Thierry Neuville has kept Sebastien Ogier behind him at the front of the Acropolis Rally Greece, but Hyundai’s cushion has been cut to a live-fire margin heading into the repeat Saturday stages.
The official WRC report says Neuville reached the midpoint of Saturday’s leg with a 6.3-second advantage after the pair traded times across Ghymno, Kolines and Menalo Mt. That is a meaningful compression from the 9.7s lead he carried at the end of Friday, when ReadMotorSport reported how the rough Greek gravel had already turned the rally into a tyre-management fight.
Ogier Keeps Hyundai Under Pressure
Neuville’s position remains strong, but the shape of the rally has changed. Ogier is close enough to force Hyundai into a risk calculation on every rocky braking zone, while the Loutraki service break gives Toyota a clear chance to sharpen the second pass.
The key numbers are blunt, and they explain why the afternoon loop matters so much:
- Neuville lead: 6.3s over Ogier at Saturday midpoint
- Main stages covered: Ghymno, Kolines and Menalo Mt
- Next phase: Kefalari before repeat runs after service
For Neuville, the task is no longer simply pace. It is restraint without surrendering momentum. For Ogier, the rally has become exactly the kind of attritional contest where small gains can become decisive quickly.
