The inaugural overall FIA European Historic Rally Championship title will be decided during a winner-takes-all contest on this weekend’s Historic Acropolis Rally (November 8-10).
“Zippo”/Nicola Arena, Tibor Érdi Jr/István Kérek and Ernie Graham/Anna Graham are all in contention for the outright FIA EHRC crown, which is being awarded for the first time this year.
While Audi Quattro driver “Zippo” is in the ascendancy with 175 points after eight action-packed rounds, a change to the Italian’s schedule means he’ll be a non-starter in Greece, leaving Érdi Jr and Graham to chase overall FIA EHRC title gold in his absence.
Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4 driver Érdi Jr heads to the legendary rally roads of Central Greece with 145 points in the knowledge that victory would give him an unbeatable 187 points.
Graham, who pilots a Ford Escort RS alongside co-driving daughter Anna, has accumulated 143.5 points so far and can reach 185.5 if he triumphs on the Itea-based event. Such an achievement would make him champion, regardless of Érdi Jr’s result.
Should Érdi Jr and Graham falter, “Zippo” would celebrate landing overall FIA EHRC title honours to go with the Category 3 prize he and co-driver Arena secured on last month’s Sanremo Rally Storico.
In addition to bidding for the outright FIA EHRC title, Érdi Jr and Graham are in the hunt for the Category 4 crown. Although Graham leads Érdi Jr by 29.5 points, the laurels will go to Érdi Jr if the Hungarian tops the finishing order in Greece in line with the dropped-score rule, which allows competitors to count their best six scores only.
Christophe Jabob can secure the runner-up spot behind “Zippo” in Category 3 by starting the event in Athens on Friday afternoon, with the 10 points he’s set to score moving him above Guy Trolliet, who isn’t contesting the Historic Acropolis Rally finale.
László Mekler, who also hasn’t entered the Greek gravel finale, is already assured of Category 2 title honours in his Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA. Although Category 1 champion James Potter heads the FIA EHRC 1600cc Trophy classification, the title will go to Mekler on dropped scores. By starting Historic Acropolis Rally, Piotr Gadomski will seal the FIA EHRC Front Wheel Drive Trophy with both trophies new for 2024. Flexifly Rally Team has long since secured the FIA EHRC Team Trophy.
Who’s in it to win it?
Newcomers and seasoned campaigners top the FIA EHRC Historic Acropolis Rally entry as the 2024 edition of the ultimate celebration of rallying’s glorious past draws to a close.
Aside from overall FIA EHRC title-chasing Tibor Érdi Jr and Ernie Graham, Alexandros Christodoulou makes his first FIA EHRC start since last year’s Historic Acropolis Rally aboard his Category 4-specification Lancia 037.
Having relied on BMW M3 power for the last two rounds, Poland’s Maciej Lubiak will complete the FIA EHRC season in his Category 3 Porsche 911 3.0 SC.
Andrea Farmakakis is set for his first FIA EHRC start of 2024 since the season opening Rally Costa Brava. Like championship newcomer Richard Jordan, Farmakakis will chase Category 3 honours in a Ford Escort RS 2000. FIA EHRC regular Christophe Jacob (Ford Escort RS 1800 MkII) is another Category 3 contender.
After contesting the Lahti and Elba rounds in his recently-completed Saab 99, Siegfried Mayr (below) is back behind the wheel of his Volvo 240, which he used during last month’s FIA Motorsport Games as part of Team Germany.
Piotr Gadomski brings his Toyota Corolla AE82 to Greece for the first time, while James Potter steps up to a Category 4-specification Ford Escort RS 1800 MkII, having put the Category 1 crown beyond doubt on Historic Rallye Weiz in July.
Antonio Parisi (Porsche 911 S) and Carlo Fiorito (BMW 2020 Ti) are the top Category 1 seeds. Click HERE for the Historic Acropolis Rally entry list.
Historic Acropolis Rally route in short
Following the ceremonial start against the backdrop of the ancient Acropolis in the Greek capital Athens on the afternoon of Friday November 8, the Historic Acropolis Rally route takes crews northwest to Itea on Saturday.
Upon leaving the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens on Saturday morning, the 17.71 kilometres of Moschopodi provides the first competitive action from 09:53 hrs local time. The rally’s longest stage is followed by Thiva (14.91 kilometres), a regular on the FIA World Rally Championship-counting Acropolis Rally itinerary over the years, and the 10.36-kilometre Akrefnio test, an all-new stage for 2024.
After the regroup in Aliartos, SS4, Eliknoas, is due to begin at 13:37 hrs over a timed distance of 8.06 kilometres. The 13.37-kilometre Mavroneri stage, which was used for the first time in 2023, follows ahead of the first service halt in Itea. Karoutes, another stage made famous by the modern Acropolis Rally, completes the leg one itinerary after dark from 18:43 hrs.
Sunday’s deciding leg north of Itea begins with the repeat of Karoutes from 09:23 hrs ahead of the first of two visits to the Parnassos test (15.27 kilometres) from 11:16 hrs. Prossilio (12.22 kilometres), another double-use stage, is up next. Like Parnassos, Prossilio is a famous Acropolis Rally stage from the past.
Parnassos and Prossilio are repeated at 15:02 hrs and 16:05 hrs respectively with the finish scheduled in Itea from 16:45 hrs. In total, 11 stages are scheduled over a competitive distance of 154.65 kilometres.
FIA EHRC 2024: how it works?
The FIA EHRC is for historic rally cars built prior to 1969 and homologated up to 1990. It’s divided into four categories (1-4) based on year of manufacturer with sub-divisions in Categories 2-4 to allow for different levels of car performance.
Competitors count their best six scores from nine rounds held on asphalt and gravel between March and November. Events typically run for one and a half days following reconnaissance with approximately 150 timed kilometres on offer.
The overall title is contested by all drivers and co-drivers regardless of their category with all rounds counting. The FIA Historic 1600cc Trophy is for cars up to 1600cc from Categories 1-4 with the six best scores counting. The rise in the number of front-wheel-drive cars competing has been recognised with the FIA European Historic Front Wheel Drive Trophy with crews also counting their best six scores.
In addition, the FIA EHRC Team Trophy, which has attracted more than 25 entries for the 2024 season, features a new bonus points system with 10 additional points on offer on the Historic Rally of Asturias and the Historic Acropolis Rally.
Three new titles are up for grabs in the FIA EHRC this season. An overall FIA European Historic Rally Championship crown is being awarded for the first time, while the FIA European Historic 1600cc Trophy and FIA European Historic Front Wheel Drive Trophy titles have also been introduced for 2024.
Although the creation of the all-new titles is partly in response to competitor feedback, their introduction is in line with the FIA’s desire to raise the profile – and spectacle – of the FIA EHRC, while also providing an accessible point of entry to international-level historic rallying.
FIA EUROPEAN HISTORIC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP AND FLEXIFLY: AN EXCITING PARTNERSHIP
The FIA European Historic Rally Championship is delighted to welcome FlexiFly, a specialist aircraft hire company, as an official partner of the series.
From September’s Rallye Elba Storico, FlexiFly is benefitting from promotional opportunities through an official association with the FIA EHRC.
During each round of the FIA EHRC, registered crews will take part in an official photocall and receive a commemorative cap. Bespoke digital content highlighting the partnership between the FIA EHRC and FlexiFly will also be produced.
Under the guidance of FIA EHRC stalwart contender Ernie Graham, FlexiFly has grown to become one of the United Kingdom’s leading providers of private aircraft hire services. It’s also a long-term supporter of the FIA EHRC through its participation in the FIA European Historic Rally Championship for Teams. James Potter is the provisional FIA EHRC Category 1 champion for 2024 in a Ford Escort Twin Cam carrying FlexiFly identity.
