After the last round in Italy the FIA World Rally Championship remains in the Mediterranean region for round seven of the series - the Acropolis Rally of Greece -, which runs between 30 May and 1 June.
In recent years the Ford team has excelled in Greece. In 2007 Marcus Gronholm secured his second consecutive Acropolis victory - Ford's sixth in eight years. This year Ford heads the manufacturers' battle by seven points and Mikko Hirvonen tops the drivers' table by three - so the odds are looking pretty good for the blue oval.
Driver motivation at Ford is high too. Ford team leader Hirvonen finished third in Greece in 2006 and 2007 but says he needs to win this year to keep his championship dream alive - not to mention his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala behind him. Expect both Finns to be quick out of the blocks on Friday.
Apart from Latvala Hirvonen's strongest opposition is likely to be the Citroen of defending champion Sebastien Loeb. The Frenchman last won the Greek round in 2005 but the rough conditions mean it's not one of his favourites. But with the championship so finely balanced, and straight after a win in Sardinia, Loeb is keen to notch up WRC victory number 41.
This year's rally will be especially significant for the Subaru team which launches its brand new Impreza - the WRC 2008. Team drivers Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson are hoping the new car will enable them to challenge for rally wins again after a three-year drought. Petter last won the Acropolis with Subaru in 2004 and scored his most recent podium there in 2007. Will the new car enable him or Atkinson to take victory this year?
The rally also counts as round three of the 2008 Production Car World Rally Championship (P-WRC), and 29 competitors will be back in action after the last round in Argentina. Finns Jari Ketomaa and Juho Hanninen lead the charge currently. Subaru driver Ketomaa's four-point series lead comes from a consistent start, with podiums in Sweden and Argentina. His Mitsubishi-driving rival Hanninen has the perfect score so far. He missed Argentina and won in Sweden. The advantage, for now, lies with Hanninen.
In recent years the Ford team has excelled in Greece. In 2007 Marcus Gronholm secured his second consecutive Acropolis victory - Ford's sixth in eight years. This year Ford heads the manufacturers' battle by seven points and Mikko Hirvonen tops the drivers' table by three - so the odds are looking pretty good for the blue oval.
Driver motivation at Ford is high too. Ford team leader Hirvonen finished third in Greece in 2006 and 2007 but says he needs to win this year to keep his championship dream alive - not to mention his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala behind him. Expect both Finns to be quick out of the blocks on Friday.
Apart from Latvala Hirvonen's strongest opposition is likely to be the Citroen of defending champion Sebastien Loeb. The Frenchman last won the Greek round in 2005 but the rough conditions mean it's not one of his favourites. But with the championship so finely balanced, and straight after a win in Sardinia, Loeb is keen to notch up WRC victory number 41.
This year's rally will be especially significant for the Subaru team which launches its brand new Impreza - the WRC 2008. Team drivers Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson are hoping the new car will enable them to challenge for rally wins again after a three-year drought. Petter last won the Acropolis with Subaru in 2004 and scored his most recent podium there in 2007. Will the new car enable him or Atkinson to take victory this year?
The rally also counts as round three of the 2008 Production Car World Rally Championship (P-WRC), and 29 competitors will be back in action after the last round in Argentina. Finns Jari Ketomaa and Juho Hanninen lead the charge currently. Subaru driver Ketomaa's four-point series lead comes from a consistent start, with podiums in Sweden and Argentina. His Mitsubishi-driving rival Hanninen has the perfect score so far. He missed Argentina and won in Sweden. The advantage, for now, lies with Hanninen.