News & Announcements Historic Acropolis Rally: A key event for the Greek Historic Rally Championship
The Historic Acropolis Rally, the second round of the FIA European Historic Gravel Rally Championship, also counts towards the Greek Historic Rally Championship, serving as the third round of the season for the national series. In fact, its significance is even greater, as the event awards increased points with a coefficient of 3, something that could prove decisive for the remainder of the championship.
The Greek Historic Rally Championship once again consists of six events this year, held on both gravel and asphalt surfaces, with the first two rounds of the season already completed. On March 21-22, the Rally Lamias took place as the opening round of the series, featuring the “jewels” of the past competing across 6 Special Stages and 82 competitive kilometers on asphalt terrain. Marios Stafylopatis–Giorgos Chatzirigas were the fastest crew on every stage of the rally, securing a comfortable victory in the championship opener. The reigning Greek Historic Champions of the last two years shared the bucket seats of a BMW M3 E30 and finished ahead of Panagiotis Koutsikos–Alexandros Mataliotakis in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4. Completing the podium in the Historic category at the Rally Lamias were Lymperis Papazoglou–Maria Nikolopoulou in a Lancia Delta Integrale.
The 23 crews competing in the Historic category at the 4th Rally Stereas Elladas, the second round of the championship, faced 46.24 competitive kilometers. Another comfortable victory went to Marios Stafylopatis–Giorgos Chatzirigas, this time driving a Lancia Delta Integrale 16V. They were followed in second place by Alexandros Christodoulou–Athanasios Samaras in a Lancia 037 Rally, unchallenged and never under pressure. Panagiotis Koutsikos–Alexandros Mataliotakis (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4) claimed another podium finish, overtaking Giorgos Paradeisis–Ploutarchos Stergiou on the final special stage, with the latter eventually finishing fourth in their Ford Escort MKI.
Fifth overall were Dimitris Amaxopoulos–Stavros Stamelos in a Toyota Corolla KE30, followed by Dimitris Trikardos–Konstantinos Verykakis in a Ford Escort MKI. Competing on gravel for the first time, Spiros Liosis finished seventh in the Historic category, with Nikolaos Giannopoulos alongside him in the right-hand bucket seat of a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4. Completing the top ten were Grigoris Pierroutsakos–Nikos Bambalis (Peugeot 205), Giorgos Bertsatos–Kostas Kontos (Toyota Starlet), and Michalis Nomikos–Michalis Patrikousis (Toyota Starlet).
Although Marios Stafylopatis–Giorgos Chatzirigas, with two wins in as many events, currently lead the championship standings, the increased coefficient of the Historic Acropolis Rally is expected to play a decisive role in the continuation of the series and could potentially alter the balance in the title fight.
The remaining rounds of the Greek Historic Rally Championship include the Rally Evoikou (October 3-4), the Fthinoporino Rally (November 7-8), and the Rally Paladio (December 5).
Official Website: http://www.historicacropolis.gr
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