2025
Date: 24/6/2026
With recce now complete for the 2026 EKO Acropolis Rally, crews are unanimous in their verdict: this year’s event will once again be an extremely demanding challenge for both crews and machines. Conditions are expected to push cars and tyres to their limits, reinforcing the Acropolis Rally’s reputation as one of the toughest rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship.
#33 Elfyn EVANS - Scott MARTIN
“It’s looking tough this year. The Acropolis has always had an element of roughness and has always been rocky, but this year some stages look particularly rough. Saturday’s stages are a bit of a mix: some sections are very abrasive, others very technical.”
#18 Takamoto KATSUTA - Aaron JOHNSTON
“It’s quite different from last year’s edition. We have some new stages and have had to make new pacenotes. The stages are nice, but quite rough. The risk of punctures is going to be high. The running order will also be a very big challenge for us, but we have to do our best to achieve a good result.”
#99 Oliver SOLBERG - Elliott EDMONDSON
“It’s a good mix of everything! Friday is very challenging, rough and tough. Saturday’s stages are very beautiful. Sunday’s Aghii Theodori is quite tough, but nice. The Power Stage is very rocky, with a lot of stones. It will be like a lottery. Usually, the Power Stage is all about speed, but I’m not so sure this time…”
#5 Sami PAJARI - Marko SALMINEN
“It will be similar to previous years. It will be hot, with tough conditions and rough stages. But I think it’s nice that we have new stages. It’s a good challenge. As for the new stages, some are smoother, which is nice. But almost every stage has some tricky sections and some nice sections.”
#1 Sébastien OGIER - Vincent LANDAIS
“Greece is a country I always enjoy coming to, and the Acropolis Rally is one of the historic events in our sport. It’s a very demanding and tough rally. Some sections are rough, others are sandy, and there are a lot of rocks. The Acropolis is always very demanding for the drivers, the cars and the tyres.”
#16 Adrien FOURMAUX - Alexandre CORIA
“It’s very nice to have some new stages on Saturday. It’s a very good effort from the organisation. It’s going to be a long and very tough rally. A proper challenge that we are facing.”
#11 Thierry NEUVILLE - Martijn WYDAEGHE
“I like the format and the stages of the rally. It’s a bit rougher than last year. There are a lot of sharp stones in some very tough sections. The changes to some stages have made it a proper challenge for tyres and set-up. We have to avoid punctures and problems, and try to fight for victory.”
#95 Jon ARMSTRONG - Shane BYRNE
“It’s very demanding and rough. The conditions are very hot, and there are a lot of rocks. The surface is already broken. It’s difficult to know how fast we can go. We will try to stay away from problems.”
#6 Daniel SORDO - Cándido CARRERA
“It’s harder than the last time I was here. There are a lot of stones and rocks. It’s a true Acropolis Rally.”
#55 Joshua MCERLEAN - Eoin TREACY
“It’s very different from last year. The Saturday stages are new, and it is a very nice region for rallying. I am looking forward to the rally.”
#22 Mārtiņš SESKS - Renārs FRANCIS
“It’s a new Rally for us. We know some stages, but others are new. It’s going to be a great challenge. Last year was very difficult, but I don’t see this year being any easier.”
#9 Jourdan SERDERIDIS - Frédéric MICLOTTE
“The organisation has made a very good choice of the stages. Some famous ones and some new ones! The Rally has a mix of everything. I like most of them very much. Also the new ones are very interesting. In general it’s a very nice Rally and I am sure I will enjoy it.”
#20 Yohan ROSSEL - Arnaud DUNAND
“It will be challenging. It will be a challenge for the car to finish the rally without any problems. I have never won here, but maybe this is the time to achieve that.”
#21 Léo ROSSEL - Guillaume MERCOIRET
“I think this year the rally is very long! The Acropolis is always difficult for the driver, the co-driver and the mechanics. We will see what happens. Also, for us, it is a big challenge to start with a new car.”
#23 Roope KORHONEN - Anssi VIINIKKA
“Quite rough. It’s my first time here. We will see. There are some stages with a good flow, but for me it’s the toughest rally on the calendar.”
#24 Alejandro CACHÓN - Borja ROZADA
“It’s a new rally, with a lot of new stages. It’s very rough and demanding. The surface is hard and there are a lot of rocks. It’s going to be very tough on the tyres and cars.”
#26 Andreas MIKKELSEN - Jørn LISTERUD
“It’s good to be back. It’s one of my favourite events. Let’s see how it goes with punctures. We have had a lot of them this season. Hopefully, it will be better. It’s going to be tough for man and machine. I am sure it’s going to be a big challenge, but I am looking forward to it.”
#28 Gus GREENSMITH - Jonas ANDERSSON
“It’s rougher than last year. I would rather be in Loutraki than Lamia, but I prefer the stages in Lamia. Saturday is better for the fans. The target is definitely to win.”
#29 Jan SOLANS - Rodrigo SANJUAN
“It will be very rough. We need to find the right balance between speed and reliability. We will try to stay out of trouble.”
#31 Diego DOMÍNGUEZ - Rogelio PEÑATE
“Very nice. It’s a rally I always enjoy. I always have good memories here. Friday is tough, Saturday you can drive a bit faster, but Sunday’s stages are rough. It’s a very nice rally.”
#39 Lambros ATHANASSOULAS - Konstantinos SOUKOULIS
“The new stages on Saturday are very nice, probably the best stages of the rally. In contrast, Bauxites, although it is one of our favourites, is quite damaged in several places. The stages around Corinth are in good condition. Overall, it’s a great rally, long and demanding. Our goal is to enjoy the event and make it to the finish.”
#61 Ioannis PLAGOS - Christos KOUZIONIS
“It’s a proper, tough Acropolis Rally. The new stages are very nice. You need to be consistent and very cautious to avoid problems. We have tested the car and we are ready for the event!”
#63 Efthymios CHALKIAS - Marios TSAOUSOGLOU
“The first day is very long and tough. The stages in the Peloponnese are very nice. It’s a classic Acropolis Rally. I’m sure the stages are going to be rougher than we expect.”
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