Start line for the Baja Greece

The service area was buzzing yesterday as cars were checked and forms were completed, ready to take the start of the FIA Greek Baja today. In addition to sponsoring the rallye, Toyo Tires is also participating as a competitor. Overdrive racing are bringing two cars, one will be driven by mulitiple FIA Baja champion, Yazeed Alarahji and the second car by Toyo Tires driver, Akira Miura who is the current Dakar production class champion. Miura will drive a Toyota Hilux equipped with a new spec of Open Country M/T R tire and while he is hoping to win the Baja, we are hoping to learn a lot about how the tire performs under extreme duress. This can then be fed back into the development process to improve the tire further. Like F1, the FIA limits the number of tires in cross coutry world cup races and competitors are only allowed to use 12 tires for the entire race so they have to be both tough and durable.

Admin done, there was an opportunity for a shakedown test and the car performed well with Miura going in to tomorrows race super confident. Meanwhile, Toyo Tires were setting up their stall in the service area, ready to welcome visitors and answer any questions they have about tires or the race.

There is a short prologue of about 7km this evening for the cars and racers to strech their legs before the 1st proper stage begins on Friday. A start ceremony is planned afterard and will be live streamed on the organisers facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rallygreeceoffroad

We have a photographer following the action so we can give you great pictures of the whole rallye.