Lancia Corse HF gains valuable experience at Acropolis Rally Greece and looks ahead to upcoming international events
(++) Léo Rossel and Guillaume Mercoiret finish sixth after a demanding Acropolis Rally
(++) Seventh place for Pablo Sarrazin and Yannick Roche following a mature performance on the challenging Greek gravel roads
(++) Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand forced to retire on SS10, while Conner Martell and Alessandro Gelsomino exit on SS14 after a rollover with no injuries to the crew
(++) Lancia Corse HF continues its gravel development programme and now turns its attention to Rally di Roma Capitale in the FIA European Rally Championship
Acropolis Rally Greece once again lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest events in the FIA World Rally Championship. Extreme temperatures, heavily deteriorated roads and more than 320 kilometres of competitive stages put both crews and machinery under intense pressure, providing Lancia Corse HF with another important opportunity to further develop the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale on gravel.
The best result for the Italian manufacturer came courtesy of Léo Rossel and Guillaume Mercoiret, who secured sixth place after delivering a consistent and determined performance throughout the “Rally of the Gods”. Close behind, Pablo Sarrazin and Yannick Roche completed a positive weekend in seventh position, adding valuable experience in one of the most demanding rallies on the WRC calendar.
Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand had shown promising pace during the early stages of the event and were among the leading contenders before a problem on Special Stage 10 brought their rally to a premature end. It was an unfortunate setback for the French crew, who once again demonstrated strong speed and competitiveness on gravel.
Conner Martell and Alessandro Gelsomino also endured a difficult end to their rally. Making their World Championship appearance with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, the crew was forced to retire on Special Stage 14 following a rollover. Fortunately, both driver and co-driver emerged uninjured from the incident.
Despite a weekend marked by extremely demanding conditions and a degree of misfortune, the overall outcome remains positive for Lancia Corse HF. Acropolis Rally Greece provided encouraging indications regarding the competitiveness of the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale on gravel while allowing the team to gather valuable data and experience ahead of the next rounds of the season.
The focus now shifts to the team's upcoming international commitments. As early as next week, Lancia Corse HF will be back in action in the FIA European Rally Championship at Rally di Roma Capitale, where both Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin will be competing on the spectacular asphalt stages of Italy’s premier ERC event.
Didier Clément – Team Principal, Lancia Corse HF
“The Acropolis rally is one of the most demanding rallies for mechanics and crews. We have many sources of satisfaction, even if we were hoping for a better result. After a lot of development work after the Portugal rally, we made great progress on this surface. Yohan Rossel demonstrated progress despite his handicap of starting 1st on the WRC2 road. Unfortunately, an engine issue stopped his momentum. Léo Rossel, for his return to gravel, improved his speed over the stages to reach a promising level. Pablo Sarrazin has achieved his most successful WRC race of his young career and Conner Martell impressed the observers for his first appearance at this level. Enough to build bright hopes for the upcoming rounds”
Source Lancia