Thierry Neuville tops Acropolis Rally 2026 after shakedown and first stage

Thierry Neuville set the pace in the opening shakedown of the 2026 Acropolis Rally, posting a best time of 2:13.4 and edging out Sébastien Ogier by 0.1 seconds. The Belgian driver then maintained his lead through the first day of competition, finishing the stage with a margin of roughly 10 seconds over Ogier and a comfortable advantage over the rest of the field.

Several competitors suffered tyre punctures and mechanical problems. Jon Armstrong retired after a front‑right tyre puncture and loss of engine power, while Oliver Solberg and Jon Armstrong also withdrew. Adrien Fourmaux recorded the third‑fastest time, and other top finishers included Sebastien Ogier (Toyota), Elfyn Evans (Toyota) and Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota). Greek entrant Iordanis Serderidis placed 31st in the overall classification. The rally continues with six more special stages covering a total of about 108 km.

The event, part of the FIA World Rally Championship, is being run in Greece and features a strong international field of drivers from Belgium, France, Norway, Japan and other nations.