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Ogier wins Acropolis Rally to close in on Evans / Photo: © AFP/File
Ogier wins Acropolis Rally to close in on Evans
French veteran Sebastien Ogier relied on his experience to navigate the punishing Greek terrain and win the Acropolis Rally on Sunday as Hyundai rival Thierry Neuville suffered a puncture.
Nine-time world champion Ogier, who is driving a part-time campaign, triumphed with a 58.3-second margin on the Belgian to move third in the overall standings behind Welsh driver Elfyn Evans who finished seventh.
Japan's Takamoto Katsuta took third place, finishing just over three minutes back.
Ogier had complained all weekend about tyres that were "unsuited to the conditions" of the rocky roads.
But driving with extreme caution he managed to avoid a race-ending puncture to claim his 69th world championship win.
"Finally! Thanks to the Greek gods," said the 42-year-old, who had previously the race in 2011.
"It was a long weekend; there was never a moment to relax. I tried to sense every single stone."
It was a real battle with Neuville, winner in Greece in 2022 and 2024.
The two men had been going head-to-head since Friday's opening stages, separated by just 1.3 seconds heading into the penultimate stage.
But the Belgian ultimately lost out in the puncture lottery -- his rear-right tyre shredded, costing him 53 seconds and his chances of victory.
"We've been very unlucky; I don't know what happened, a puncture on the rear left, then the rear right," Neuville said.
"I'm disappointed; it would have been great to battle Sébastien right to the end. We might have deserved a win; we had the pace."
Other drivers suffered multiple punctures with Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux's Hyundai having four.
Irishman Jon Armstrong (Ford), won his very first WRC stage and briefly held third place on Friday, before punctures saw him slip to 20th.
Ford could nonetheless take satisfaction in the fourth-place finish of Irishman Josh McErlean.
In the championship standings, Toyota's Evans retains the lead despite losing ground after opening the road on Friday, a major disadvantage in a gravel rally.
However, the Welshman's lead narrowed and he is now ahead of second-placed Katsuta by a mere seven points.
Ogier has climbed back to third, 33 points behind Evans, after claiming maximum points with the overall win and in both Super Sunday and the Power Stage.
J.Martinez--SFF
