Tough start for Acropolis

Crews contesting next month’s Acropolis Rally, round six of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia, will face a tough early test when they take on the 25.24-kilometre Kineta stage.

Located east of the rally’s host town Loutraki, the opening stage of Greece’s round of the WRC will get underway at 18:28hrs local time on Thursday 24 May and will feature a section of last year’s Neo Politia night stage.

The changes continue on Friday with a remote service in Itea, to enable the event to cover a wider geographical area, and the inclusion of famous stages Bauxites and Drossohori.

Saturday’s timetable includes the new 21-kilometre Ziria stage, while Sunday’s itinerary largely mirrors the route used on the final day in Greece last season with stages based close to Loutraki.

As well as counting for WRC points, the event forms the second round of the FIA WRC Academy and round four of the Production Car World Rally Championship.

In total the Acropolis Rally will consist of 22 special stages over a competitive distance of 409.47 kilometres. The event begins with a ceremonial start at the Zappion in the centre of the Greek capital Athens.