Strong entry for Acropolis Rally

Seventeen World Rally Cars will be in action when the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia resumes in Greece later this month.

Acropolis Rally bosses have published a star-studded entry list for the sixth round of the world championship, which is based in the coastal town of Loutraki, 84 kilometres west of the capital Athens from 24-27 May.

In total 55 crews are due to tackle the all-gravel event, which features 22 special stages over a competitive distance of 410 kilometres. Out of the 55 expected runners, 32 different nationalities are represented.

In keeping with all rounds of this year’s WRC, the entry list throws up a number of highlights, not least the return of Jari-Matti Latvala, who was forced to miss Rally Argentina last month through injury.

Henning Solberg, who has been absent from the series since Rally Sweden in February due to financial issues, is also back and is due to pilot a privateer Fiesta.

Other entrants of note include the Cypriot driver Spyros Pavlides, who will be armed with a Fiesta RS WRC for the first time, while Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari will make his debut in a MINI John Cooper Works WRC. Oleksii Tamrazov, from Ukraine, will also get a maiden run in a Fiesta WRC having used a Super 2000 version on several international rallies.

The usual suspects will be out in force in Greece with Sebastien Loeb heading the Citroen challenge, which is bolstered by Nasser Al-Attiyah, Mikko Hirvonen and Thierry Neuville.

Petter Solberg will partner Latvala in the factory Ford team, while privateer Fiesta drivers include Evgeny Novikov, Daniel Oliveira, Mads Ostberg, Martin Prokop and Ott Tanak. Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre front the WRC Team MINI Portugal bid in their John Cooper Works WRCs.

Andreas Mikkelsen and Sebastien Ogier will drive a brace of Volkswagen Motorsport-run Skoda Fabia S2000s. Eight crews will chase Production Car world championship points, while 11 drivers will be in contention for FIA WRC Academy honours in identical Fiesta R2s.

The 58th running of the Acropolis Rally will begin with a ceremonial start in front of the Zappion in Athens on the afternoon of Thursday 24 May.