EKO Rally Acropolis 2024: Thierry Neville faster on Shakedown with Hyundai

Belgian, Thierry Neville, of Hyundai leads in the ranking in his driver championship and was the protagonist in the unofficial special route of 2024. EKO Rally Acropolis made its unofficial launch on Thursday morning (05.09.2024) with the drivers’ established Shakedown. Faster than the 3.62 km long route was Thierry Neville of Hyundai Motorsport. After three passages, the Belgian took the time 2:38.2 and started our national struggle in the best possible way. Neville will start at EKO Rally Acropolis with elevated psychology having signed a new partnership contract with Hyundai (signed a one-year contract extension with the team from South Korea). The Belgian driver, who this year claims the first title of his WRC career, since he is in charge of ranking drivers, having a 27-point lead against the eight world champion, Sebastian Ozier, will strengthen Hyundai for 12th year in the WRC, while playing a decisive role in the team’s successes. Leaving them in our dust was fastest on the first pass of shakedown, and after three runs it’s who’s at the top of the times. — Hyundai Motorsport (@HMSGOfficial) The 36-year-old driver scored his first WRC career win with Hyundai in Rally Germany in 2014, and has since celebrated 20 wins, 59 presentations on the podium and 371 “firsts” on special routes, driving the company’s cars from South Korea. In 2nd place of the ranking was found Takamoto Katsuta of Toyota Gazoo Racing, with the Japanese making just two passes in which he impressed. His fastest performance behind Yaris Rally1’s steering wheel was at 2:39.1. Third was Oit Tanak of Hyundai, who was 1.9 seconds away from the top. EKO’s “bowl” Rally Acropolis 2024 opens tonight ( 05.09.2024 , 19:00) in the “register” of the race, Lamia with the launch at the Panhellenic Exhibition of the city, while on Friday six special routes will be held (ano Pavliannis 1 & 2, Daphne 1 & 2, “Tarzan” 1 & 2). The following are six specials on Saturday (Regini, Thebes, Saints Theodoroi 1 & 2, Loutraki, superspecial) and on Sunday will be held the last three specials (Einohori, Eleftherochori 1 & 2), with which the race will be completed. Driver Rating after 9 games 1. Thierry Neville (Belgium/Hyundai) 168 points 2. Sebastian Ozier (France/Toyota) 141 3. Ot Tanak (Estonia/Hyundai) 137 4. Elfin Evans (M. Britain/Toyota) 132 5. Adrian Furmo (France/Ford) 119 6. Calle Rovanera (Finland/Toyota) 86 7. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan/Toyota) 76 8. Especa Lapi (Finland/Hyundai) 33 9. Andreas Mikelsen (Norway/Hyundai) 29 10. Danny Sordo (Spain/Hyundai) 27 11. Sammy Pagari (Finland/Toyota) 26 12. Gregoire Minster (Luxembourg/Ford) 23 13. Oliver Solberg (Sweden/Skoda) 22 14. Martins Sesks (Latvia/Ford) 22 15. Nikolai Grazin (Bulgaria/Citroen) 12 16. Yoan Rochelle (France/Citroen) 7 17. Yari- Matti Latvala (Finland/Toyota) 6 18. Gus Greensmith (M. Britain/Skoda) 6 19. Jean Solans (Spain/Toyota) 6 20. Georg Linamae (Estonia/Toyota) 5 21. Laurie Yona (Finland/Skoda) 5 22. Cagetan Cagetanovic (Poland/Skoda) 5 23. Miko Haikila (Finland/Toyota) 4 24. Rope Corhonen (Finland/Toyota) 3 25. Jordani Sertheridis (ELLADA/Ford) 2 26. Joshua McEarlin (Ireland/Skoda) 2 27. Pepe Lope Lópeth (Spain/Skoda) 2 28. Martin Prokop (Tsechia/Skoda) 0 Manufacturers Rating 1. Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team 395 points 2. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 375 3. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team 207