Acropolis Rally competitors have been warned about storms passing through the central Greece area that could heavily disrupt the preparation and running of this weekend’s World Rally Championship event.
In an official bulletin yesterday (Sunday), clerk of the course of this weekend’s latest World Rally Championship event, Anita Passalis, made all teams and crews aware of the significant change of weather ahead. Rain is expected to arrive on time for the first of three days of recce today.
The bulletin stated: “According to the weather forecast, there will be heavy rain and possibly storms passing over the rally area next week. The organizer is constantly monitoring stage conditions and preparing contingency plans in case the reconnaissance is not possible as scheduled.
“All competitors are required to secure their tents and other constructions in the service park and to keep their service bays manned at all times should the severe weather conditions hit the area.”
What a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, the story was about temperatures remaining in the high 90s, with wall-to-wall sun and a fear of wildfires spreading.
Weather forecasters are now looking at a working week of rain, with thunderstorms potential moving into the Lamia area through Tuesday and Wednesday.
The event’s recce and early competition was hit by heavy rain two years ago, but these forecasts are thought worse than what the organizers faced in 2021.
These roads have been dry for so long now, it could make a bit of a messOliver Solberg
An immediate concern for the crews will be tire allocation, with Pirelli understandably having weighted the prime option in favor of the hard compound Scorpion. A softer cover would be better suited to potentially wet, muddy and radically cooler conditions.
Talking to DirtFish from the beach on Sunday evening, Oliver Solberg said: “We’re hearing a lot about the weather changing. We’re sitting here and eating dinner at the beach and it’s nice, but the talk is of thunderstorms coming – possibly worse than a couple of years ago.
“It would make things pretty tough. These roads have been dry for so long now, it could make a bit of a mess. Let’s wait and see what comes, but either way the Acropolis is going to be a tricky event.”
