How brutal warmth on the Acropolis Rally cooked WRC drivers

Acropolis Rally Greece served a well timed reminder as to why World Rally Championships crews and groups are regarded among the many elite after finishing one of many hardest days in motorsport.

The WRC was braced for maybe its most bodily demanding check of the season due to a punishing mix the WRC’s roughest levels, coupled with the relentless power sapping temperatures, unfold throughout a 14-hour day on the street.

Shifting the occasion from September again to its conventional June date solely intensified the warmth and the roughness of the levels, as groups and drivers rapidly realized.

Excessive situations are a part of the WRC’s DNA and one of many championship’s alluring attributes. The actual fact its drivers and groups are capable of cope in such eventualities is why they’re held in excessive regard by the motorsport world.

Friday was a real check of groups and their machines as they aimed to finish nearly 500 kilometres (~300 miles), with the primary stage starting at 7:28am — and the final beginning at 7:31pm. Ambient temperatures within the excessive 30’s diploma Celsius (100°F) translated to temperatures hovering in the direction of 70 levels C (158°F) contained in the vehicles.

Survival of the quickest

Yohan Rossel, Arnaud Dunand, PH Sport Citroen C3 Rally2

Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool

Even staying hydrated proved a problem. Crews can carry three lites of water within the automotive along with entry to water on the finish of levels and different refreshments on the noon distant service. 

The day examined bodily and psychological health to the restrict throughout levels — and there was little respite when levels have been over. The warmth soak impact contained in the vehicles when traversing street sections was much more power sapping, based on the crews.

Martins Sesks, Renars Francis, M-Sport Ford World Rally Workforce Ford Puma Rally1

Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool

“It has been extraordinarily scorching and tremendous exhausting driving the automotive, however we managed it,” defined Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier, who ended Friday, third, 16.9s adrift of the rally chief Ott Tanak.

“We tried to chill down each time we may, and each minute we had, we tried to cease on a street part beneath the timber to chill down a bit. Even on the street sections you are feeling like you’ve a hair dryer blowing in your face the entire day. I’m actually hoping the subsequent day ought to be cooler, which within the mountains it ought to be a few levels much less and I feel we will probably be joyful.

“It was okay, and I did not really feel my focus was dropping however I wish to know what number of liters of water we drank in the present day. I additionally had a fairly a nasty headache earlier than the final stage, however fortunately in a regroup I took some medicine to assist me for the final one.”

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Workforce Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Picture by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville revealed that he accomplished the day with out consuming any meals on the noon distant service, the place crews have been busy engaged on their vehicles within the blazing solar to organize for the afternoon levels. 

“Actually, it was powerful I used to be thirsty during and didn’t have sufficient liquids,” Neuville advised Motorsport.com after ending Friday in eighth following punctures in levels 4 and 5.

“After we had the 2 punctures and you might be pushing and issues don’t go your means it’s tremendous irritating. I didn’t really feel properly within the automotive and every little thing got here collectively, the frustration, the frustration, no meals and restricted liquids.”

A problem for groups

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool

Hyundai Motorsport boss Cyril Abiteboul paid tribute not solely to the drivers and co-drivers, however all members of the WRC groups for the best way they coped within the situations.

“It’s powerful for everybody and I wish to discuss the entire areas, the mechanics, the engineers,” Abiteboul advised Motorsport.com.

“It has been a really lengthy day, and a few of them have been already on the distant service at 4:15am to safe a superb place as a result of it is rather demanding and you have to safe your personal area. It’s a bit like going to the seashore, and also you wish to save an area along with your towel. 

“They stayed many of the day there within the solar, it has been very onerous for them. We have to give big credit score to them. I can not say that we have to do issues in another way, as a result of I can’t see how we will. It Is essential that we as a neighborhood replicate on the trouble that goes in.”

Takamoto Katsuta, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool

Along with coping with the extraordinary warmth, drivers have been on excessive alert to navigate via the levels with out hitting any rocks that might induce punctures of terminal harm to the vehicles.

WRC2 class chief Oliver Solberg was among the many few to finish the day with out problem, in what is barely his third begin on the occasion.

“I wanted little bit of luck and to have my eyes very open. It isn’t a rally the place you’ll be able to push so I stepped down in pace to see all of the rocks, it isn’t simple,” Solberg advised Motorsport.com.

“The tough half is the levels are new for me so I must focus a lot on the tempo notes whereas street and in search of the rocks. At the moment was tough.”

The excellent news for the WRC crews is that temperatures are set to fall to 34 levels on Saturday, whereas there’s a threat of a thunderstorm.