The 68th working of the Acropolis Rally brings the curtain down on the 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship with two of the 4 FIA Rally Star drivers firmly in competition for the coveted title and a WRC2 prize drive in 2025.
Regardless of 2024 marking their first season of world championship competitors, Romet Jürgenson and Taylor Gill have excelled of their Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3s with their co-drivers Siim Oja and Daniel Brkic and begin the Junior WRC finale in Greece first and second within the provisional standings.
Whereas the double-points format makes the title race broad open, the enormity of Jürgenson and Gill’s achievements can’t be underestimated with each drivers becoming a member of the FIA Rally Star course of although grassroot evaluation occasions organised by their respective ASNs, Estonian Autosport Union and Motorsport Australia.
Having progressed to Junior WRC for 2024 after efficiently finishing the FIA Rally Star Coaching Season in 2023, Jürgenson and Gill begin EKO Acropolis Rally on Thursday able to put into follow all of the information, recommendation and steerage handed to them by specialists from rallying, sports activities health and psychology and past. Even when these two relative rookie drivers finally fall brief of their respective Junior WRC title quests, they’re set for brilliant futures within the sport and second Junior WRC campaigns in 2025 as a part of the FIA Rally Star initiative.
FIA Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid, FIA Vice President for Sport Europe Anna Nordkvist, WRC Fee Chair Pernilla Solberg and FIA Street Sport Director Andrew Wheatley will all be in attendance throughout EKO Acropolis Rally to look at the FIA Rally Star drivers contest the Junior WRC season finale having supported the venture from its early days.
EKO Acropolis Rally 2024 – What’s in retailer for the FIA Rally Star drivers
In a change to the normal format of a begin and opening superspecial stage in Athens, this 12 months’s Acropolis Rally begins in Lamia, the situation of the service park and ceremonial end, with the itinerary taking crews south from Lamia in direction of the Greek capital throughout leg two as a substitute. One key good thing about the transfer is followers assembled on the end-of-Saturday superspecial will get to look at the conclusion of leg two. The superspecial location, which makes use of certainly one of Greece’s main motorways and gives free admission, was chosen to supply easy accessibility for as many followers as doable, together with these dwelling in Athens in addition to the Central Greece and Peloponnese areas.
Following shakedown and the Ceremonial Begin on Thursday, Friday’s first leg consists of three phases run both facet of service in Lamia. Overlaying 135.02 timed kilometres, it’s the longest leg of the occasion.
Saturday’s second leg will get beneath method with the 28.67 kilometres of Rengini, the longest of the rally, which marks the beginning of the journey south to Loutraki, the situation of the Tyre Becoming Zone following modified variations of Thiva and Aghii Theodori. The three morning phases are rerun within the afternoon previous to the EKO SSS from 21:05 native time.
The beforehand unused Inohori check launches Sunday’s deciding leg with two visits to the Eleftherohori stage both facet of service in Lamia additionally included on the route.
FIA Rally Star newest information and views
The 4 FIA Rally Star drivers accomplished a one-day check in Greece on Sunday in preparation for his or her first Acropolis Rally begins.Romet Jürgenson, who was second in Sweden and first in Croatia, tops the provisional FIA Junior WRC standings with 69 factors.After banking his breakthrough Junior WRC victory in Finland final month, Taylor Gill is second within the desk, eight factors behind team-mate Jürgenson.Following Rally Finland, Jürgenson contested Humus Paide Ralli in his native Estonia, ending third at school behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3.Max Sensible, who visited the Acropolis Rally on a fact-finding mission in 2022, accomplished the rostrum on Rally Italia Sardegna, the opposite tough gravel occasion on the Junior WRC roster.Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó has saved busy at house coaching and getting ready for his Acropolis Rally debut.
FIA Rally Star pre-Acropolis Rally quotes
FIA Rally Star Mission Chief Jérôme Roussel mentioned: “It’s unimaginable to suppose we’re on the closing occasion of the FIA Junior WRC Championship season with two of our drivers, Romet and Taylor, first and second within the provisional standings, having come by way of from grassroots motor sport. After all, that gained’t rely for a lot if we don’t maximise our potentialities this weekend. However no matter occurs we will likely be very pleased with all that has been achieved this season. That’s not simply right down to the expertise and dedication of those two younger drivers, but in addition to the onerous work and meticulous preparation carried out by your entire FIA Rally Star staff, plus the help of all our companions and the ASNs who’ve made this journey doable.
“The Acropolis Rally is, after all, a troublesome problem and discovering the steadiness between automobile preservation and efficiency gained’t be straightforward. However we all know what Romet and Taylor are able to, and we’ll be giving them our full help this weekend. For Max and Abito, the Acropolis Rally is one other nice alternative to construct their expertise and we look ahead to seeing their development and the way they take the brand new classes on board all through the occasion. As they are saying in rallying, something can occur, however our drivers have ready effectively, and we all know they are going to do all they will to realize one of the best outcomes they will.”
Romet Jürgenson mentioned: “It’s clear the intention is to win the title in Junior WRC but it surely’s going to be one of many hardest challenges this 12 months, if not the hardest problem. The championship desk is actually open due to the double factors for the final rally so the tip result’s actually essential and it’s important to suppose much more about the long term. We even have to consider the distinctive terrain and challenges the Acropolis Rally has that we haven’t skilled earlier than. You must suppose the place you may push due to the stage-win factors, however then it’s important to be sensible in different places so it’s a tough compromise. However we’re going to offer 100 per cent from our facet, much more, to win the title and make the entire FIA Rally Star programme proud.”
Taylor Gill mentioned: “The Acropolis Rally goes to be super-tough, super-rough and super-difficult so it should extra about survival than outright velocity on the phases. Being in championship battle means we positively need to hold one eye on that however, finally, our purpose is simply to attempt to get by way of and have a clear occasion. If we will do one of the best job we will, be sensible and constant to be there on the end, like we’ve finished all 12 months, then every part will kind itself out. We’ll go in with our never-give-up perspective and attempt to hold our noses clear.”
Max Sensible: “It’s a correct tough gravel rally, much like Sardinia in some methods, which was a rally I actually loved. I actually really feel the tough gravel occasions swimsuit my present skillset. We’ve discovered a lot within the rallies this 12 months and final 12 months and this rally is the place the place we will put every part collectively. It’s been a tremendous 12 months to date and I’ve finished quite a bit higher than I assumed I’d at the beginning of the season. I’m nonetheless new to this recreation however I’ve discovered a lot.
“Greece is a very particular place for me. It’s the primary WRC occasion I acquired to go and watch in 2022 and I keep in mind all these new and thrilling emotions I had. I couldn’t consider how large it was, the sounds of the automobiles, all these senses I’d by no means skilled earlier than. I used to be spectating with my father on the Tarzan stage, which we’ll use this 12 months, and I keep in mind having goosebumps after seeing my first Rally1 automobile undergo. Going again to Greece we need to get pleasure from it, push and see what we will do.”
Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó mentioned: “My intention is to attempt to replay all the great issues in my thoughts that I’ve discovered and attempt to keep away from to the utmost any errors, particularly throughout the first two days after I count on the rally to be actually robust. I’m actually aiming to do a clear occasion and take the utmost quantity of expertise I can for the longer term.”
EKO Acropolis Rally in numbers
Stage distance: 305.30 kmTotal distance: 1392.24 kmNumber of phases: 15
FIA Junior WRC Championship occasion schedule refresher
The 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship consists of 5 rounds as follows:
Rally Sweden (Snow/ice), February 15-18Croatia Rally (Tarmac), April 18-21Rally Italia Sardegna (Gravel), Could 30-June 2Secto Rally Finland (Gravel), August 1-4EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Gravel), September 5-8
FIA Rally Star drivers (in Acropolis Rally begin quantity order)
#58 Romet Jürgenson (24, Estonia) / Co-driver: Siim Oja (EST)#59 Taylor Gill (20, Australia) / Co-driver: Daniel Brkic (AUS)#66 Max Sensible (21, South Africa) / Co-driver: Cameron Honest (GBR)#68 Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó (27, Peru) / Co-driver: Esther Gutiérrez (ESP)
Be The Subsequent One sequence to look at on YouTube
The Be The Subsequent One YouTube sequence, which follows the FIA Rally Star drivers by way of the 2023 FIA Rally Star Coaching Season and offers an enchanting perception into their achievements, is obtainable with the total playlist right here.
