Sebastien Ogier struck first in Greece as the nine-time world champion won Thursday evening’s opening EKO Acropolis Rally Greece super special stage in Athens.
The official WRC timing report put Ogier fastest on the 1.86km asphalt test at The Ellinikon Sports Park, where he stopped the clock at 1m38.2s.
Ogier sets the early tone
Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta finished second overall, 1.0s down, after beating championship leader Elfyn Evans in the final head-to-head pairing. Thierry Neuville, who had already topped Thursday morning’s shakedown, was third and just a tenth behind Katsuta.
The result gives Ogier the first headline of the rally, but not the real measure of the weekend. Acropolis now turns from a city showpiece into a brutal gravel event, with six Friday stages and 129.22 competitive kilometres beginning with Bauxites.
ReadMotorSport had already covered Neuville’s morning shakedown pace, but Ogier’s evening response changes the complexion of the opening day.
Why Friday matters more
The Acropolis route remains a tyre, heat and suspension examination as much as a speed test. WRC’s event guide lists the rally across 25-28 June, with rough Greek gravel and a Loutraki service base shaping round eight of the 2026 season.
Ogier’s advantage is narrow, but it matters. On a rally where Evans starts Friday first on the road and Neuville is chasing momentum after his clean start, Toyota already has the reference time before the mountains take over.
