Kalle Rovanpera Wins The Acropolis Rally Yet Again On Pirelli Tyres

Kalle Rovanpera, a Toyota driver, has won the Acropolis Rally for the eighth time, joining a roster of legendary names that includes Ari Vatanen, Juha Kankkunen, Marcus Gronholm, Timo Salonen, Markku Alen, Jari-Matti Latvala, and Mikko Hirvonen — the final Pirelli-equipped winner of the Acropolis in 2009. Rovanpera won by more than a minute over two champions: Hyundai's Ott Tanak and Toyota's current series leader Sebastien Ogier, who were fastest on eight stages (including the shakedown).

THE WINNING TYRE

The Scorpion KX hard tyre from Pirelli was chosen for the Acropolis Rally because of the expected harsh and hot conditions in Greece. However, the rally was preceded by unseasonably cool and rainy weather, which continued into the weekend. This also allowed the KX soft tyre to be used, particularly on the damper and cooler stages. The wet sectors were extremely slick, while the dry stages were extremely rough, with rocks and stones challenging the tyres' strengthened structure.

CLICK HEREto find a TyrePlex Dealer near you!

Also SeeDunlop Rider Febvre Secures MXGP Podium At Lommel

KEY STAGE: SS13 TARZAN (23.37KM)

Tarzan, a classic Acropolis Rally stage that was used for the first time since 2003, was a highly technical challenge with multiple hairpins. Rain and muddy conditions made Sunday's first test much more difficult. In theory, this should favour the soft tyre, but Rovanpera put in a fantastic run on a mix of hard and soft tyres to go 14 seconds faster than the rest of the field and take the rally lead, which he would eventually take on the stage's shorter second pass.

Terenzio Testoni, rally activity manager: "This was a fascinating rally that was full of twists as well as a wide variety of conditions: some of which were highly unusual for this event. Tyre strategy helped to make a difference right from the very first stage. The opening day was characterised by the low grip and slippery surfaces, while Saturday showcased conditions that were much more typical of the Acropolis, with abrasive surfaces and high levels of wear. Sunday was unexpectedly a bit damp, with cool temperatures. 

Want to get "Wheel balancing" performed on your vehicle?CLICK HERE

Also SeeVESevo Gun Is Helping Teams Master 2021 F1 Tyres

"We're particularly satisfied with the performance of the hard tyre here, which showed a solidly consistent level of performance in every situation and on every surface. That underlined its capability as a very versatile tyre that was well-suited to a rally such as this one, where the difference between the soft and the hard tyre can be essential. Congratulations to Kalle, who pushed the tyres to the limit and got the most out of them, sealing a fantastic victory to underline his raw speed."

Do you like to get insights into such stories? Join our TyrePlex Facebook page to be the first one to get notified of such news of the tyre Industry.

Are you interested in Car Servicing?

New Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Locate Tyre Dealers in Your City

Have a question about Tyres?

Get an answer in 24 hours from our experts.

Please Enter Valid Question.

Thankyou for asking question, we will review and provide you an expert answer.

Have a Question

Pirelli Tyre Dealers in Popular Cities

Add to Compare Products