Ogier Warns Afternoon Acropolis Stages Will Be 'A Real Killer'

Sebastien Ogier believes the afternoon loop of Acropolis Rally Greece will present an even greater challenge after the rough gravel roads put tyre durability under severe pressure during Friday morning.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver remained among the fastest crews by winning two special stages in the morning. However, he said outright speed had become secondary as every crew was forced to prioritise tyre management on the highly abrasive surface.

Ogier also revealed that his car suffered a puncture near the end of the final morning stage. Fortunately, the tyre failed only a short distance from the finish, limiting the time loss, but it highlighted how easily tyres can be damaged on this year's Acropolis Rally.

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"It's definitely very tough on the tyres, just as we expected. That's the main thing we're all trying to manage. It's not really possible to push, especially on that last stage, which was extremely abrasive," said Ogier.

The Stiri stage will be repeated during the afternoon, and Ogier expects it to become significantly harsher after the morning pass. He believes tyre preservation will outweigh outright pace as crews attempt to avoid punctures on an increasingly damaged road surface.

Adrien Fourmaux, Oliver Solberg and Dani Sordo have already suffered punctures during the opening loop. With three more special stages remaining on Friday, tyre survival is expected to remain the decisive factor before the rally continues into Saturday.