The 2003 Acropolis Rally (formally the 50th Golden Acropolis Rally) was the sixth round of the 2003 World Rally Championship. The race was held over three days between 6 June and 8 June 2003, and was based in Lamia, Greece. Ford's Markko Märtin won the race, his 1st win in the World Rally Championship.
Background Entry list No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant CarTyre World Rally Championship manufacturer entries 1 Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 2 Richard Burns Robert Reid Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 3 Harri Rovanperä Risto Pietiläinen Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 4 Markko Märtin Michael Park Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 5 François Duval Stéphane Prévot Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 6 Mikko Hirvonen Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '02 7 Petter Solberg Phil Mills 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 8 Tommi Mäkinen Kaj Lindström 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 10 Armin Schwarz Manfred Hiemer Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Accent WRC3 11 Freddy Loix Sven Smeets Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Accent WRC3 12 Jussi Välimäki Tero Gardemeister Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Accent WRC3 14 Didier Auriol Denis Giraudet Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC Evo3 15 Toni Gardemeister Paavo Lukander Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC Evo3 17 Colin McRae Derek Ringer Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 18 Sébastien Loeb Daniel Elena Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 19 Carlos Sainz Marc Martí Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC World Rally Championship entries 20 Jari-Matti Latvala Carl Williamson Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '02 21 Gilles Panizzi Hervé Panizzi Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC 22 Roman Kresta Miloš Hůlka Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC 23 Antony Warmbold Gemma Price AW Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC '02 24 Juuso Pykälistö Esko Mertsalmi Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC 25 Daniel Solà Álex Romaní Citroën Sport Citroën Xsara WRC 26 Manfred Stohl Ilka Minor Manfred Stohl Hyundai Accent WRC3 32 Alistair Ginley Rory Kennedy Alistair Ginley Ford Focus RS WRC '01 33 Tomasz Kuchar Maciek Szczepaniak Tomasz Kuchar Ford Focus RS WRC '02 34 Armodios Vovos Loris Meletopoulos Armodios Vovos Ford Focus RS WRC '01 35 Ioannis Papadimitriou Allan Harryman Ioannis Papadimitriou Ford Focus RS WRC'01 101 Jozef Béreš Jr. Petr Starý Styllex Tuning Motorsport Toyota Corolla WRC JWRC entries 51 Mirco Baldacci Giovanni Bernacchini Purity Auto Fiat Punto S1600 52 Daniel Carlsson Matthias Andersson Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 54 Kosti Katajamäki Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 55 Martin Stenshorne Clive Jenkins Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Puma S1600 57 Dimitar Iliev Petar Sivov Auto Sport Italia Peugeot 206 S1600 58 Marcos Ligato Rubén García Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 59 Beppo Harrach Michael Kölbach Astra Racing Ford Puma S1600 61 Brice Tirabassi Jacques-Julien Renucci Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 62 Oscar Svedlund Björn Nilsson Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 63 Massimo Ceccato Mitia Dotta Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 64 Ville-Pertti Teuronen Harri Kaapro Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 65 Abdo Feghali Joseph Matar Astra Racing Ford Puma S1600 67 Alessandro Broccoli Simona Girelli Sab Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 69 Salvador Cañellas Jr. Xavier Amigó Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 70 Guy Wilks Phil Pugh Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Puma S1600 71 Urmo Aava Kuldar Sikk Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 73 Krum Donchev Ruman Manolov Auto Sport Italia Opel Corsa S1600 74 Kris Meeke Chris Patterson Opel Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 76 Luca Cecchettini Marco Muzzarelli Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 78 Vladan Vasiljevic Sebastian Geipel Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 Source:
Itinerary All dates and times are EEST (UTC+3). Date Time No. Stage name Distance Leg 1 — 145.74 km 6 June 08:18 SS1 Pavliani 1 24.45 km 09:07 SS2 Stromi 1 14.61 km 10:10 SS3 Eleftherohori 18.67 km 12:18 SS4 Rengini 1 11.84 km 12:46 SS5 Elatia — Zeli 1 34.68 km 15:37 SS6 Pavliani 2 24.45 km 16:26 SS7 Stromi 2 14.61 km 18:01 SS8 SSS Lilea — Parnassos 1 2.43 km Leg 2 — 148.71 km 7 June 06:56 SS9 Mendenitsa 17.34 km 08:21 SS10 Bauxites 1 23.45 km 09:44 SS11 Drosohori 1 17.76 km 12:17 SS12 Rengini 2 11.84 km 12:45 SS13 Elatia — Zeli 2 34.68 km 16:03 SS14 Bauxites 2 23.45 km 17:26 SS15 Drosohori 2 17.76 km 18:18 SS16 SSS Lilea — Parnassos 2 2.43 km Leg 3 — 105.04 km 8 June 09:28 SS17 Dikastro 1 18.40 km 10:06 SS18 New Tarzan 1 20.65 km 11:04 SS19 Agios Stefanos 1 13.47 km 13:32 SS20 Dikastro 2 18.40 km 14:10 SS21 New Tarzan 2 20.65 km 15:08 SS22 Agios Stefanos 2 13.47 km
Results Overall Driver Co-driver Team Car Time Points 1 4 Markko Märtin Michael Park Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 4:53:40.5 10 2 19 Carlos Sainz Marc Martí Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 4:54:26.5 +46.08 3 7 Petter Solberg Phil Mills 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 4:54:33.2 +52.76 4 2 Richard Burns Robert Reid Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 4:55:47.1 +2:06.65 5 8 Tommi Mäkinen Kaj Lindström 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 4:55:52.8 +2:12.34 6 3 Harri Rovanperä Risto Pietiläinen Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 4:57:25.2 +3:44.73 7 21 Gilles Panizzi Hervé Panizzi Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC 4:57:34.8 +3:54.32 8 17 Colin McRae Derek Ringer Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 4:57:45.5 +4:05.01
World Rally Cars Classification Position Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Time Points Event Class 1 1 4 Markko Märtin Michael Park Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 4:53:40.5 10 2 2 19 Carlos Sainz Marc Martí Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 4:54:26.5 +46.08 3 3 7 Petter Solberg Phil Mills 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 4:54:33.2 +52.76 4 4 2 Richard Burns Robert Reid Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 4:55:47.1 +2:06.65 5 5 8 Tommi Mäkinen Kaj Lindström 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 4:55:52.8 +2:12.34 6 6 3 Harri Rovanperä Risto Pietiläinen Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 4:57:25.2 +3:44.73 8 7 17 Colin McRae Derek Ringer Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 4:57:45.5 +4:05.0 1 9 8 14 Didier Auriol Denis Giraudet Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC Evo3 5:00:07.7 +6:27.2 0 Retired SS9 1 Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC Fuel pump 0 Retired SS9 12 Jussi Välimäki Tero Gardemeister Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Accent WRC3 Clutch 0 Retired SS6 6 Mikko Hirvonen Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '02 Suspension 0 Retired SS6 15 Toni Gardemeister Paavo Lukander Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia WRC Evo3 Turbo 0 Retired SS5 5 François Duval Stéphane Prévot Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 Accident 0 Retired SS3 11 Freddy Loix Sven Smeets Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Accent WRC3 Suspension 0 Retired SS1 10 Armin Schwarz Manfred Hiemer Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Accent WRC3 Alternator 0 Retired SS1 18 Sébastien Loeb Daniel Elena Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC Engine 0
Special stages Day Stage Stage name Length Winner Car Time Leg 1 (6 Jun) SS1 Pavliani 1 24.45 km François Duval Ford Focus RS WRC '03 19:54.7 François Duval SS2 Stromi 1 14.61 km Markko Märtin Ford Focus RS WRC '03 11:40.2 Markko Märtin SS3 Eleftherohori 18.67 km Harri Rovanperä Peugeot 206 WRC 11:28.2 SS4 Rengini 1 11.84 km Harri Rovanperä Peugeot 206 WRC 8:41.8 SS5 Elatia — Zeli 1 34.68 km Harri Rovanperä Peugeot 206 WRC 24:21.9 SS6 Pavliani 2 24.45 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 19:29.5 SS7 Stromi 2 14.61 km Marcus Grönholm Peugeot 206 WRC 11:25.6 SS8 SSS Lilea — Parnassos 1 2.43 km Stage cancelled Leg 2 (7 Jun) SS9 Mendenitsa 17.34 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 10:55.0 SS10 Bauxites 1 23.45 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 14:14.8 SS11 Drosohori 1 17.76 km Markko Märtin Ford Focus RS WRC '03 14:48.6 SS12 Rengini 2 11.84 km Harri Rovanperä Peugeot 206 WRC 8:30.2 SS13 Elatia — Zeli 2 34.68 km Markko Märtin Ford Focus RS WRC '03 23:44.2 SS14 Bauxites 2 23.45 km Markko Märtin Ford Focus RS WRC '03 13:51.9 SS15 Drosohori 2 17.76 km Markko Märtin Ford Focus RS WRC '03 14:23.6 SS16 SSS Lilea — Parnassos 2 2.43 km Carlos Sainz Citroën Xsara WRC 1:57.6 Leg 3 (8 Jun) SS17 Dikastro 1 18.40 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 16:08.7 SS18 New Tarzan 1 20.65 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 15:27.8 SS19 Agios Stefanos 1 13.47 km Tommi Mäkinen Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 10:02.6 SS20 Dikastro 2 18.40 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 15:58.3 SS21 New Tarzan 2 20.65 km Carlos Sainz Citroën Xsara WRC 15:10.3 SS22 Agios Stefanos 2 13.47 km Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 9:46.7
Championship standings Drivers' championships Co-drivers' championships Manufacturers' championshipsMoveDriverPointsMoveCo-driverPointsMoveManufacturerPoints 1 Richard Burns 37 Robert Reid 37 Marlboro Peugeot Total 73 2 2 Carlos Sainz 32 2 Marc Martí 32 Citroën Total WRT 62 3 1 Marcus Grönholm 30 1 Timo Rautiainen 30 Ford Motor Co. Ltd. 39 4 2 Markko Märtin 23 2 Michael Park 23 555 Subaru World Rally Team 37 5 1 Petter Solberg 19 1 Phil Mills 19 Škoda Motorsport 20
Junior World Rally Championship Classification Position Driver Entrant Car Time Points Event Class 17 1 61 Brice Tirabassi Jacques-Julien Renucci Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 5:27:34.0 10 18 2 52 Daniel Carlsson Matthias Andersson Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 5:28:29.2 +55.28 19 3 71 Urmo Aava Kuldar Sikk Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 5:35:02.7 +7:28.76 22 4 69 Salvador Cañellas Jr. Xavier Amigó Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 5:40:55.2 +13:21.25 27 5 62 Oscar Svedlund Björn Nilsson Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 5:49:22.1 +21:48.14 33 6 70 Guy Wilks Phil Pugh Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Puma S1600 6:04:08.1 +36:34.13 Retired SS21 51 Mirco Baldacci Giovanni Bernacchini Purity Auto Fiat Punto S1600 Mechanical 0 Retired SS17 63 Massimo Ceccato Mitia Dotta Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 Engine 0 Retired SS17 76 Luca Cecchettini Marco Muzzarelli Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 Engine 0 Retired SS11 54 Kosti Katajamäki Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 Gearbox 0 Retired SS11 67 Alessandro Broccoli Simona Girelli Sab Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 Driveshaft 0 Retired SS10 55 Martin Stenshorne Clive Jenkins Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Puma S1600 Alternator 0 Retired SS7 64 Ville-Pertti Teuronen Harri Kaapro Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 Driveshaft 0 Retired SS5 57 Dimitar Iliev Petar Sivov Auto Sport Italia Peugeot 206 S1600 Engine 0 Retired SS5 73 Krum Donchev Ruman Manolov Auto Sport Italia Opel Corsa S1600 Lost wheel 0 Retired SS4 65 Abdo Feghali Joseph Matar Astra Racing Ford Puma S1600 Engine 0 Retired SS2 59 Beppo Harrach Michael Kölbach Astra Racing Ford Puma S1600 Lost wheel 0 Retired SS1 58 Marcos Ligato Rubén García Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 Steering 0 Retired SS1 74 Kris Meeke Chris Patterson Opel Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 Steering 0 Retired SS1 78 Vladan Vasiljevic Sebastian Geipel Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 Accident 0
Special stages