Thierry Neuville has taken control of the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece after a brutal Friday morning loop that punished several front-running World Rally Championship crews north of Loutraki.
The Hyundai driver emerged from the opening gravel loop with an 11.0-second advantage over Sebastien Ogier, according to WRC.com, after punctures and tyre wear reshuffled the order across Bauxites, Parnassos Mt and Stiri.
Fourmaux blow hands Neuville the lead
Adrien Fourmaux had briefly looked capable of turning Hyundai pressure into the rally lead after a rapid run through Parnassos Mt, but a front-right puncture on Stiri dropped him back to fourth.
That left Neuville in front despite his own compromised morning, with the Belgian reporting that his i20 N Rally1 had lost its front splitter and aerodynamic balance through the faster sections.
Ogier kept himself in range by winning Stiri, but the earlier Acropolis lead he carried into Friday has already become a fight of survival rather than control.
M-Sport finds a major opening
Jon Armstrong was the morning’s standout disruptor, climbing to third overall for M-Sport Ford after matching Neuville’s Stiri time and using his road position cleanly.
Josh McErlean and Martins Sesks also kept Pumas inside the top six, giving M-Sport a valuable early platform on a rally where attrition can decide as much as outright pace.
The schedule remains unforgiving. Friday continues with Elikon Mt, a second pass of Stiri and Thiva, part of the rally’s longest leg at 129.22km. Neuville has the lead, but the Acropolis has already made clear that it is not handing anyone control cheaply.
