Riding Shotgun with Ogier: A Greek Odyssey on Wheels
There’s something magical about watching a master at work. When that master is Sébastien Ogier, eight-time World Rally Champion, and the stage is the legendary Acropolis Rally, you know you’re in for a treat. I’ve been covering rallies for years, but the onboard footage from SS11 Aghii Theodori 2 during the 2024 event still had me on the edge of my seat.
Picture this: a sun-baked Greek landscape, all dusty tracks and jagged rocks, with Ogier’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid dancing through it all like a nimble mountain goat. It’s a far cry from the smooth tarmac of Monte Carlo or the snow-covered forests of Sweden. The Acropolis is old school rallying at its finest – brutal, unforgiving, and absolutely thrilling.
The Dance of Driver and Co-Driver
What strikes you first is the seamless communication between Ogier and his co-driver, Vincent Landais. It’s like watching a well-rehearsed duet. Landais fires off pace notes with machine-gun precision, his voice a constant backdrop to the mechanical symphony of the Yaris.
“Right 6 into left 5, don’t cut, 100, crest, into right 4 tightens…”
The words tumble out, a steady stream of vital information. Ogier responds instantly, his hands a blur on the wheel, feet dancing on the pedals. It’s a reminder that rallying is a team sport, even if only one person’s hands are on the wheel.
Taming the Beast
The Toyota GR Yaris is a technological marvel, but in Ogier’s hands, it becomes an extension of his will. Watch how he modulates the throttle through loose gravel sections, feeling for grip that isn’t really there. Notice the micro-corrections through fast sweepers, keeping the car balanced on the knife-edge between speed and disaster.
There’s a moment about halfway through the stage that had me holding my breath. A series of tight hairpins, each one tighter than the last. Ogier attacks them with surgical precision:
“Hard brake, flick the car sideways, power on, straighten, repeat.”
It looks effortless, but I’ve tried it (badly) in much slower cars. Trust me, it’s anything but easy.
The Unseen Challenges
What the onboard camera doesn’t fully capture is the punishing nature of the Greek stages. The heat is oppressive, even with the vents blasting. Every impact from the rough roads travels straight up the drivers’ spines. And the dust – oh, the dust. It hangs in the air like a malevolent fog, reducing visibility to mere meters at times.
Yet Ogier and Landais push on, unfazed. This is what separates the true greats from the merely good. The ability to maintain focus and speed in conditions that would have most of us crawling along at a snail’s pace.
The Bigger Picture
While it’s easy to get lost in the spectacle of a single stage, it’s worth zooming out to appreciate the strategic element of the Acropolis Rally. Ogier, as a part-time driver in 2024, isn’t fighting for the championship. His goal is stage and rally wins, sure, but also to support his Toyota teammates in their title bids.
This changes the calculus. He can afford to push harder, take more risks. But he also needs to bring the car home in one piece, scoring valuable manufacturer points. It’s a delicate balance, one that requires as much mental fortitude as it does driving skill.
A Timeless Challenge
The Acropolis Rally has been a fixture of the World Rally Championship on and off since 1973. It’s seen legends like Walter Röhrl, Colin McRae, and Carlos Sainz tackle its fearsome stages. Now, a new generation of drivers is writing their own chapter in its storied history.
Watching Ogier attack these same roads, albeit in a far more advanced machine, creates a tangible link to that rich past. The challenges remain the same: unforgiving terrain, scorching heat, and the constant threat of punctures or mechanical failure.
The Human Element
It’s easy to get caught up in the technology and spectacle of modern rallying. But at its core, it’s still about two people in a car, pushing themselves and their machine to the absolute limit. The onboard footage from SS11 serves as a powerful reminder of the human skill and bravery involved.
Next time you watch a rally highlight reel, remember the unseen story. The months of preparation, the reconnaissance runs, the countless hours of physical and mental training. All of it culminating in those few minutes of flat-out driving on some of the most challenging roads on the planet.
The Acropolis Rally might be just one event in a long season, but for those few days in Greece, it becomes the center of the rallying universe. And thanks to onboard videos like this, we all get to ride shotgun with the very best in the world.
