, marathon day as the first cars will start from the service area in Lamia at 6:15 AM, and the rally caravan will not return to Lamia until late at night at 10:25 PM. In total, liaisons alone will cover a whopping 581 kilometres on that day. Including the special stages, drivers will face nearly 700 kilometres behind the wheel.
On Sunday, the rally traditionally includes just three special stages. The opening stage, Inohori, was last run in 2002 (or possibly partially included in the Stromi stage in 2005). Elefterohori serves again as the Power Stage, as it did in 2022.
Endurance elements
Although the visit to the town of Itea – and with it the classic Bauxites stage – has been dropped, the amount of liaison has increased. In the years 2021–2023, it was around 900–1000 kilometres, but now liaisons have increased to over 1100 kilometres.
Part of this increase is due to the fact that previously the rally started in Athens, where cars were brought from Lamia by trailer. Now, a corresponding liaison must be driven at the end of Saturday, though in a different direction and not quite from Athens.
On the other hand, the length of the rally is still barely over the required 300 kilometres. Organisers boasted upon the series’ return in 2021 that the Acropolis route must be long, as it maintains its reputation as an endurance rally. However, since then, there has been little mention of this aspect.
The Acropolis Rally is set to run from 5th to 8th September.
