Articles and Press Release

Giannis Plagos-Alkis Rentis: First contact on the ground with the Citroen C3 Rally2 of Ad-Momentum Racing

The crew of Giannis Plagos-Alkis Rentis of Ad-Momentum Racing traversed he first racing kilometers in dirt conditions with the new Citroen C3 Rally2 before their participation in the EKO-Rally Acropolis in the WRC3 category.

Proper preparation…

After the asphalt preparation tests that they had carried out in July in the area of Tsakonas, in order to know the basic functions of their French "weapon", Giannis Plagos-Alkis Rentis had their first contact on Sunday, September 5, in soil conditions to be better prepared in view of our National race that takes place on September 9-12. Stelios Fakalis, owner of the V Team Project (company for organizing and preparing motor sports events) was responsible for the organization of the specific preparation tests. The place of the tests was a part of a special route near the city of Lamia. This selection was made based on the best information about the conditions that will meet the crew of Giannis Plagos-Alkis Rentis at this year's EKO-Rally Acropolis. Ad-Momentum Racing's owner John Christou was next to the crew throughout the preparation tests.

The baptism of fire…

The early morning crew, in collaboration with Tagai Racing Technology (TRT), which oversees the car, made the necessary adjustments to make it faster. After all, Giannis Plagos would lead to dirt conditions after 13 years! As the final adjustments and updates on the operation of some mechanical systems in the Citroen C3 Rally2 were completed, it was time for the crew to begin the test program. The French racing car was "set up" at the starting point and the baptism of fire for Giannis Plagos-Alkis Rentis on a dirt surface was a fact! The first passes for the crew were reconnaissance, as they tried to find their footing and adapt to the new conditions. Each pass was even faster, with the crew gaining confidence in the Citroen C3 Rally2 and pushing even harder. After several quick passes, Giannis Plagos-Alkis Rentis, returned to the service of the team in order to make various adjustments and to continue their testing again.

The help of Mads Ostberg

You do not read wrong, the Norwegian racing driver Mads Ostberg, who has previously competed with factory teams in the WRC, also conducted his own tests today (you will read soon), in view of his own participation in the EKO Rally Acropolis in the WRC2 category, with Citroen C3 Rally2. The Norwegian driver on the break of his own tests, talked to the Greek crew and helped them, giving them a lot of information on how to drive the Citroen C3 Rally2, in order to perform to the maximum. Everyone was impressed by how accurate the information was on the experienced Mads Ostberg.

Targeted changes…

The TRT team, following the instructions of Giannis Plagos, made changes to the suspension, the differential and the electronics of the car. After the new settings in the Citroen C3 Rally2, and with the information on how to drive the car given to the crew by Mads Ostberg, Giannis Plagos increased his pace, placing the car more easily at the entrance of the turns, while having better braking control in low traction conditions. The crew returned to the TRT team's tent after completing the 80 km of racing tests. We did not miss the opportunity to talk to them and listen to their impressions. Read below what Giannis Plagos, Allis Rentis and the owner of Ad-Momentum Racing, John Christou, told us.

Giannis Plagos

Back on the ground how did it feel? "Going back to the dirt and in a Rally2 car is something unique. I do not hide from you that in the beginning I was quite anxious, as after 13 years of abstinence from the soil it is too much. Passing by, we learned the car and its reactions. We made a lot of mistakes in the beginning but little by little we found it and gradually increased our pace. We did not want to risk anything as for us today is a big "school" test.

How is the Citroen C3 Rally2 driving? "It's a real race car, incredible to drive with a lot of power and amazing suspensions. It is still too early to express a complete view, but from these few kilometers we did, I felt comfortable ".

We saw you talking to Mads Ostberg, he gave you information on how to drive and the car settings, did they really help you? "I consider it a great honor for a driver like Mads to help you. His information was valuable to me and he helped me gain more confidence. I would like him to take me for a walk and I will not hide it from you ".

In a few days the EKO Acropolis Rally starts, how do you feel? "I am very happy and I look forward to it, I wish you all the best. We will drive with a mind and I hope it works ".

Alkis Rentis

How is the "reading" in a Rally2 car from the passenger side? "Everything is coming faster, that's why the information must be more immediate. We found it early so everything went smoothly ".

How do you feel about the new Citroen C3 Rally2? "Giannis is responsible for answering you, however he is safer and incredibly stable."

John Christou

How are you preparing for Ad-Momentum Racing and its crew today? "I am just happy because everything went smoothly. Giannis and Alkis did what they know best and it made me very happy ".

In a few days the EKO Acropolis Rally starts, are you anxious about your participation? "You know there is creative stress, which makes you want to achieve your goal. I hope we succeed, I have a very good feeling for our participation ".

PHOTOS: GIANNIS TSINAVOS

What are the EKO Acropolis Rally 2021 entries? The team of trcoff.gr has been reporting these days and we present most of them to you!

Articles and Press Release

EKO Acropolis Rally 2021 enters its final stretch with the preparation of an organizing committee and teams having peaked! The deadline for registrations expired on the evening of Monday 9 August and next Friday 13 August the final list of entries that we will enjoy on the Greek special routes 9-12 September will be published. But who will they be?

Rally1

In the big league Toyota leading the league will line up Ogier, Evans, Rovanpera and Katsuta. Hyundai that follows will contrast Tanak, Neuville and Sordo. In M-Sport we will have two drivers with Greensmith and one of fourmaux – Suninen in the 2nd Fiesta WRC. Our theory is that Fourmaux will fight with Suninen competing in Rally2.

In the Rally1 category we will have two more entries. The reason for Loubet with Hyundai and of course for Jordan Serderides who for our national race will leave the Skoda Fabia Rally2 and jump to fiesta WRC. In fact, this will be the third time the Greek driver will be behind the wheel of such a car as he counts two more races, in Germany and Australia in 2018.

Rally2

The category with our well-known R5 specification cars (now Rally2) is expected to collect the most entries. Some drivers will count in the WRC2 ranking and some in WRC3. But everyone, even individuals, will count on the general category called RC2.

With Skoda Fabia, Mikkelsen, M. Bulacia, Kajetanovic, Lindholm and Ingram are expected to compete. With Citroen C3 Ostberg and Rossel and with Volkswagen Polo the Gryazin. Of course the big news comes from Hyundai's camp with the new i20 N Rally2 debuting on the dirt with Oliver Solberg and Jari Huttunen. Several more, equally well-known and competent drivers, will fill out the category. However, we have not been able to have anything official, so we do not want to get involved with an unnecessary nomenclature.

The Greeks

From a Greek point of view, the return of Acropolis Rally prompted several names with history, who were absent from the Greek scene in recent years, to make their reappearance! Hatzitsopanis-Petropoulos are coming back with a latest generation Ford Fiesta Rally2, while Athanasoulas-Zakhaeus is equally promising. In fact, according to our information, they will surprise and compete with a brand new Hyundai i20 N Rally2, similar to that of Solberg and Huttunen. To them we add Kehagia-Tsausoglou, in the third race of the combination with their own Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, Chalkia-Vigo with Ford Fiesta R5, in their first joint race, and Vasilis and Giannis Velanis. The latter may have been training in the first two races of the Panhellenic Rally Championship with Skoda Fabia R5, but in Acropolis they will use a more modern Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo.

Another entry is that of Roustemi-Nikolopoulos with the Citroen DS3 R5, who want to leave behind the misfortunes of this year's races of the PPR and show their speed. Very interesting participation is that of Plagos-Renti with Citroen C3 R5 in the reappearance of the driver on a dirt surface after 2008. P. Eliopoulos jumps from Mitsubishi Evo IX to Skoda Fabia R5 and will have N. Inzoglou in the right seat. S. Galerakis, after his successful debut at the Corinth Rally, will again be behind Skoda Fabia R5 with K. Soukuli by his side. The list of "Greek Rally2", although we have not confirmed it at 100%, we believe that it will still include Spano-Gotovo with Skoda Fabia R5 and Mano-Costa Stefani in an equally resonant reappearance which will take place with Hyundai i20 R5.

The Greek entries do not end here, with Ziova-Kuzioni collaborating for the first time in a new standard four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta Rally3. Finally, in the two-wheel drive in the very difficult battle will be thrown the Karanikolas-Vasilakis with Ford Fiesta Rally4, Lefkaditis-Kontos with Peugeot 208 Rally 4 and the Theoharopoulos-Kotsalis with Ford Fiesta R2.

The Cypriots

Several will be the participations from Cyprus which not only in Acropolis but also in other matches of the PPR appear by upgrading our own institution. Tsouloftas-Ilias with Volkswagen Polo have already won the first two Greek races and in Acropolis they come to "chase" foreigners in RC2. The three-time champions of Cyprus, Galatariotis-Ioannou, will compete in the same car. The group of Rally2 entries is expected to be completed by Panteli-Christodoulou with Citroen DS3 R5 and Young-Kyriakou with Hyundai i20 R5. As far as the two-wheel drive is concerned, we will have an alliance as Louis Papageorgiou will have the Greek Vasilis Kougia as his co-driver at the Peugeot 208 Rally4.

Absences

But there are also drivers who, while following several WRC races, will not come to the EKO Acropolis Rally 2021. Most important of all, Lappi, who seems to have achieved the goal of returning to Toyota. A driver who would surely chase the top in RC2. Ciamin, Heikkilä, Kaur, Kristensson and Brynildsen will also not participate for various reasons. From a Greek point of view we would all like but ultimately we will not see the champions of Greece, Giannis Papadimitriou (2020, 1999) and Socrates Tsolakidis (2017, 2003).

These are the most confirmed entries of EKO Acropolis Rally 2021 according to our report. I'm sure there will be several more, and some will be resonant! It is a given that the ceiling of 60 entries set by the Organising Committee will be reached. But we will learn them all with all solemnity on Friday 13 August when they will be announced by the organization of the match.