Severe Weather Warning for Athens Rally in Lamia and Loutraki Regions

Anita Passalis, the event's clerk of the course, issued a weather warning on Sunday night, stating that heavy rain is expected in the Lamia and Loutraki regions where the rally will be held. The rain, accompanied by possible thunderstorms, could disrupt the reconnaissance activities scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The rally is set to commence on Thursday with a shakedown in Lamia, followed by the opening stage in Athens city centre. After that, the rally will return to the Lamia and Loutraki regions for the remaining 14 rough gravel stages.

Passalis's bulletin stated, "The weather forecast predicts heavy rains and potential storms in the rally area next week. The organizer is closely monitoring the stage conditions and developing contingency plans in case the reconnaissance cannot proceed as planned. All competitors are required to secure their tents and other structures in the service park and keep their service bays staffed in case severe weather conditions affect the area."

The weather warning comes after a period of high temperatures that have contributed to wildfires in the vicinity. The risk of further fires has disrupted pre-event testing for the factory Toyota and Hyundai teams, forcing them to abandon and reschedule their planned running. Despite the interruptions, Toyota drivers Kalle Rovanpera, Elfyn Evans, and Sebastien Ogier managed to complete a day of testing, while the team's fourth driver, Takamoto Katsuta, was unable to conduct a test.

Hyundai was able to find a safe location for Thierry Neuville, Esapekka Lappi, and Dani Sordo to carry out their testing after postponing three test days. M-Sport Ford, on the other hand, opted to conduct their testing on roads further north and was unaffected by the wildfire risks.

In the championship standings, Rovanpera leads Evans by 25 points after Evans's victory in Finland. Rovanpera had crashed out of the previous rally. Rovanpera emerged victorious in the Acropolis rally earlier this year, securing only his second WRC victory, while Thierry Neuville claimed the title last year with Hyundai securing a podium lockout.