ERC – Acropole Stage 1: Craig Breen makes the 208 T16 R5 roar

La Peugeot 208 T16 R5 is well born. The Lioness, for its first outing on the roads ofERC on the occasion of rally from the Acropolis in Greece, finishes the first stage in the lead with the Irishman Craig Breen. The latter took over from his Peugeot teammate Kevin Abbring, who was well established in the lead of the event since SS2. The Dutchman was forced to retire after SS5, after an overheating problem. Unable to restart after the finish of the special, with a major water leak, Abbring nevertheless demonstrated that the 208 was already on pace.

Breen is therefore ahead of Bryan Bouffier's Citroën DS3 RRC at the end of this first stage. The Frenchman, despite a puncture in SS2, is only 14″7 behind the leading 208 T16 R5. The car is fantastic to drive, explains the former French Rally champion. Tomorrow it will be totally different with the gravel stages. Because for the first time in Greece, asphalt was on the menu of the day.

Kajetan Kajetanowicz completes the provisional podium of this Acropolis rally with his Ford Fiesta R5, 15″ behind Breen. Esapekka Lappi (Skoda Fabia S2000) is 4th at 43″8. Tomorrow, four stages are on the program and will be completed twice.

Acropolis Ranking After Stage 1:

1. Breen-Martin (Peugeot 208 T16 R5) 1h04'08″07
2. Bouffier-Panseri (Citroën DS3 RRC) at 14″7
3. Kajetanowicz-Baran (Ford Fiesta R5) at 15″
4. Lappi-Ferm (Skoda Fabia S2000) at 43″8
5. Gryazin-Eremeev (Ford Fiesta S2000) at 1’53″1
6. Magalhaes-Magalhaes (Peugeot 207 S2000) at 2’03″5
7. Tarabus-Trunkat (Skoda Fabia S2000) at 2'37"
8. Orsak-Smeidler (Skoda Fabia S2000) at 2’37″9
9. Lategan-Wicha (Skoda Fabia S2000) at 3’38″8
10. Raoux-Magat (Peugeot 207 S2000) at 4’09″7