Gaurav Gill Off To A Flying Start In 2022 Acropolis Rally In Greece

The 2022 Acropolis Rally Greece is underway and India's Gaurav Gill was off to a flying start in the opening states. Dubbed as the 'Rally of Gods', the rally started with a Super Special Stage (SSS) at Athens Olympic Stadium on September 8, 2022 with over 60,000 spectators. The rest of the rally combines gravel mountain roads of Greece, high temperatures, dust and more. Gill, the only Indian rally driver on the grid, managed a brilliant start finishing third on Day 1 in the WRC2 category and sixth overall. He was just 1.3 seconds off the overall leader T. Neuville, and 1.2 seconds off WRC2 leader T. Suninen, respectively in the SSS.

Gaurav Gill was about 1.5 seconds off the overall leader T. Neuville in the Super Special Stage

Speaking on his performance, Gaurav Gill said, "We are happy with the start we've got right from the Shakedown up till now. This rally is a true test of patience and endurance. The tracks are really challenging and it gets tougher. We are pumped up to give our best to tackle the obstacles and maintain the consistency."

The three-time Asia Pacific Rally Champion was about 10-15 seconds off the race leaders in the next three stages at every five kilometres. It's noteworthy that this is Gill's maiden outing Acropolis Rally. Gill is driving the Skoda Fabia R5 Rally2 car and has been neck to neck with the WRDC leaders. The Acropolis Rally will see the participants cover a total of 1,192 km including 16 Special stages of 303 km. The rally will cross the soaring temperatures of Acropolis, moving to different stages set in Elatia, Bauxites, and Tarzan. The newer terrain will make things even more challenging for the drivers with twisty, dusty, rock-strewn mountain roads.