"The rally is slow, quite rough, but I like it," added Hanninen. "There are a lot of fast drivers and the competition is getting higher and higher. Now, there are fast new guys, such as Ketomaa. My target is to finish in the top-three."
Other contenders meanwhile include two-time PWRC champion, Toshi Arai, as well as 2006 PWRC champion Nassar Al-Attiyah.
Arai is keeping his hopes in check though as he is still adjusting to the new Impreza: "I had many problems in Argentina, so I need to check a lot of things here," he confirmed. "I need the data, and I want to finish. It’s a new car for us."
Other regulars such as Fumoio Natahara, Armindo Araujo, Mirco Baldacci and Spyros Pavlides should also figure.
"The Greek rally is very difficult," continued Nutahara. "The surface is hard and there are many rocks. But for me it is good to be here, I’m very happy. I want to have a good result."
"I hope this year to do better than the last year, when I retired just two stages before the end due to engine problems," added Araujo. "I like the Acropolis Rally and I hope to finish. The best for me will be to finish in top three, because I need to make to gain some points for the championship."
Then there is Patrik Sandell in his Peugeot 207 S2000 and Martin Prokop, who are also both competing in the JWRC this season, as well as Travis Pastrana, Bernardo Sousa, Loris Baldacci, Martin Rauam and so on and on.
"This is the first time in Greece both for me and for a Super 2000 car," noted Sandell. "We want, first of all, to have good recce and a good shakedown. We want to be next to the top and we’ll make some changes, so as to find the right set-up. We don’t know many things about the car in this rally, because it is its first time here, but we will see."
Other significant entries:
62 crews set to start.
62 crews are due to start round seven - 17 of which will be in World Rally Cars, with all the manufacturer teams' represented.
