GUY Wilks believes this weekend's Acropolis Rally could prove the turning point in his season.

Wilks, from Darlington, currently lies second in the Junior World Rally Championship, tied on points with his Suzuki team-mate P-G Andersson.

The all-gravel Acropolis Rally, held in Greece, is round four of the JWRC and is renowned for being one of the toughest events on the calendar.

Wilks, who won the event last year, said: "We've got to try and win the class again. This rally is going to be quite important; it could be a turning point of the season.

"While the Acropolis is as quick as any other event now, there is still an element of tactics. You can definitely make it rougher for yourself than it really is if you place your car on the wrong part of the road. But I think we're in good shape."

But nothing can be taken for granted in an event that has carved a fearsome reputation as a car-breaker. Football-sized rocks litter the road, while temperatures regularly soar beyond 30 degrees centigrade, and push the drivers and cars to the maximum. Despite the unbelievably rough conditions, the Acropolis is still a sprint event where crews have to go flat-out from the start.

With the JWRC more competitive than ever, and the series lead evenly poised, the three days of Greece should provide competition as hot as the temperatures.

The Acropolis Rally got underway with a ceremonial start and indoor superspecial stage in Athens, at the Olympic Stadium yesterday. The new superspecial stage provided an excellent opportunity for fans who would not normally go out on the stages to get a taste of what rallying is all about. Crews now go on to tackle 19 special stages totalling 349 kilometres before the finish back in Lamia on Sunday.

Published: 24/06/2005