Red Bull SKODA and Hänninen Team Win The Acropolis Rally 2011

A better place for the first World Cup victory in the ongoing S-WRC series would have been to the Red Bull SKODA team can not choose: with a fantastic performance Juho Hänninen and Mikko Markkula the Acropolis won Rally 2011 and thus one of the most challenging rallies at all. The Finnish driver duo showed a truly masterful performance with the SKODA Fabia S2000, and took the lead in the current S-WRC with the triumph in the Greek heat rating.

With a clever strategy and the right speed at the right time, Hänninen drove out a lead of five minutes on the Portuguese Sousa in the Ford in the course of the three-day rally Fiesta S2000. From the outset, the reigning champion of the IRC was wide awake and placed already after the first tests of rating in the top flight. Also an interim puncture and a small collision with a rock could prevent Hänninen not from his victory ride. He was clever, showed patience and took advantage of the mistakes of the competition in place. Depending on the target came nearer, all the more souveräner was the Finn and pointed at the end of the competition clearly in its place.

With his first S-WRC victory Hänninen was also the lead in the interim classification of the Super 2000 World Cup. Positive turned out his conclusion: “In every respect perfect weekend for us and for the whole team.” My first S-WRC victory this year and at the same time the lead in overall standings: it would have no better can run. And in my home rally in Finland in late July – simply great. “A big thank you to everyone!”

Also the second occupation of Red Bull SKODA with Hermann Gassner Jr. and Kathi Wüstenhagen can be satisfied with the rally. Fourth place, the German rally champion 2009 narrowly missed the podium. He had planned to come – in any case in the objective and that grabbed Gassner despite various technical problems. At the finish, he commented on the competition so: “This was certainly the hardest rally of my career.” It was incredibly hard to find the correct rhythm between speed and safety. “In view of the history of the race we are more than satisfied with fourth place.”
Team Manager Raimund Baumschlager praised the overall performance of all those involved: “This was a real masterpiece of the whole team.” Juho has with the victory his outstanding skills on highest gravel again demonstrated. And congratulations also to Hermann Gassner, has fully fulfilling mandated to complete all learning km in Greece. “A good day for our team!”