Acropolis Rally 2026 preview ft. Aoife Raftery
About this episode
The SPIN, The Rally Pod crew previews the Acropolis Rally as the WRC resumes its second-half run, then digs into what makes Greece so demanding—narrow, technical stages with changing surfaces and a rough, attrition-heavy feel. Aoife Raftery shares her Rally US experience, from loose gravel and running order to a late incident that dropped her from third to fifth. They also compare tarmac vs gravel braking, discuss class progression, and look ahead to Hyundai’s gravel prospects and next year’s Rally One vs Rally Two shake-up.
Will Toyota's domination end as the World Rally Championship heads for gravel in the second half of the season? Can Elfyn Evans deliver the championship title he's threatened to for years? And who's going to win the Acropolis?
Luke Barry is joined by DirtFish Women in Motorsport driver Aoife Raftery to preview round eight of the WRC, as well as look back on Raftery's most recent events in her Ford Fiesta Rally3.
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brake disc
"I came around the corner and I was like, how are we still on the road? And then I felt something coming passing my feet. I was like, I didn't know what it was, but then I went to break and there was no brakes, but it was the brake disc that had broke off and that I could feel."
The brake disc is the part that the brake pads squeeze to slow the car down. In this case, it broke off, so the driver couldn’t brake normally anymore.
A brake disc (rotor) is the metal disc the brake pads clamp onto to slow the car. In this story, the brake disc broke off, so the driver effectively lost braking at the front axle.
no front brakes
"So we had to manage the rest of the loop then with, you know, we tried our best to do what we could, but we had no front brakes. And the hub was like three quarters of the way sheared."
If the front brakes are gone, the car can’t slow down the way it normally would. That makes it much harder to control speed into corners, so the driver has to use other methods to slow down.
“No front brakes” means the front axle has lost braking capability, which is especially dangerous because most braking force is normally handled at the front. The driver then has to rely on whatever braking remains (often rear brakes) and on engine braking strategies to control speed.
hub
"And we had no front brakes. And the hub was like three quarters of the way sheared. So it was just holding on by the driveshaft."
The hub is the center part that the wheel attaches to. If it’s badly broken, the wheel can end up hanging on by the drivetrain instead of being properly supported.
The hub is the part the wheel mounts to, and it connects the wheel to the drivetrain components. Here, the hub was “three quarters of the way sheared,” meaning it was badly damaged and the wheel assembly was only still attached by the driveshaft.
driveshaft
"And the hub was like three quarters of the way sheared. So it was just holding on by the driveshaft. So the wheel was completely sideways and every stage we'd get to the start of the next stage..."
A driveshaft is the part that sends power from the gearbox to the wheels. If the wheel is only held on by it, that means the rest of the wheel mounting is damaged.
A driveshaft transfers torque from the transmission to the wheels. In this incident, the wheel was held on only by the driveshaft, implying the suspension/wheel mounting was severely compromised.
throttle
"Of course, you can't really commit and it's coming down to slow corners. You have to come off the throttle earlier. Um, like we're trying to use the handbrake to slow it up as well..."
The throttle is the pedal that controls engine power. If you can’t slow down with brakes, you have to back off the power earlier to avoid going too fast into corners.
The throttle controls how much engine power is delivered to the drivetrain. Without reliable braking, the driver has to lift off the throttle earlier and manage speed more with engine braking and careful corner entry.
handbrake
"Um, like we're trying to use the handbrake to slow it up as well, but it's not that easy, to actually do that and then try and, I suppose, use the gearbox as well to slow us down."
The handbrake is a lever that can lock the rear wheels. Here, the driver tried using it to slow the car down since normal braking wasn’t available.
In rally driving, the handbrake is a lever used to lock the rear wheels briefly to help rotate the car or scrub speed in tight corners. With no front brakes, the driver tried to use it as an emergency way to slow down.
gearbox
"...and then try and, I suppose, use the gearbox as well to slow us down. But it's just, yeah, it's difficult trying to manage it because you just feel the time"
The gearbox is what changes the gears to control how the engine drives the wheels. If you lift off the gas, the engine can help slow the car down, especially when you’re in the right gear.
The gearbox changes gear ratios and also enables engine braking when you lift off the throttle. In this situation, the driver used the gearbox to help slow the car down when front brakes were gone.
service
"they'd put in some work in the last service to get us back out for the, for the last stage... changed the 20 minute service to change the corner of the car."
In rally racing, a service is the planned break where the team can work on the car between stages. They may fix damage or make setup changes, and they have limited time to get everything done.
In rallying, a service is the scheduled time window where the team can work on the car between stages—typically changing parts, adjusting setup, and repairing damage. The rules and timing are strict, so teams must be organized to get the car back out quickly.
power stage
"to get us back out for the, for the last stage, which was a power stage. So we were able to get some points on that as well."
A power stage is a special stage in a rally where the fastest drivers get extra points. It usually happens near the end, so teams have to decide how hard to push while still managing the car for the finish.
A power stage is a designated final stage in a rally that awards extra championship points to the fastest drivers. Because it’s at the end of the event, teams often balance risk and tire/brake management to still push for those points.
tarmac
"But to go from a gravel event [636.1s] in America to a tarmac rally in Ireland. Yes, they're rallying, but they're totally different environments, aren't they?"
Tarmac is the paved asphalt surface used for some rally stages. Because it’s solid and consistent compared to gravel, the car grips and brakes differently, so it feels like a different kind of driving.
In rallying, “tarmac” means stages run on paved asphalt rather than loose gravel. The grip level and how it changes as tires wear and the surface heats up are different, so braking and steering feel noticeably distinct.
grip
"it's bumpy, it's gravelly. It's quite difficult sometimes to read the grip as well, [661.0s] because it changes quite a lot. And then of course, you're braking."
Grip is how well the tires can hold the road. If the grip changes a lot, the car may slow down or turn differently than you expect, especially when braking.
In rally driving, “grip” is how much traction the tires can generate against the surface. On bumpy, “gravelly” tarmac, grip can vary from corner to corner, making it harder to judge braking points and how much the car will rotate.
braking
"because it changes quite a lot. And then of course, you're braking. [667.8s] And yeah, the braking is the biggest difference I found from gravel to tarmac in the feeling."
Braking is slowing the car down, but in rallying it also affects how the car turns. Different surfaces make braking feel different, because the tires may grip more or less as you slow down.
“Braking” in rallying isn’t just slowing down—it’s managing traction while transferring weight and controlling the car’s rotation. Because tarmac and gravel offer different traction and consistency, the braking feel and how confidently you can brake into corners changes a lot.
recce
"we flew into Dublin on the Monday, went straight to Donegal, and then we did our recce. [677.6s] And we went straight into the rally."
Recce is when the driver and co-driver go over the rally route before the race. They take notes about what the road is like so they know what’s coming during the timed stages.
“Recce” (short for reconnaissance) is the pre-rally practice where the crew drives the route to learn the stage notes. Those notes help the driver anticipate corners, surface changes, and grip so they can push safely and consistently.
Donegal
"we flew into Dublin on the Monday, went straight to Donegal, and then we did our recce. ... [730.0s] an unfortunate end, which was very, very sad for, you know, of course, everybody involved. [733.7s] Absolutely. Everyone's thoughts here at Derbyshire with those affected by the tragic events on Saturday [740.6s] in Donegal."
Donegal is a region in Ireland. In this episode it’s where the rally is happening and where the referenced events took place.
Donegal is a county in northwest Ireland, and it’s where the rally stages and local operations are based in this discussion. The speaker also references tragic events “in Donegal,” tying the location to the episode’s Acropolis Rally 2026 preview context.
rally three
"it was my first, second rally [695.1s] on tarmac in that rally three car. And the first one we had done was Jim Clark, which was a completely opposite side of roads, fast, smooth. Whereas this was, you know, bumpy, choppy, gravelly. ... [710.5s] enjoyed it. The rally three is very stable car."
“Rally three” is a category of rally car with a particular specification. The driver is saying this category feels more stable on tarmac, so it’s easier to keep the car under control.
“Rally three” refers to a specific rally car class/level (often used in rallying to distinguish car specifications). The speaker contrasts its behavior with another class on tarmac, emphasizing that Rally3 is “very stable,” which affects how predictable the car feels when you’re pushing on slippery, bumpy surfaces.
rally four
"it's a big difference from being on the [715.1s] rally four on tarmac, where you're just hoping the car was going to come around on here, it's [719.0s] going to follow you. And just hoping it was going to stay on the road."
“Rally four” is a different category of rally car. The driver is saying that on tarmac it can feel less settled, so you have to be more careful and rely more on the car staying planted.
“Rally four” is another rally car class/level used to separate different specification rules. Here it’s contrasted with Rally3 on tarmac: the speaker describes “hoping the car was going to come around” and “stay on the road,” implying less stability/predictability at the limit.
seed time
"just trying to get that seed time on tarmac, I'm starting to enjoy that a lot more and building the pace on that as well."
A “seed time” is an estimated time that helps decide where you start in a rally. It’s basically a reference for how quick you’re expected to be.
In rallying, “seed time” refers to an initial time used to set a driver’s starting position or to estimate how fast they are on a given surface. It helps determine the order and can influence how much traffic or track position affects the stage.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
"The week before is the Goodwood Festival of Speed. So we should be there at that. Very good."
Goodwood Festival of Speed is a big car and motorsport event in the UK. People go to watch racing/hillclimbs and also see famous drivers up close.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a major UK motorsport and car culture event held at Goodwood. It’s known for hillclimb action, celebrity paddocks, and close-up access to racing drivers and teams.
WRC drivers
"But yeah, to see all your like the WRC drivers, you know, I got the chance to sit in with Danny Sordo, which was incredible."
WRC drivers are rally racers from the top world championship level. The host is saying you can meet famous top rally people at big events.
This refers to drivers in the World Rally Championship (WRC), the top tier of rally racing. The episode uses them as examples of the kind of talent you can meet at events like Goodwood.
pace notes
"It is one that if you haven't been before, you'd want to learn it or have pace notes for it because every time I come back and like, oh, it's more technical than I always remember to be."
Pace notes are like a rally “cheat sheet” for the driver. They tell you what the road is coming up next—turns, bumps, and where to slow down—so you can drive quickly.
Pace notes are written instructions used by rally crews to describe upcoming road features—like turns, braking points, and surface changes—so the driver can go fast with confidence. They’re typically created from reconnaissance and then refined for the specific stage.
Acropolis rally
"So I think this is a good chance to transition a little bit towards this week's Acropolis rally grease. And"
The Acropolis Rally is a well-known rally in Greece. It’s famous for being tough and technical, with narrow roads and changing surfaces that punish mistakes.
The Acropolis Rally is a famous Greek rally known for rough, narrow roads and constantly changing grip. It’s often described as a “technical” event where pace and preparation matter as much as outright speed.
gravel
"this sort of rough sweltering European summer gravel rally ... It's weird to think we're halfway through the year and there's only been two events."
Gravel is loose rock on the road. In rallying it usually means the car slides more and it can be harder to keep control—plus it can be tougher on the car.
Gravel is loose stone road surface, and in rallying it typically means more sliding, less predictable grip, and higher risk of damage from debris and impacts. The speaker frames gravel rallies as exciting but rough, especially in hot European summer conditions.
Hungary
"I suppose the closest I've ever done to a really rough gravel rally is Hungary in the European Championship."
Hungary is mentioned as a rally location the speaker has experience with. They’re using it to compare how rough different rallies feel.
Hungary is referenced as the closest the speaker has come to a very rough gravel rally via the European Championship. It’s used here as a comparison point for how physically punishing the stages can feel.
European Championship
"I suppose the closest I've ever done to a really rough gravel rally is Hungary in the European Championship."
The European Championship is a rally competition series across Europe. The speaker is saying their closest experience to a rough gravel rally came from that kind of event.
The European Championship is referenced as the series context for the speaker’s experience in Hungary. In rallying, continental championships are often where drivers build experience before stepping up to world-level events.
Greece
"John Armstrong made a comparison ... about it nearly being as rough as Greece, which I was very, very surprised"
Greece is mentioned because the speaker compares other rallies to how tough Greece is. They also say they’ve watched it every year.
Greece is referenced in the context of rallying, specifically as a benchmark for roughness. The speaker contrasts it with other events and notes they’ve watched Greece every year, implying it’s a recurring, high-stress rally for competitors.
Junior World Rally Championship
"I always felt very bad for the Junior World Rally Championship drivers because it was usually the last round of their championship."
The Junior World Rally Championship is a training/stepping-stone rally series for up-and-coming drivers. The speaker is saying it can feel like a gamble whether you even make it to the finish.
The Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) is a development series within rallying for younger drivers, typically using cars with standardized specs. The speaker’s point is that for these drivers, finishing the rally can be as important as speed because mechanical issues can end the event.
mechanical damages
"our, what is it, what would I say, our many kind of mechanical damages at Hungary"
“Mechanical damages” means the car gets broken or worn out by the rally. In rough events, it’s not just about driving fast—your car has to survive too.
In rallying, “mechanical damages” refers to failures or damage to the car’s components caused by the stages—like impacts, overheating, or component wear. The speaker links this to why results can hinge on durability, not just speed.
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