News & Articles Historic Acropolis Rally 2024: Entry List
The Historic Acropolis Rally returned last year to the calendar of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship, and after a successful 2023 event, it has maintained its position this year. The final round of the championship, taking place from November 8 to 10, has attracted 61 entries from 9 countries in the Sporting category. Both the European Championship title in the overall standings and in Category 4 will be decided in Greece, with strong interest shown across other categories as well. The Historic Acropolis Rally also serves as the fourth round of the Greek Historic Rally Championship, with an increased coefficient of 3, and is expected to play a decisive role in the outcome of the national series.
Thirteen crews will compete for European championship points, including one Greek crew. With significant experience in both the World and European Rally Championships, Tibor Erdi Jr. and Istvan Kerek (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4) are coming to Greece to compete for the first time in the Historic Acropolis Rally. The Hungarian team currently holds second place in the European Championship standings and will aim for the overall title in Greece. It’s worth noting that the driver has previously taken part in the Acropolis Rally four times (2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018), when it was part of the European Championship. The Italian team of “Zippo” and Nicola Arena, currently leading the standings, will drive an impressive Audi Quattro. With 30 years of rally experience and two European Championship titles in Category 3, “Zippo” is a strong contender for victory, especially coming fresh off his win in the Historic category at the FIA Motorsport Games.
The only Greek crew eligible for points in both the European and Greek championships is Alexandros Christodoulou and Athanasios Samaras. Behind the wheel of a stunning Lancia 037 Rally, they missed out on a good result last year but hope for a strong finish this year to maintain their lead in the Greek Historic Championship standings. Polish driver Maciej Lubiak, who competed in selected European Championship rounds this year, will have Grzegorz Dachowski as his co-driver in a Porsche 911 SC. This is Lubiak’s first year in historic rallying, although he has extensive experience in events in his home country.
Ernie Graham, who will be co-driving a Ford Escort RS1800 MKII with his daughter Anna, is a notable participant in this year’s rally. Third in last year’s event, this will be the British driver’s fifth attempt in the Historic Acropolis Rally, where he aims for the title both in the overall and in Category 4. Belgians Christophe Jacob and Isabelle Regnier, who started in six European Championship rounds this year, are coming to Greece for the first time with a Ford Escort RS1800 MKII. Similarly, British team Richard Jordan and Sam Collis will compete with the same car, aiming for a smooth rally in their first outing outside of the UK, while British team of James Potter and Karen Graham, who secured the European title in Category 1, will be competing in Greece in a Ford Escort.
With over 50 years of rally experience, veteran Italian driver Antonio Parisi returns for the seventh time to the Historic Acropolis Rally. He will compete in a red Porsche 911 S with notes read by Giuseppe D’Angelo. Additionally, Italian driver Andrea Evangelos Farmakakis, will drive a Ford Escort RS2000 MKII with experienced co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini. Polish team Piotr Gadomski and Bartlomiej Meka (Toyota Corolla AE82) also aim to mathematically secure the title in the front-wheel-drive category. German enthusiasts Siegfried Mayr and Renate Mayr, lovers of historic cars, will participate in the rally for the second consecutive year, driving a Volvo 244. Competing in Category 1, which is reserved for cars up to 1969, the Italian crew of Carlo Fiorito and Nicolo Ventoso will aim to avoid the pitfalls of the special stages with their BMW 2002 Tii.
Regarding competitors in the Greek championship, last year’s fastest Greek crew in the event was Marios Stafylopatis and Giorgos Chatzirigas, who aim for a similar achievement this year. This time, the reigning Greek champions in the Historic category will drive a Lancia Delta Integrale. Panagiotis Paradeisis will drive a Ford Escort RS1800 at the Historic Acropolis Rally with Michalis Frangou as his co-driver. Having won the last round of the series in early October, the 2023 Gravel Rally Cup champion aims to finish the rally, a goal he couldn’t achieve last year. Sotiris Skaltsas and Nikos Tsadaris will participate with a Volkswagen Golf II, with the experienced driver, a prominent A5 competitor over 20 years ago, returning to the rally after 1-year break.
Ghislain de Mevius’ entry is highly anticipated; he’s the son of Gregoire de Mevius, a familiar name from previous Acropolis Rally entries. With extensive experience from select WRC2 events and years as a contender in the Belgian championship, the 36-year-old Belgian is expected to be competitive with a Mazda 323 4WD and his compatriot Johan Jalet as co-driver. Undoubtedly, he will stir up memories for the spectators, as his father competed in the same vehicle on Greek mountains in the late 1980s.
Alexandros Chalivelakis -Thanos Papageorgiou are looking to avoid issues, and although they are not following the Greek championship series this year, they aim for a strong finish in their Ford Escort RS2000 MKII. Last year, they had to abandon the race during the opening Saturday stage while in fourth overall. Also expected to be competitive are Ioannis Tsalamatas and Nikos Babalis (Ford Escort RS2000 MKII), who return to the Historic Acropolis Rally, with a victory in the asphalt section of the 2015 race as a highlight. Giorgos Paradeisis and Ploutarchos Stergiou will drive a Ford Escort MKI, having placed seventh last year; in 2022, the driver had also reached the podium in the race, then with Michalis Frangou as co-driver. Alexandros Roustemis, with Nikolaos Giannopoulos in the co-driver seat of a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, will once again aim for the finish in Itea on the evening of Sunday, November 10.
Stelios Yamalakis and Nikos Samios will participate with a Talbot Sunbeam, a car that Manolis Panagiotopoulos famously drove through the rally stages in the 1980s. Coming from the Regularity category, Giorgos Delaportas switched to Sporting last year and has no regrets, following the Greek Rally Championship with a modern car. For the Historic Acropolis Rally, he will drive a Volkswagen Golf II with co-driver Vangelis Panaritis for the second consecutive year. Although fairly new to rally racing, Dimitris Pavlos Melas made a strong showing at the Fthinoporino Rally in early October. With young Stathis Vardaxis as co-driver, they will drive a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0, marking their second entry in the race. Nikos Pavlidis and Allan Harryman, who couldn’t start last year, will drive a newly acquired Fiat 131 Racing for the first time from November 8 to 10.
Pashalis Chatzimarkos, 2023 Hill Climb and F2 Rally champion, will experience his first Historic Acropolis Rally, co-driving with Marios Tsaousoglou in a Ford Escort MKII. The duo’s speed is undeniable, and they are expected to compete for a top position. Returning with the same successful setup from last year, Konstantinos Argyriou and Stamatis Laskos, who were the surprise of the 2023 race, finished 8th overall with a Toyota Starlet EP71. With a background in asphalt rallies, Dimitris Amaxopoulos excels on gravel as well. He will race in a Toyota Corolla KE30, with which he contended for the 2023 Historic Championship, and will aim for a finish alongside co-driver Chara Moraiti.
For the first time, Konstantinos Mylonas will drive a Toyota Celica TA22, co-driving with Lamia’s Nikos Paraperas, while the 2012 Greek Rally champions Grigoris Nioras and Konstantinos Kakalis return to the race in an Opel Corsa GSI. Expect a thrilling display from Charis Manousaridis and Ioannis Tzogias in their rear-wheel-drive Ford Escort MKII, while last year’s 9th-place finishers Konstantinos Papadimitriou and Manos Sigalas return with a Toyota Starlet EP71 Turbo. A few days after securing third in the Historic class at the championship Fthinoporino Rally, Ioannis Paravalos and Dionysis Kolotouros will race with a Toyota Corolla AE92, aiming for points.
British duo Philip Young and Peter Dowds will experience a Historic Acropolis Rally after 16 years, driving a Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII. For their third year, Konstantinos Georgakopoulos and Kostas Kontos will participate in a Toyota Corolla AE86; despite their bad luck in 2022, they successfully overcame last year’s challenges in the race.
After 20 years of competing on asphalt, Ioannis Kalaitzian and “Marianna Kalogiratou” (Fiat Ritmo) stepped onto dirt for the first time at the Historic Acropolis Rally in 2022 and have since participated every year in the event. Georgios Kassidopoulos and Apostolos Pallas will share a rear-wheel-drive Toyota Corolla AE86, with the 2014 Greek Historic Champion looking to continue his successful streak of finishes in this international race. Charalampos Bousounis and Spyros Roiniotis will make their first appearance with a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4. Panagiotis Koutsikos, who did not finish in the last two years, will have Dimitris Vazakas in the right seat of his Toyota Starlet this time, aiming to reach the ramp in Itea early Sunday afternoon. Having driven many different rally cars on dirt in recent years, Theodoros Kalamaras could not miss the Historic Acropolis Rally, in which he also participated last year. He will drive a Toyota Starlet with Dimitris Lamprakis beside him, while a similar car will be shared by Ioannis Nomikos and Michalis Patrikousis, marking the 29-year-old driver’s first year in rallying. Following in his father’s footsteps, Athanasios Athanasoulas will also drive a Toyota Starlet with Vasilis Basioukas alongside him, wanting to break his negative streak of withdrawals in the event. In June 2022, Alexandros Papandreou got his first taste of competition by participating in the Historic Acropolis Rally, and he has since been present every year. His co-driver in the white Toyota Starlet will be Dimitris Rizopoulos.
Petros Vasilopoulos transitioned from Regularity to Sporting almost two years ago and will be participating in the fourth round of the Historic Championship with his co-driver Panagiotis Koukliambis in an orange Ford Escort RS2000 MKI. Similarly, Savvas Tzilavis and Georgios Dimopoulos will start under the Holy Rock of the Acropolis on Friday, November 8, with a Ford Escort RS2000 MKI. Dimitris Trikardos and Nikos Manouskos (Ford Escort RS2000 MKI) will make their first attempt at the Historic Acropolis Rally, as will Pavlos Votzakis and Antonis Rekkas (Alfa Romeo Berlina 2000). Last year, Giorgos Vytogianis withdrew a few kilometers before the end of the race, but this year he returns in a BMW 2002 Tii with his son Nikolaos Vytogianis as his co-driver. Pantelis Antonopoulos and Maira Kallitsi have not missed an event since 2014 and will start with a Ford Escort RS2000 MKII, while Giorgos Dodos aims to continue his successful finishing streak with Nikos Intzoglou as his co-driver in a Nissan Cherry. There’s a change of car for Patroklos Kansos, whose efforts ended unsuccessfully last year due to a mechanical failure. This year, he will compete in a BMW 320/6 with Lamia’s Andreas Grigoropoulos as his co-driver. Vasilis Batis has decided to try his hand at historic cars this year; he made his first kilometers with a Toyota Starlet EP71 during the championship Fthinoporino Rally earlier this month, which he will drive in the race. His co-driver will be the experienced Alexandros Mataliotakis. Words are unnecessary for Charis Kaltsounis, the record-holder for entries in the Acropolis Rally, who this year decided to return in the co-driver seat of an Opel Kadett GTE for the Historic Acropolis Rally, alongside Andreas Peridis. The last time Lyberis Papazoglou competed on the dirt of the Historic Acropolis was in 2012 with an Alfa Romeo. Twelve years later, he returns to the race, this time with a Skoda Favorit and Maria Nikoloopoulou as his co-driver. Nikolaos Kottis will make his rally debut in a Peugeot 205 GTI, with Ioannis Kepetzis reading the notes, while Giorgos Bertsatos will participate in a dirt rally for the first time, having Nikos Mouzakis in the right seat of a Peugeot 205 Rallye.
In the National category, which is aimed at cars without an international Recognition Document from the FIA, several notable entries will participate. For the first time, Belgian Emmanuel Egermont will compete in our country, with the experienced Stéphane Prévot, former co-driver to Bruno Thiry, François Duval, Chris Atkinson, and others, in the right seat of a Toyota Celica RA20. His compatriot, Alexandre Felsenhart, will start with Jean Louis Hottelet in the right seat of a Ford Escort MKI, while from Finland, Ilkka Kalmanlehto and Jaana Salopuro will participate in the final round of the European Historic Rally Championship in a Datsun 160J. Another Belgian crew, Miguel Henry de Frahan and Eric Gressens, will experience the Historic Acropolis Rally with a Ford Escort RS1800 MKII, while attention is expected to be drawn to the Mercedes 190E 2.3 16V that will be driven by Antonis Ganos and Petros Konstas.
On Thursday, November 7, from 14:00 to 20:00, administrative and technical checks will take place in a covered area at the colonnade of the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Neo Faliro.
On Friday, November 8, at 12:00, the ceremonial start of the Historic Acropolis Rally will take place in an iconic location. Participants from all categories (Sporting, Regularity, Legends) will start under the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis, as befits this international event, and then head to the Olympic Sports Center of Athens, where they will stay overnight.
On Saturday morning, November 9, the Sporting category participants will compete in the Special Stage “Moschopodi,” which is 17.71 km long, and then proceed to “Thiva,” which is 14.91 km long. The day’s program includes the Special Stage “Akraifnio,” measuring 10.36 km, before regrouping in Aliartos. Following will be the Special Stages “Elicon,” 8.06 km long, and “Mavroneri,” 13.37 km long, leading crews to the city of Itea, where there will be a 30-minute service. The first leg concludes with the famous “Karoutes,” measuring 17.63 km, which will take place under the lights!
On Sunday morning, November 10, participants will race again on the “Karoutes,” this time in daylight, and then proceed to the Special Stages “Parnassos,” measuring 15.27 km, and “Prosilion,” measuring 12.22 km. An intermediate service will follow in the coastal town of Itea, which will serve as the center of the rally, concluding with the repetition of the Special Stages “Parnassos” and “Prosilion.” The race will finish in Itea at 16:45.
The sponsor of the event is SEAJETS. SEAJETS operates the world’s largest fleet of speedboats, serving a total of 50 ports and over 400 connections from Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio, Crete, Thessaloniki, and Volos, with final destinations in the Cyclades and the Aegean. SEAJETS has been in the shipping industry since 1989 and, after its official entry into passenger shipping in 2002, continues uninterrupted to this day with a modern fleet of high-speed vessels.
Supporting the event is also NISSAN Chalkias, part of the official NISSAN network for over 45 years, which also maintains a fully organized used car department for all categories and manufacturers.
Avis Car Rental supports the Historic Acropolis Rally! With a global presence, Avis has operated in Greece since 1960 and has an extensive network of 60 stations nationwide, including all major airports. They also have a modern fleet of approximately 60,000 cars in various categories, including automatic cars, city cars, SUVs, commercial or passenger vans, and luxury vehicles. Avis’s fleet also includes green (electric or hybrid) cars, reflecting sustainability and growing demand. Their reliable rental services cater to needs for every occasion, from excursions to corporate transport and official events.
Clevermedia.gr supports this year’s Historic Acropolis Rally! Clevermedia was founded in 1996 by a group of young people with enthusiasm and new ideas for promoting and communicating businesses in the public and private sectors. The company has gradually developed five different sectors, including electronic communication (website creation, CD-ROM development, 3D presentations, videos), printed communication (advertising material, magazines), product promotion (marketing services, stand construction, infokiosks, sponsorships), and in recent years has also engaged in developing and implementing new technologies (programming, applications, wireless networks, technical support, online TV & radio stations), as well as the study and digitization of files in both public and private sectors.
SP Tableware was founded in 1959 and specializes in selling household and professional goods. With years of experience in handmade engraved glassware, the company stands out for using the traditional method of hand-engraving glass with diamond wheels, creating a variety of designs and offering the possibility of unique contemporary and classic engravings. Its products are available in selected stores throughout Greece and abroad.
Superfast Ferries supports the Historic Acropolis Rally this year by offering discounted tickets to competitors coming to Greece to participate in the final round of the European Historic Rally Championship.
The organizers receive invaluable assistance from the Region of Attica, the Regional Unit of Viotia, and the Regional Unit of Fokida. The municipalities supporting the Historic Acropolis Rally include the Municipality of Athens, the Municipality of Thiva, the Municipality of Levadeia, the Municipality of Delphi, the Municipality of Orchomenos, the Municipality of Aliartos, the Municipality of Nafpaktos, and the Municipality of Ancient Olympia.
The communication sponsor is Cosmote TV, which has been present at all motorsport events in our country in recent years.
On the official website of the event (www.historicacropolis.gr) and on the Electronic Notice Board (https://webapp.sportity.com/channel/ACRHIST24SP), you can find the schedule, participants, and maps of the Historic Acropolis Rally. Additionally, you can stay updated on the latest news about the event through the organization’s social media channels.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/historicacropolisrallygr
Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/historic_acropolis_rally/
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