The Acropolis Rally is postulated as one of the toughest tests of the season of the WRC. The stony terrain of the Greek stages and the heat that usually accompanies the test make this event a challenge for drivers, teams and mechanics. A circumstance that they can take advantage of in M-Sport, knowing that the Ford Fiesta WRC is one step behind its rivals due to its pace. With this in mind, Gus Greensmith and Adrien Fourmaux will seek to step forward on the Acropolis and leave behind the bad taste in the mouth that his accidents in the past Ypres Rally left behind.
The main disadvantage it has Gus Greensmith, like his partner, is that he has never competed in the Acropolis Rally. The experience of Chris Patterson, co-driver of the Briton, will be key: «The Acropolis is on the list of events I wanted to play before retiring, so it’s a rally I’ve been waiting for a long time. I tend to enjoy hard and difficult rallies. I’ve done my best to prepare by looking at old footage to get an idea of what it will be like. I have also spent nine days preparing in extreme heat conditions. If the forecasts are met, we may be hot, but far from expected and nothing out of the ordinary.
Adrien fourmaux He also makes his debut at the Acropolis, although he does not seem very concerned about it: «It is a new rally for me, but it is something that happens to me almost in every event. Some drivers do have experience, but the cars have changed a lot in the last eight years. We had a strong accident in Belgium, so we want to get back to a positive attitude and gain more experience. The Acropolis will also be in the WRC next year, so we want more information. I know it will be very hot, that there are large rocks on the ground. It will be a great challenge, with punctures and mechanical damage on many cars. I will take the experience of Turkey and the Safari».
Although he is not part of the M-Sport team as such, local driver Jourdan Serderidis will be at the controls of a third Ford Fiesta WRC at the event. A regular ‘gentleman driver’ within the championship, the Greek has had the opportunity throughout his career to drive different World Rally Cars. After competing locally in Belgium and locally in the last two years with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo as usual vehicle, Jourdan will have the opportunity to contest his third rally with the Fiesta WRC, since he also competed with Ford in the rallies of Australia and Germany in 2018.