History 1960s

1968 Acropolis Rally

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1968 Acropolis Rally

Date: June 1968

Start/Finish Location: Athens, Greece

Total Distance: Approximately 3,300 kilometers

Participating Teams: 60 starters / 22 finishers

The 1968 Acropolis Rally, a critical round of the European Rally Championship, lived up to its reputation as one of the most punishing gravel rallies of its era. With scorching heat, rough mountain trails, and unpredictable mechanical strain, this Greek odyssey was as much about endurance and navigation as it was about speed. The combination of heat, rocks, dust, and altitude wore down even the best-prepared crews.

Route

Peloponnese: Rocky ridgelines and twisty gravel paths with major suspension hazards.
Mount Olympus and Thessaly: Rough terrain and steep drops with little room for mistakes.
Central Greece: Fast, dry plains occasionally broken up by sudden village transitions or riverbeds.

The rally coursed through iconic Greek regions including the Peloponnese and Central Greece, challenging teams with fast, loose surfaces and treacherous elevation changes. Torrential rain before the event added washouts and detours to the mix, further elevating the level of difficulty.

Navigating the rally required extreme concentration—both for steering and timekeeping—on roads that punished even minor lapses.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Roger Clark / Jim Porter – Ford Escort Twin-Cam
2nd Place
Bengt Söderström – Ford Lotus Cortina
3rd Place
Jean-François Piot – Renault 8 Gordini

Clark and Porter ran a smart and relentless campaign, handling the rocky Greek roads with surgical precision. Their victory marked the first Acropolis win for a British crew and established the Ford Escort’s global rally credentials.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Visibility: Dust clouds hung in the air, often blinding following crews for minutes at a time.
  • Terrain: Sharp rocks and deep ruts regularly caused punctures and damaged undercarriages.
  • Heat & Fatigue: Cockpit temperatures soared, forcing teams to manage hydration and focus over long stints.

The 1968 Acropolis Rally didn’t just test who could go fast—it tested who could endure. Surviving its punishing terrain earned crews well-deserved respect across the European rally circuit.

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