The BP-Ford World Rally Team crew of Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen won the Acropolis Rally of Greece, the eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The Finns led for most of the event to record their third victory of the season and second consecutive win in what is regarded as the most fearsome event in the 16-round series. Second position was claimed by reigning World Champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroën Total) while Petter Solberg finished third in a revitalised Subaru Impreza.
With Grönholm also taking maximum points in Sardinia two weeks ago, the Ford Focus driver increased his advantage in the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers. He is now nine points ahead of Loeb with the prospect of his home event in Finland coming up next. Team-mate Mikko Hirvonen consolidates his third position, 21 points ahead of Daniel Sordo. Ford - which won its 60th world rally in Greece - also increased its lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship, having scored points with both its cars in every event so far this season. It leads Citroën by 28 points with Subaru having climbed into third in the series.
The final leg of competition covered four long stages before finishing with another run at the super special stage at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Athens. Loeb pushed hard in the first 20 kilometre stage but, having only taken six seconds out of Grönholm’s lead, the Frenchman then settled for second, comfortably ahead of Petter Solberg. All the top eight positions remained unchanged through the day.
The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now head into a mid-season break and the action resumes at Rally Finland (3-5 August).
Acropolis Rally of Greece – Final Results (subject to final scrutineering)
| 1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautiainen | Ford Focus RS WRC | 3 hr 49 min 22.6sec | |
| 2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena | Citroën C4 WRC | 3 hr 50 min 01.2sec | |
| 3. Petter Solberg/Phil Mills | Subaru Impreza WRC | 3 hr 50 min 56.7sec | |
| 4. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen | Ford Focus RS WRC | 3 hr 52 min 03.9sec | |
| 5. Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud | Ford Focus RS WRC | 3 hr 54 min 15.3sec | |
| 6. Chris Atkinson/Stéphane Prévot | Subaru Impreza WRC | 3 hr 55 min 54.3sec | |
| 7. Jan Kopecky/Filip Schovanek | Škoda Fabia WRC | 3 hr 57 min 38.4sec | |
| 8. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3 hr 58 min 18.8sec | |
FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers (after 8 of 16 rounds)
| Marcus Grönholm (FIN) | 65 points |
| Sébastien Loeb (F) | 56 points |
| Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) | 49 points |
| Daniel Sordo (E) | 28 points |
| Petter Solberg (N) | 26 points |
| Henning Solberg (N) | 24 points |
| Chris Atkinson (AUS) | 15 points |
| Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) | 12 points |
| Daniel Carlsson (S) | 9 points |
| Manfred Stohl (A) | 9 points |
FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers (after 8 of 16 rounds)
| BP-Ford World Rally Team | 114 points |
| Citroën Total World Rally Team | 86 points |
| Subaru World Rally Team | 43 points |
| Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team | 41 points |
| OMV Kronos Citroën World Rally Team | 27 points |
| Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team | 1 point |