Greece 2007
ALTHOUGH 'THE ACROPOLIS' IS USUALLY A CAR-BREAKER OF A RALLY, THIS YEAR SAW FEW MAJOR RETIREMENTS. HOWEVER, PUNCTURES WERE A DIFFERENT STORY. CHRIS ATKINSON AND SEBASTIEN LOEB WERE THE MAIN SUFFERERS WITH CHRIS EXPERIENCING TWO PUNCTURES EARLY IN A STAGE ON DAY 1, WHEN HE WAS LEADING THE RALLY, AND CHOSE TO CARRY ON RATHER THAN STOP TO CHANGE THE WHEELS. THE 'MOOSE' SYSTEM FAILED TO KEEP THE TYRES FULLY INFLATED. HE LOST 2 MINUTES AS A RESULT. SEBASTIEN WAS LUCKIER - HIS 2 PUNCTURES OCCURRED TOWARDS THE END OF A STAGE ON DAY 2 BUT HE ONLY LOST 10/15 SECONDS. HOWEVER, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FIGHT WITH MARCUS GRONHOLM IT PROVED TO BE DISASTROUS. HE HAD FOUGHT BACK TO 2ND PLACE, ONLY 10 SECONDS BEHIND MARCUS, AFTER A SPIN ON DAY 1 HAD DROPPED HIM TO 7TH AND THE PUNCTURES DROPPED HIM TOO FAR BEHIND TO PUT ANY REALISTIC CHANCE OF WINNING OUT OF THE QUESTION UNLESS MARCUS MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE. HE DIDN'T AND DESERVED THE WIN AFTER A FLAWLESS DRIVE. SUBARU HAD A MUCH BETTER RALLY THAN OF LATE, RUNNING 1ST AND 2ND ON DAY 1, AND WITHOUT ATKINSON'S 2 PUNCTURES AND PETTER SOLBERG'S BROKEN DAMPER ON DAY 2 THEY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE HAD A FINISH MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE.
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Marcus Gronholm / BP-Ford
|
| 2.
|
Sebastien Loeb / Citroen Total
|
| 3.
|
Petter Solberg / Subaru
|
| 4.
|
Mikko Hirvonen / BP-Ford
|
| 5.
|
Henning Solberg / Stobart VK Ford
|
| 6.
|
Chris Atkinson / Subaru
|
| 7.
|
Jan Kopecky / Skoda
|
| 8.
|
Manfred Stohl / OMV Citroen
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Marcus Grönholm
| 65
|
| Sebastien Loeb
| 56
|
| Mikko Hirvonen
| 49
|
| Daniel Sordo
| 28
|
| Petter Solberg
| 26
|
| Henning Solberg
| 24
|
| Chris Atkinson
| 15
|
| Jari-Matti Latvala
| 12
|
Constructors :
|
| BP-Ford
|
114
|
| Citroën Total
|
86
|
| Subaru
|
43
|
| Stobart VK Ford
|
41
|
| OMV Kronos Citroen
|
27
|
| Munchi's Ford
|
1
|
Rally Results posted by
David Little
4th June 2007
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