WRC 2
Mikkelsen edges Virves to lead WRC2 in Greece
Andreas Mikkelsen led WRC2 after a bruising Friday at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, ending 8.2sec clear of Robert Virves after a dramatic afternoon on the rough gravel roads north of Loutraki.
he Norwegian, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, emerged on top after a day where dust, rocks and tyre preservation shaped the fight as much as outright pace.
Mikkelsen and co-driver Jørn Listerud ended the leg ninth overall, with Virves and Jakko Viilo second in WRC2 and 11th overall. Alejandro Cachón completed the top three in class, 31.4sec from the lead in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The battle at the front remained close throughout Friday. Mikkelsen was delayed by dust from Roberto Daprà on the second pass of Stiri and initially dropped behind Virves, but officials later issued the Norwegian a revised time, returning him to the head of the WRC2 standings before the final Thiva test.
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Virves stayed within striking distance to close the day just 8.2sec adrift, continuing the strong Acropolis form he showed in 2024 when he finished tied on time with Sami Pajari for the WRC2 victory, only to lose out on countback.
Cachón was third after an eventful day that included rear bodywork damage earlier in the loop and a smashed windscreen on the co-driver’s side on the final stage. The Spaniard still reached the finish of Thiva to hold the final provisional podium place, 23.2sec behind Virves.
Jan Solans made it two Spanish drivers inside the top four, ending the day 41.2sec from Mikkelsen, while Roope Korhonen completed the top five ahead of Pablo Sarrazin after a difficult day on the loose and rocky stages.
© WRC
“Really, really difficult,” Korhonen said after Parnassos Mt. “I didn’t find a good rhythm and, of course, the road is so rough in there. Not easy.”
Yohan Rossel had been firmly in the fight during the early stages in his Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2, but his day unravelled late on Thiva. The Frenchman stopped 1.5km into the stage after running wide, then continued to the finish having lost more than two minutes. He ended the day seventh in WRC2, 2min 22.2sec behind Mikkelsen.
“I had no power steering two times during the afternoon,” Rossel explained. “In this one I braked a bit late and we couldn’t turn. Maybe my fault, maybe mechanical. I don’t know.”
Team-mate and brother Léo Rossel was eighth, 5.7sec behind Yohan, after reporting a lack of power from his Lancia. His final stage was complicated further when he ran in dust after Yohan’s issue.
Diego Domínguez completed the top nine in WRC2, 2min 31.5sec off the lead.
