Ogier acknowledged that the race was brutally challenging; however, he emphasized that everyone knew exactly what to expect before the start.
Tires are still the biggest issue.
Tire supplier Hankook arrived better prepared for the race by bringing a revised gravel tire following requests from drivers and teams. The revised tire featured a thicker tread pattern to increase durability in Greece's notoriously challenging conditions.
Ogier welcomed Hankook's move but stressed that there was still much work to be done.
“"It was very harsh, but I guess that's Greece. Probably not as harsh as what we're used to here."”
“I don’t want to be too hard on Hankook, because they made some improvements coming into this race. But for the toughness of Greece, that’s definitely not enough. This is the kind of rally where you need a special product if you want to survive in these conditions.”
“Hopefully, this was the most challenging race of the season in terms of tire problems. Hopefully, from the next rally onwards, instead of constantly thinking about avoiding trouble, we can focus entirely on driving and qualifying,” said Ogier.
The revised route was found to be largely successful.
This year's Acropolis Rally saw major route changes with organizers adding several new special stages. As a result, the total course exceeded 1,500 kilometers.
According to Ogier, there was still one point that needed attention.
“There were a few too many road connection stages. That’s definitely something the organizers need to improve.”
Despite the long connection distances, the eight-time world champion believes the revamped program has been generally successful. The opening ferry transfer, in particular, stood out as a memorable experience.
“The boat ride was a slightly different experience. I have to admit I wasn’t quite 100% at first, because you could still feel the rocking of the passage.”
Single-lane sections preserved the ground.
Ogier also welcomed the increase in the number of stages that are only run once.
“This definitely helped because it reduced how badly the roads would deteriorate. It would have been even harder to stay on your feet if there had been more repeated stages; so it was a positive.”
“Of course, it’s not very good for the championship leader, because being in first place on the road is still a big disadvantage. This isn’t anything new. I’ve been struggling with this for years, but that’s the situation.”