Twelve months ago, the high-speed gravel roads around Tartu delivered one of the stories of the year. Back in a top-class car and making his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 debut, Solberg produced a stunning drive to claim his maiden WRC victory.
It was the kind of performance that changed expectations almost overnight.
Now, those expectations are part of the challenge.
WRC begins a run of seven consecutive gravel rallies to the finish – starting with one of the toughest of them all.
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team heads to EKO Acropolis Rally Greece this week aiming to turn the FIA World Rally Championship’s gravel-heavy second half into a title fightback.
Round eight of the season marks a significant shift in the 2026 campaign. After a first half split across snow, asphalt, rough gravel and mixed conditions, the championship now begins a run of seven consecutive gravel rallies to the finish – starting with one of the toughest of them all.
Greece has been kind to Hyundai in recent years. The Korean manufacturer has won three of the last four Acropolis editions, with Thierry Neuville triumphing in 2022 and 2024 and Ott Tänak adding victory last season. Hyundai also swept the podium in both 2022 and 2024, making the rough Greek gravel roads one of the team’s strongest modern hunting grounds.
