Greece to lose WRC round?

The Acropolis Rally is expected to be dropped from the 2014 WRC Calendar in favour of the returning Rally Poland.

The Acropolis Rally has formed part of the WRC trail since it's beginning, way back in 1979. The only year it wasn't run was in 2010, partly due to the WRC's round rotation system but also due to the economic crisis that gripped the country, and continues to do so.

A hugely popular rally, the rough gravel roads can smash even the toughest cars to pieces. It takes it toll on drivers too, with soaring temperatures and extremely long stages, dehydration can set in. A good, strong, reliable car is always needed on the Acropolis.

The cars really do take a battering in Greece, but the
challenge makes it a driver favourite

Despite all these challenges it remains a firm driver favourite, as well as a true test of the teams. Manufacturers can use the event to showcase the toughness of their cars, which makes it a favourite with the teams as well.

Jost Capito, Team principal of the VW Motorsport team, makes a valid point in saying that the people of Greece can't continue to have things taken from them. The Acropolis Rally is a big benefit to the economy of the country, so it's removal from the Championship might cause far reaching issues.

He said: "I don't think it's nice to have Greece out. The Acropolis is an iconic event. It was always a good, challenging rally that the drivers were all looking forward to all season. "And when you see the situation in Greece, everybody takes everything from Greece; on a human level, I don't know how the country will survive if these people keep having everything taken from them.”

"They are very proud people and if you take everything - including their pride - away from them then I don't know how they can catch up." he added.

However he isn't against the running of the Polish event, marking it out as a “great event” when it was run back in 2009. Mikko Hirvonen, then driving for the M-Sport Ford team, won the rally that year, a win that helped bring the title fight right down to the last round.