Some rallies are tougher than others. There aren’t many more difficult, more challenging and more dangerous than the Acropolis Rally of Greece. This year it forms part of the FIA European Rally Championship, and it was also the 60th anniversary of this famous event.

To make this rally even more of a test for competitors this year, the organizers divided the two- day action into asphalt stages for Day One and gravel for Day Two, but allowed only 90 minutes for us to convert our rally cars from asphalt specification to a gravel one at the end of Day One… To change from one suspension setup, tyres, anti-roll bar stiffness and mindset from one day to the next, our team worked like champions.

Carmen Poenaru, my co-driver, and I lined up on Friday night for the Ceremonial Start in our new Subaru Impreza WRX STI (Group N4) for the first time in a rally, after competing in a Citroën C2 R2 Max over the past seasons.

The 267km-long rally with 13 stages meant we were to not only bring our car to the finish line safely and quickly, but also to learn as much as we can about this complicated beast: the four-wheel drive, the anti-lag system (ALS), the many new mechanical setups and the different driving style needed for this car was to be our second aim for the weekend. We always like to challenge ourselves!

For us, this rally went well. The Acropolis Rally’s organizing team performed at the World Rally Championship level they’re used to, and they also managed pick the best possible weather conditions for the crews and fans. The asphalt stages were made up of fast sections with tricky hairpins and tight turns, and the gravel stages were fantastic with interesting, fl owing roads. Of course, this being the Acropolis Rally of Greece, big rocks were waiting at every turn, sharp stones in the ruts and big jumps were part of the conditions we bravely attacked.

Greeks love motorsport, and there were thousands and thousands of spectators on the stages and at the Service Park. I received a lot of support and well wishes everywhere I went on the weekend, and it was so encouraging and inspiring. With more testing, and more competition in this Subaru, I know I will be quicker and my supporters will have more to cheer and shout for in the coming rallies. In fact, next year we hope to be on the podium in the Production Car Cup class!

At the end of Day One, we were 24th overall and 6th in the Production Car Cup class, with some very fast drivers in this category ahead of us and behind us. We were leaders of the Ladies Trophy too, so we knew that Day Two on the gravel would be another big day of action.

Slippery stages with many hidden rocks to cut tyres, we knew to keep the car neat and tidy through the twisting turns. As the stages were ticked off, we gained in speed – our stage times improved and my confidence in the car grew too. Unfortunately, it felt like this rally was too short. We reached end of Day Two in 5th place in the Production Car Cup class and 22nd overall after a great battle with a Greek team in a similar car, but I felt like a winner. At the Ceremonial Finish, we were awarded a full bag of 5 points for our Ladies Trophy win, and this will go a long way in our goal of winning this title at the end of 2014.

We’re now even more motivated for our next rally. We felt our speed increase, we felt the car respond to our inputs with more precision, and we’ve begun to adapt to the four-wheel drive dynamics. We just need more testing time before our next rally, and then we’ll be on the pace where we want to run. We have proven it to ourselves. Now, we want to show it to you.

We’re not sure when our next rally will be, as we’re still looking for more budget for the rest of the season. So, follow us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EkaterinaStratievaRally.