Competing Rally Star Crews Tackle Scorching Temperatures to Excel in Acropolis Rally Greece
The grueling 2025 EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, a testing event featuring punishing stages, searing temperatures, and challenging terrain, has come to a close. In the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) category, the race was a tale of two stories.
Ali Türkkan and Oytun Albayrak clinched the victory with a time of 4:39:31.7, leaving Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic in second place. Although Gill and Brkic missed out on a third consecutive win, their consistent performance across all 17 stages kept them tied at the top of the JWRC standings with 78 points.
Gill and Brkic, the current leaders, had won the first two rounds of the season (Rally Sweden and Rally de Portugal), demonstrating impressive form early in the championship. Their performance throughout the first three events—including maintaining competitive pace across multiple countries and surfaces, and avoiding critical errors—reflects growing maturity and teamwork, improving their chances to become class champions and potentially advance to higher levels of rally racing.
The championship is very competitive, with Gill tied at the top for points, highlighting that their strong showings place them in prime position for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Max Smart and Malcolm Read faced a challenging rally. Smart started with confidence and a strategy focused on tyre management and car preservation. However, an unseen rock broke his front suspension, forcing an early end to his podium charge. Smart climbed to fourth place early on and was battling for third before the retirement setback. He remains optimistic about his development and is determined to come back stronger in the Secto Rally Finland.
Rally Star Project Leader Jérôme Roussel praised Gill for handling tyre management well and finishing second in the 2025 EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. Roussel also congratulated Türkkan and Albayrak for their outstanding performance and win.
As the crews prepare for the penultimate round of the 2025 Junior WRC season—Secto Rally Finland, from 31 July to 3 August—the stage is set for an exciting finish to the season. Secto Rally Finland, known for its high-speed gravel stages, blind crests, and iconic jumps, is a pure driver's rally, providing a fitting finale to the championship.
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Despite the tough competition in the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC), Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic managed to maintain their position at the top, tied with 78 points, thanks to their consistent performances. Meanwhile, Max Smart and Malcolm Read showed great potential in sports-betting, with Smart battling for third place before a retirement setback in the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. As the crews prepare for the Secto Rally Finland, a high-speed gravel rally, they are eager to showcase their skills in the final stages of the 2025 JWRC season.
