Ford drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala will be looking to turn up the heat on championship leader Sebastien Loeb as the world rally championship heads to their team’s favourite terrain of Greece today.
Coming off wins in Sardinia and Argentina, Citroen DS3 driver Loeb will be keen to keep up the momentum in the Acropolis Rally which he won in 2005 and 2008.
But despite his successes, the gruelling Greek race is not one of his favourites as it is for rivals Ford who have notched up an impressive seven wins since 2000.
“The aim above all is to gain points more than trying to win,” admitted seven-time world champion Loeb.
“It’s a back-breaking rally, you have to be a little more careful to avoid the stones, not to break the suspension or puncture the tyres.
“It risks being a test of reliability and it’s not necessarily essential to win.”
He added: “I haven’t won often but I don’t dislike it. Even if we’re coming off five straight wins on gravel (three for Loeb, two for Sebastien Ogier) the margins are extremely tight.
“We’re leading by a small margin but 13 points doesn’t put us in the clear.”
Loeb’s team-mate Ogier finished second in his only participation in Greece in 2009 behind Hirvonen and is eagerly awaiting the seventh round of the world championship series.
“It was my first podium at the highest level, a very good memory,” recalled Ogier.
“We have to play it smart because the cars, the tyres, the crew, everything suffers in Greece,” added Ogier, who is third in the championship, 30 points behind Loeb.
Hirvonen, sitting second 13 points behind Loeb, and fellow Finn Latvala are veterans of the Acropolis Rally having competed seven and six times respectively.
Latvala, who is fourth in the standings, believes the 39.10-kilometre Elatia stage this morning could provide one of the toughest tests in the three-day race.
“It’s the toughest rally of the season,” said Latvala. “The winner will be the most intelligent driver not necessarily the fastest.”
Norway’s Petter Solberg of Citroen is also targeting the top of the podium which the 2003 world champion last achieved in Greece in 2004.