The superhuman efforts to tackle WRC’s Acropolis Rally

Acropolis Rally Greece served a timely reminder as to why World Rally Championships crews and teams are regarded among the elite after completing one of the toughest days in motorsport.

The WRC was braced for perhaps its most physically demanding test of the season thanks to a punishing blend the WRC’s roughest stages, coupled with the relentless energy sapping temperatures, spread across a 14-hour day on the road.

Moving the event from September back to its traditional June date only intensified the heat and the roughness of the stages, as teams and drivers quickly realized.

Extreme conditions are part of the WRC’s DNA and one of the championship’s alluring attributes. The fact its drivers and teams are able to cope in such scenarios is why they are held in high regard by the motorsport world.

Friday was a true test of teams and their machines as they aimed to complete almost 500 kilometres (~300 miles), with the first stage beginning at 7:28am — and the last starting at 7:31pm. Ambient temperatures in the high 30’s degree Celsius (100°F) translated to temperatures soaring towards 70 degrees C (158°F) inside the cars.

Survival of the quickest

Yohan Rossel, Arnaud Dunand, PH Sport Citroen C3 Rally2

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Even staying hydrated proved a challenge. Crews can carry three lites of water in the car in addition to access to water at the end of stages and other refreshments at the midday remote service. 

The day tested physical and mental fitness to the limit during stages — and there was little respite when stages were over. The heat soak effect inside the cars when traversing road sections was even more energy sapping, according to the crews.

Martins Sesks, Renars Francis, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“It has been extremely hot and super exhausting driving the car, but we managed it,” explained Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier, who ended Friday, third, 16.9s adrift of the rally leader Ott Tanak.

“We tried to cool down every time we could, and every minute we had, we tried to stop on a road section under the trees to cool down a bit. Even on the road sections you feel like you have a hair dryer blowing in your face the whole day. I’m really hoping the next day should be cooler, which in the mountains it should be a couple of degrees less and I think we will be happy.

“It was ok, and I didn’t feel my concentration was dropping but I would like to know how many liters of water we drank today. I also had a quite a bad headache before the last stage, but luckily in a regroup I took some medication to help me for the last one.”

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville revealed that he completed the day without eating any food at the midday remote service, where crews were busy working on their cars in the blazing sun to prepare for the afternoon stages. 

“Honestly, it was tough I was thirsty all the way through and didn’t have enough liquids,” Neuville told Autosport after ending Friday in eighth following punctures in stages four and five.

“When we had the two punctures and you are pushing and things don’t go your way it is super frustrating. I didn’t feel well in the car and everything came together, the disappointment, the frustration, no food and limited liquids.”

A challenge for teams

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Hyundai Motorsport boss Cyril Abiteboul paid tribute not only to the drivers and co-drivers, but all members of the WRC teams for the way they coped in the conditions.

“It is tough for everyone and I would like to talk about all of the areas, the mechanics, the engineers,” Abiteboul told Autosport.

“It has been a very long day, and some of them were already at the remote service at 4:15am to secure a good position because it is very demanding and you need to secure your own space. It is a bit like going to the beach, and you want to save a space with your towel. 

“They stayed most of the day there in the sun, it has been very hard for them. We need to give huge credit to them. I can’t say that we need to do things differently, because I can’t see how we can. It Is important that we as a community reflect on the effort that goes in.”

Takamoto Katsuta, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

In addition to dealing with the intense heat, drivers were on high alert to navigate through the stages without hitting any rocks that could induce punctures of terminal damage to the cars.

WRC2 class leader Oliver Solberg was among the few to complete the day without issue, in what is only his third start at the event.

“I needed bit of luck and to have my eyes very open. It is not a rally where you can push so I stepped down in speed to see all the rocks, it is not easy,” Solberg told Autosport.

“The difficult part is the stages are new for me so I need to focus so much on the pace notes while looking at road and looking for the rocks. Today was difficult.”

The good news for the WRC crews is that temperatures are set to fall to 34 degrees on Saturday, while there is a risk of a thunderstorm.