Wrc, Rovanpera new leader in Greece

Second day finished at the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece with Kalle Rovanpera new leader with the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. The reigning champion, eager to redeem himself from his disastrous retirement on his home roads, is in the lead with two minutes and four seconds ahead of the Spaniard’s Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Dani Sordo. The Iberian is the real “surprise” of a weekend that was made extremely difficult by the muddy surface. Elfyn Evans, with the second “top” Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, is only third with a gap of five seconds clear to Sordo. Iberian and English benefit from the penalty of three minutes and forty seconds inflicted on Oct Tanak, fourth with the M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1. Complete the Top Five Esa-Pekka Lappi whose Hyundai i20 N Rally1 suffers problems with the alternator and transmission at the end of the second stage.

DEFEAT FOR OGIER AND NEUVILLE

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The bad weather which hit Greece in recent days has left its mark on the Acropolis. After the fourth special canceled yesterday, today the muddy surface proved to be difficult for everyone, causing accidents, driving errors and punctures. In particular, true “sports drama” for Thierry Neuville, leader in the first stage. In the tenth special test the Belgian was stopped by a mechanical failure on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. Neuville will leave tomorrow with Super Rally to try to score points in the Power Stagebut now occupies the twenty-fifth place overall. In difficulty too Sebastien Ogier who damaged a suspension after a puncture and after having caressed the leadership now occupies the ninth place, last Rally1 in the top ranking. Luckier” Takamoto Katsuta who in the eleventh special punctured two tires in rapid succession on his Yaris Rally1: the Japanese is now sixth. Errors in sequence also for Greek Jourdan Serderidiscompeting with the Ford Puma Rally1 and supported by a large local fan base: now is the time nineteenthbetter than the Hellenic patrol which recorded the incidents of Athanassoulas and the ex-Civm pilot Marios Xanthakos.

MIKKELSEN-GREENSMITH FIGHT IN WRC 2

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In the WRC 2 class the fight for supremacy was narrowed to the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 Andreas Mikkelsen And Gus Greensmithwith the Norwegian just ahead four tenths. For third place in class the Citroen C3 Rally2 takes the lead Yohan Rossel ahead of the Ford Fiesta Rally2 of Gregory Munster and of Adrien Fourmaux in serious difficulty on mud that is more suited to the special stages of the old RAC Rally than to the Acropolis. Munster leads the class WRC 2 Challenger in front of the Pole Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Finnish Lauri Joona, both on Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. The fourth in class was cut off from the fight for victory Alejandro Cachon on Citroen C3 Rally2. At a minimum, the “patrol” of the WRC Masters Cup with Spanish Miguel Diaz-Aboitiz on Skoda Fabia ahead of the Greek’s Ford Fiesta R5 George Vassiliakis. As for Alexander Villanuevahad to resort to the Super Rally to play for the victory and precious points with a view to the category title.

DOMINGUEZ LEADS AMONG THE JUNIORS

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In the JWRC animated by the Ford Fiesta Rally3, Diego Dominguez he is the firm leader with two minutes and forty-two seconds on the Irishman Eamonn Kelly; third the Belgian Tom Rensonnet, more than six minutes behind. The three also top the rankings WRC3 which is swelled by some Greek pilots, among them Efthimos Halkias with a “new” Renault Clio Rally3. With regard to the three Italian crews competingthe Veronese Luke Hoelbling he is still the best, thirty-second overall with the Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo shared with Stefano Righetti. Thirty-fourth Matteo Fontana with the Peugeot 208 Rally4 ed Alessandro Arnaboldi to the notes, while a very troubled race for Gabriele Campagnoli and Nicola Arena: the two are fifty-first with their Hyundai i20 N Rally2, after a penalty of two minutes and forty inflicted in the eleventh stage.

LAST STAGE TOMORROW

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Tomorrow morning we will resume with the last three specials. It starts at 07:19 with the historic “Tarzan”, then at 10:05 we run on the first pass of Grammeniwhich will then be replicated for the “Power Stage” final at 1.15pm. Rovanpera he starts from a good lead, but the surface of the Greek roads is extremely treacherous it could hold surprises until the end…