2025.07.16 Hyundai Motorsport Team
[2025 WRC 7R] Hyundai Secures Double Podium at the Grueling Acropolis Rally
The legendary Acropolis Rally lived up to its brutal reputation once again in 2025. Known for its punishing gravel and blistering heat, this year’s edition saw Hyundai take control early on with Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux charging into the lead group, while Thierry Neuville struggled with a series of tire punctures. In the end, Tänak clinched his first victory of the season, with Fourmaux finishing third, giving Hyundai a commanding double podium in Greece.
- DAY 1 – Tänak gets off to a strong start
- DAY 2 Morning – Early punctures create chaos in the rally
- DAY 2 Afternoon – Hyundai puts on a top-time showcase in the fight to retake the lead
- DAY 3 Morning – In the heart of the rally, the podium picture starts to emerge
- DAY 3 Afternoon – Tänak finds his rhythm and breaks away from the pack
- DAY 4 – Tänak’s divine drive leaves the veterans behind
The Acropolis Rally of Greece is often referred to as the “Rally of the Gods.” Since its return to the WRC calendar in 2021, this event has been based in Lamia, beginning with a spectacular ceremonial start near the Acropolis of Athens, then moving north into the mountainous regions above Athens, where the teams battle through rugged gravel trails and blistering heat in a true survival game.
The Acropolis Rally has a history stretching back an incredible 70 years. Video: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
First held in 1951 by Greece’s national motorsport and automobile organization ELPA (Elliniki Leschi Periigiseon kai Aftokinitou), the Acropolis Rally was ad-ded to the official WRC (World Rally Championship) calendar in 1973 and quickly became a fan favorite. However, in 2008, as Greece plunged into a deep recession following the global financial crisis, it was unable to repay its FIA debts, and the rally was dropped from the calendar in 2013. After being held for a while as part of the ERC (European Rally Championship), the Acropolis returned to the WRC schedule in 2021 after an 8-year absence.
The Acropolis Rally is widely regarded as one of the harshest in rally history, to the point where special setups and reinforcements are often required. The Greek summer heat is notoriously brutal on both rally cars and drivers. Last year the rally was held in September, but this year’s move to June forced teams to cope with even more intense heat. Air temperatures soared well above 30°C (86°F), and inside the rally cars, temperatures peaked at 70°C (158°F) under the blazing sun.
In Greece, the road surface is swept clean of loose dirt and gravel during early runs, exposing hard, sharp rocks beneath that are constantly on the hunt for tires. While the early editions of the Acropolis covered 800 kilometers, today's rally covers around 300 km. This year’s route ad-ded two new stages, stretching the total distance by 40 km to 345.76 km.
This year’s Rally1 entry list is identical to that of the recent Rally Italia. Hyundai Motorsport GmbH has dominated the Acropolis Rally podium twice—sweeping all three steps in 2022 and again last year. The team is looking to reverse the sluggish start to the season at one of its most successful venues.
Hyundai’s drivers for this rally are Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak, and Adrien Fourmaux. Neuville, who led the team to victory in both of Hyundai’s previous all-team podium sweeps, says the Acropolis Rally may not have been too rough in the past two years, but it still has a reputation for being one of the toughest on the calendar. With wide, hard-packed roads and blistering heat in June, he expects the conditions to seriously test both the drivers and the cars.
Tänak returns with renewed determination after narrowly missing a win in Italy due to a surprise steering failure. He has yet to win in Greece but has performed strongly in similarly rough rallies like Italy and Chile. Tänak currently sits fourth in the championship standings, but with Sébastien Ogier only racing part-time, his true rivals are Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä. Moreover, Tänak's second-place finish in Italy helped trim the points gap to the championship leader down to 25, offering fresh hope.
Meanwhile, Fourmaux started the season with a surprise podium in the opener, but has since endured a rough stretch with multiple crashes and mechanical issues. At the most recent rally in Italy, he was running near the front but went off course and had to settle for 20th overall.
Due to his lower position in the championship standings, Fourmaux emphasized the importance of taking advantage of his later road order, saying, by stating that it’s crucial to use Friday’s starting position to secure a good spot for the second loop. The Acropolis Rally has the highest puncture risk of the entire season, so it’s not just about the tires—car durability and driver response are absolutely critical.” He also ad-ded that he's starting to better understand the new Hankook tires introduced this season and is working hard to improve synergy with the car. He said, with surfaces this rough, choosing the right tires is incredibly difficult. For reference, Fourmaux’s personal best result at the Acropolis Rally was seventh in 2021.
Toyota has fielded Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier, Kalle Rovanperä, and Takamoto Katsuta, with Sami Pajari entering under a separate team. A total of five GR Yaris Rally1 cars have been prepared. Team points scorers are Evans, Ogier, and Rovanperä. Although Ogier moved up to second in the championship thanks to his win in Italy, he has no plans to commit to a full season push like last year.
M-Sport Ford also brought the same driver lineup from Italy to Greece. Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean will be scoring team points, while part-timer Mārtiņš Sesks makes his Acropolis debut. Privateer Jourdan Serderidis, competing on home soil, is tackling the event for the eighth time.
In WRC2, 33 crews are entered. Alongside top championship contenders like Oliver Solberg, Yohan Rossel, Roberto Daprà, and Jan Solans, the field also includes newlywed Gus Greensmith, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, and Pierre-Louis Loubet.
DAY 1 – Tänak gets off to a strong start
This year’s Acropolis Rally once again kicked off in downtown Athens. On June 26, a ceremonial event was held in front of the Panathenaic Stadium, the birthplace of the modern Olympics. The rally then officially began near the Parthenon, at the Zappeion, a neoclassical hall originally built to prepare for the 1896 Olympic Games. A special 1.5 km stage set up around the Zappeion delivered dramatic scenes as modern rally cars raced against a backdrop blending ancient and contemporary Athens. In SSS1, Hyundai’s Tänak and Ogier tied for the fastest time, both clocking in at 1'18''1. The day concluded with Katsuta, Fourmaux, Neuville, and Evans following in that order.
DAY 2 Morning – Early punctures create chaos in the rally
On Friday, June 27, the competitors moved west from Athens, starting with the 26.76 km Aghii Theodori stage near the Corinth Canal. They then ran the 12.9 km Loutraki stage, followed by a repeat of Aghii Theodori to wrap up the morning loop. In the afternoon, the rally headed north to Thiva for SS5 (19.58 km), and then back west for SS6 Stiri and SS7 Elatia to close out the day.
SS2 Aghii Theodori, the first stage of Friday, was a technical challenge and the longest of the rally. Beginning on a gravel path near the Chiapaveka junction, the stage climbs steadily uphill. At the 7 km mark, a sud-den switch to asphalt can catch drivers off guard. After passing the Chapel of the Virgin Mary at Prati, the stage narrows dramatically and descends steeply. The final section, true to Acropolis Rally form, is rough and primitive—at times even crossing shallow creeks. This stage features dramatic surface changes from start to finish.
Ogier set the tone by topping the opening stage and claiming the overall lead. Starting second on the road, he complained of low grip but still posted the fastest SS2 time. Neuville was third quickest and moved into second overall. Katsuta, McErlean, and Sesks fell back after suffering punctures on the very first stage. When Katsuta stopped to change his tire, the dust cloud he kicked up obstructed Fourmaux’s vision, costing him time.
SS3 Loutraki begins just past the Panagia Faneromeni church and climbs a twisty 3.3 km section uphill, then plunges into a fast and steep 4.3 km descent. Near the finish line, the road becomes tight, technical, and steep. Though only 12.9 km long, its sharp bends, inclines, and limited visibility make it extremely challenging.
Hyundai's trio—Fourmaux, Neuville, and Tänak—dominated Loutraki, forming the lead pack. Neuville and Fourmaux overtook Ogier to claim first and second overall. Evans struggled in seventh, while Tänak sat fifth behind Ogier and Pajari.
Drivers had to endure repeated nightmares due to a course extremely prone to punctures. Video: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
In SS4, a rerun of the long Aghii Theodori stage, Ogier posted the top time once again and reclaimed the overall lead. This time, Tänak climbed to second overall. Neuville, on the other hand, suffered a puncture 7 km from the finish, losing about 40 seconds and dropping to sixth place. After the stage, Neuville said, “It's hard to know what happened. Obviously lots of stones.. the rally is still long, there'll be much more punctures during the weekend. We took the right decision to carry on. It's not the end of the rally.” Just as Neuville predicted, McErlean suffered his second puncture of the day in SS4.
DAY 2 Afternoon – Hyundai puts on a top-time showcase in the fight to retake the lead
Fourmaux posted the fastest time, trimming Ogier’s lead to just 11 seconds. Meanwhile, Neuville encountered another round of punctures. This time, he was forced to stop and change tires, costing him nearly two minutes. Pajari managed to complete SS5 but had to retire after being unable to resolve an oil leak during the liaison section.
SS6 Stiri delivered some of the most stunning scenery in the rally. The first 9 km consisted of a wide, gentle climb, followed by three tight hairpins. After entering a forested section, the road narrowed significantly, ending in a rough downhill plunge through a stony quarry.
Despite punctures happening all around, Fourmaux produced an outstanding drive to post back-to-back top times. Video: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
While Fourmaux claimed back-to-back fastest times, Tänak followed closely with the second-best time and reclaimed the overall lead. Ogier slipped to third, 10 seconds behind Tänak. Rovanperä suffered a puncture near the end of the stage and fell to eighth overall. The biggest winner amid the tire chaos was Evans, who—despite being the road sweeper—had climbed to fourth overall. Katsuta’s handbrake failed near the end of the stage, while McErlean encountered fuel system issues.
The day ended with SS7 Elatia, a classic stage using the same Elatia–Rengini layout from 2022. Starting near Elatia’s archaeological site, the course climbed through a series of hairpins, passed through a motocross arena, and concluded with a fast, downhill section.
Neuville finally scored his first stage win of the rally, partially redeeming the misfortunes of the morning. Tänak retained the overall lead, while Fourmaux closed the gap to just three seconds—putting Hyundai 1-2 heading into Saturday. Ogier was third, 16.9 seconds behind Tänak. From fourth place Evans onward, the gap to the leaders had already stretched beyond 1 minute 20 seconds. Munster, Katsuta, Rovanperä, and Neuville followed in positions 4 through 8, while Solberg and Kajetanowicz led the WRC2 field.
DAY 3 Morning – In the heart of the rally, the podium picture starts to emerge
On Saturday, the rally shifted a bit farther west. The crews ran SS8 Pavliani, SS9 Karoutes, and SS10 Inohori in the morning, followed by repeat runs in the afternoon. The total distance across SS8 to SS13 came to 123.44 km.
The 24.58 km Pavliani stage opened Saturday’s action. A true Acropolis Rally classic, it’s very familiar to fans. It begins with a 7 km straight section along a hard-packed gravel road leading toward the Pyra of Heracles. When the cars reach the Katavothra area, where speeds increase, fans gather en masse in the popular camping zone. But the real challenge lies in the second half. After peaking at an altitude of 1,660 meters, the road narrows into a steep downhill stretch that demands some of the most precise driving of the entire rally.
Sesks was the first to enter the stage, followed by the rest of the field in order. Tänak seized control from the outset and started to build a gap. After the stage, he commented, “It was really difficult to get into rhythm. I tried to drive clean and fast, but it was a tough one.” Ogier followed closely, with Fourmaux right on his heels to keep the lead group tightly packed. Pajari was unable to repair his rally car and was forced to sit out the entire day. Toyota struggled to identify the cause of its persistent fuel system troubles. Neuville suffered yet another puncture 12 km from the finish. Since it was a slow leak, he didn’t stop the car, but still lost about 40 seconds.
Tänak storms to the top time on Saturday’s opening stage. Video: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
The next stage, Karoutes (19.48 km), is another longtime Acropolis classic, in use since the 1970s. After beginning on tarmac near a village, it transitions into forest where the difficulty ramps up. Around 4 km in, the road drops sharply, offering some of the rally’s most scenic vistas. Fourmaux finished 3.3 seconds ahead of Ogier, but Tänak—despite slight wing damage—was even faster, beating Fourmaux by 6.7 seconds to take his second consecutive stage win and extend his overall lead.
The 17.66 km SS10 Inohori packed in a little of everything. It begins with a smooth uphill gravel climb, passes through a quarry popular with spectators and campers, then narrows and briefly shifts to asphalt before returning to gravel and finishing near Kato Pavliani. With its constantly changing surfaces, views, speeds, and rhythms, this stage demanded total concentration from start to finish.
Ogier narrowly edged out Tänak by 0.1 seconds to take the stage win. Fourmaux, however, fell to third overall after damaging his right rear tire and suspension. He explained that there had been a rock just outside the racing line, but there was no indication of it in the pace notes. Meanwhile, Rovanperä—already lacking speed—crashed, and the time gap between him and seventh-placed Neuville widened from 1.8 to 17.8 seconds. Munster, suffering from a broken handbrake, was overtaken by Katsuta and fell to sixth overall. The gap between him and Neuville was just 0.4 seconds.
DAY 3 Afternoon – Tänak finds his rhythm and breaks away from the pack
Even in the repeat runs of the morning’s stages, Tänak’s charge didn’t stop. He reeled off three consecutive stage wins to stretch his lead over Ogier even further. Rovanperä went off course in SS11 and damaged his car, ending his rally. Katsuta also veered off the road and slammed into a cliffside, forcing another retirement. Neuville passed Munster to move into fifth place overall. Over at M-Sport Ford, things only got worse. Both Munster and McErlean experienced handbrake failures, and privateer Jourdan Serderidis retired due to physical fatigue.
At the end of the day, overall leader Tänak commented: "It's been great, extremely demanding day and very tough stages. Good road position and the car was improving over the course of the day." Then he stated, "The setup is more normal today, so I can enjoy a bit more. Better flow for sure. There is no enjoyment, it's Greece. You need to keep your eyes open, so many surprises, it's a rough rally still."
Ogier trailed Tänak by 43.6 seconds, with Fourmaux holding onto third. Evans, Neuville, and Munster followed. Since the time gaps between the top cars were around a minute, most of the drivers opted to protect their positions rather than push aggressively. Munster, sitting sixth overall, discovered a mechanical issue during the evening service, casting doubt on whether he could continue on Sunday. Solberg held seventh overall and led WRC2, followed by Greensmith and Kajetanowicz.
DAY 4 – Tänak’s divine drive leaves the veterans behind
Sunday featured four stages totaling 99.06 km—one more than the previous year. Crews tackled two long stages, Smokovo (26.16 km) and Tarzan (23.37 km), both of which were repeated in the afternoon. This made for an unusually long final day compared to most WRC Sundays, which typically range between 50 and 60 km.
This year’s Acropolis Rally marked a return to the Thessaly region for the first time in 30 years. A new stage was created near the scenic artificial lake at Smokovo, offering both beauty and brutality. Smokovo was the second longest and arguably the toughest stage of the event. Drivers faced a barrage of climbs, descents, creek crossings, and constantly changing surfaces. While there were a few high-speed sections, most of the stage was relentlessly punishing. Still, Tänak remained blisteringly fast, widening the gap to Ogier and inching closer to victory. With large gaps in the top group, major position changes seemed unlikely—though in WRC2, Greensmith, Rossel, and Kajetanowicz were locked in a fierce battle for second place.
One of the most iconic stages of the Acropolis, SS15 Tarzan also served as the Power Stage (SS17) in the afternoon. The stage starts with a brutal 10 km downhill through dense forest, followed by the notorious gravel section between Roboliaris and Lenthia—a stretch infamous for wrecking rally cars. Drivers had to push hard through the full 23.37 km.
Tänak, undeterred, kept the hammer down and continued to post top times, leaving his pursuers no chance. Even with a comfortable lead, he stayed true to his trademark aggressive style. In contrast, Fourmaux opted for a more cautious approach, focusing on finishing safely without risking a retirement. Evans closed the gap in fourth, but Fourmaux still had 27.9 seconds in hand. Rovanperä pushed for Super Sunday points but suffered yet another puncture. Neuville, whose damper broke, lost out to Evans in the Sunday standings.
In SS16 Smokovo, Ogier was fastest, followed by Tänak and Fourmaux. Fourmaux extended his lead over Evans to 34.4 seconds. Neuville, dealing with reduced engine power, maintained fifth overall but fell out of the Super Sunday points zone.
*Super Sunday awards additional points (5–1) to the top five based on Sunday-only results.
Even amid the chaos of repeated punctures, Tänak’s godlike performance led him to the trophy. Video: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
SS17, the final stage and second pass through Tarzan, doubled as the Power Stage. Katsuta, having skipped SS16, went all-in for Power Stage points—but a puncture ruined his plan. Hyundai opted to prioritize a safe finish and a double podium rather than risking everything for bonus points. To make matters worse, Tänak reported a gearbox issue. Even after easing off, he remained untouchable and clinched victory. Ogier finished second, and Fourmaux returned to the podium for the first time since the season opener.
This Acropolis Rally marked the first win of the season for both Hyundai and Ott Tänak. With a double podium to boot, the team had every reason to celebrate. For the second year in a row, the Korean national anthem echoed through the mountains of Greece. Evans and Neuville finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Solberg, who placed sixth overall, took home the WRC2 class win. Greensmith, Kajetanowicz, McErlean, and Sesks rounded out the points-scoring positions.
With 30 points earned from the win and Super Sunday bonus, Tänak climbed to third in the drivers’ championship, pushing Rovanperä down a notch. He also reduced the gap to points leader Elfyn Evans to just 12. Fourmaux, though narrowly missing second place, was content with scoring his second podium finish of the season. In the manufacturers’ championship, Hyundai narrowed the gap to Toyota to 65 points. Now past the midpoint of the season, the WRC heads to Round 8 in Estonia—Tänak’s home ground—from July 17 to 20. From there, the high-speed gravel continues into Round 9 in Finland.
By Soo-jin Lee
In 1991, Lee’s passion for cars led him to enthusiastically write letters to the newly launched Korean car magazine
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