Acropolis gets strong entry for WRC return

Eighteen World Rally Cars will be in action on Acropolis Rally of Greece next week as part of a 42-car entry assembled for the all-gravel event.

World championship leader Sebastien Loeb heads the entry in his Citroen Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC alongside co-driver Daniel Elena. The seven-time world champion, winner of the previous two rounds in Italy and Argentina, is one of six drivers using the DS3 WRC in Greece, the highest number of DS3 WRCs to start a world championship rally this season.

Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia appear in a second factory DS3 with Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson lining up in their Petter Solberg World Rally Team entry. Kimi Raikkonen is back on WRC duty after missing the previous two rounds and will be co-driven by Kaj Lindstrom in an Ice 1 Racing Citroen. Peter van Merksteijn Sr and and Peter van Merksteijn Jr will also use the French machine.

Mikko Hirvonen, the winner in Greece when the country last staged a world championship rally in 2009, heads the Ford challenge alongside navigator Jarmo Lehtinen. Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila will compete in a second Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team-entered Fiesta RS WRC.

Mads Ostberg and Matthew Wilson will drive the lead M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team Fiestas. Evgeny Novikov and Henning Solberg will also compete under the M-Sport Stobart banner in their Fiestas.

Federico Villagra is entered in his familiar Munchi’s Ford World Rally Fiesta, while the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team will field a second Fiesta RS WRC for Rene Kuipers alongside his son Dennis. Rene Kuipers has campaigned a Super 2000-specification on selected events this year but Greece will mark his first appearance in the higher specification WRC version.

Armindo Araujo and Daniel Oliveira will drive the two MINI John Cooper Works WRCs for Motorsport Italia and the Brazil World Rally Team respectively. Local hero Lambros Athanassoulas will drive a Fiesta RS WRC under the Team Greece banner.

Ten drivers will battle for Super 2000 World Rally Championship honours, while several non-priority drivers will also be competing.

Acropolis Rally of Greece forms round seven of the World Rally Championship and is based in the seaside town of Loutraki from 16-19 June.