Ott Tänak ends Toyota's winning streak in Greece

Ott Tänak secured Hyundai's first victory of 2025 despite completing the final kilometers of the Acropolis Rally with a damaged gearbox, ending Toyota's streak of six consecutive wins since the start of the season.

The Hyundai driver crossed the finish line with a 32.8-second lead over Sébastien Ogier after dominating since Friday afternoon. The mechanical issue during the final Power Stage nearly compromised the result, but his accumulated advantage proved sufficient.

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Third gear failure in the closing kilometers

"In the final stage, third gear started making a lot of noise and I understood it had broken. Soon the entire gearbox was noisy, and we weren't confident we'd finish," explained Tänak after stepping out of the i20 N Rally1.

Saturday had been crucial to building that advantage. Tänak won five of the day's six stages, extending his lead from three seconds to over 40 ahead of Ogier before Sunday. Cockpit temperatures reaching 70°C and battered roads wreaked havoc among competitors.

Ogier opts for caution

"There wasn't much we could do against Ott," admitted Ogier after securing his fifth podium in five appearances this season. The Toyota driver prioritized securing points over risks in such demanding conditions.

Toyota fitted Ogier's GR Yaris with fresh soft tires for Sunday, a decision that allowed him to win the Power Stage and deny Tänak maximum Super Sunday points.

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Fourmaux recovers to podium despite damage

Adrien Fourmaux was running second on Friday and appeared poised for his maiden WRC victory. Saturday's SS10 changed everything: a rock impact damaged his i20 N Rally1's rear suspension, costing over a minute.

The issue worsened in the next stage when he arrived with a tire off the rim. Despite setbacks, he held third position until the finish - his second podium this year after Monte Carlo.

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Neuville's punctures

Thierry Neuville led after Friday's third stage, but consecutive punctures in stages four and five ruined his chances. A third puncture on Saturday, plus a damaged shock absorber and engine issues on Sunday, relegated him to fifth.

"We had the pace, but three punctures this weekend prevented us from showing what we can do," lamented the Belgian after the rally.

Fuel-related retirements

M-Sport withdrew Grégoire Munster's Puma during Saturday night service due to fuel-related issues. Sami Pajari (Toyota) and Martins Sesks (M-Sport) experienced similar problems - a situation the FIA is investigating.

Kalle Rovanperä went off-road on Saturday while running seventh. He returned Sunday but a wheel change in SS15 prevented him from scoring. Takamoto Katsuta also retired Saturday after an error while in fifth.

Greensmith holds off Rossel in WRC2

Oliver Solberg controlled the WRC2 category to win by 53.8 seconds, but the battle for second provided Sunday's drama. Yohan Rossel started the day fourth and set the fastest time in the morning's first stage - 14.9 seconds quicker than rivals.

With just 5.5 seconds separating him from Gus Greensmith before the Power Stage, Rossel pushed relentlessly. Greensmith responded by setting the fastest final stage time - 9.6 seconds quicker than the Frenchman - to secure runner-up.

Solberg now leads the WRC2 championship by five points over Rossel, who will skip Estonia. Kajetan Kajetanowicz finished fourth and won the WRC2 Challenger category.

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McErlean completes rally with multiple failures

Josh McErlean of M-Sport finished outside the points after completing Saturday's morning stages with a broken rear driveshaft. The afternoon saw him continue without a handbrake, compounding a Friday puncture.

The WRC continues July 17-20 in Estonia, where Tänak will compete on home soil. With just 12 points separating him from Elfyn Evans in the championship, upcoming familiar-terrain events will be crucial for his title aspirations.