In Athens, Greece

McRae Kimathi, co-driven by Mwangi Kioni, is upbeat for a better result in the WRC EKO Acropolis Rally which starts Thursday night in the 1.95-kilometre Super Special Stage in the in-field of the 60,000 spectators Athens Olympic Stadium.

Action starts at 8:01pm local time, which lies in the same time zone with Kenya, under the warm Mediterranean climate. Competition will involve a two side-by-side race similar to what Kenyans are used to at Kasarani Super Special Stage.

But this will be a tight, up close and candid, thrilling engagement.

This is the highlight of the four-day competition which has attracted 70 competitors who will then move to Loutraki in Peloponnese Peninsula for the rally proper, an 108-kilometre, day-long test without services before an overnight halt at the Lamas Service Park, some 214 kilometres west of the capital, the base of the 303-kilometre-long rally until Sunday.

The Acropolis, also known as the Rally of Gods because of the historical ancient sites of this region, is the final round for the seven drivers competing in the FIA Rally Star Programme.

They include Kimathi, currently sixth in a schedule of five WRC races after Sweden, Croatia, Portugal, Estonia and now Greece, which will determine the winner of the 2022 Junior World Rally Championship crown.

All the drivers are racing the same model of the Ford Fiesta Rally 3 prepared and managed by M-Sport Poland. Greek roads are rough and twisty while the temperate weather is what Kimathi is used to back home compared to freezing ice of his debut WRC event in Sweden last February.

It is likely on paper that defending champion Sami Pajari of Finland and Ulsterman Jon Armstrong, level at 85 points each, followed by Estonian Robert Virves (84) might occupy the top three positions.

But Greece is different all together, and Kimathi also stands a chance of moving up the ladder as long as he sustains his tempo and posts faster stage times ahead of his opponents.

The International (FIA) is offering double points at the end of this rally plus an extra point of every stage won.

The other motivating factor is that the 2022 junior category champion will land a four WRC rallies drive in next year's season aboard a Ford Fiesta Rally 2 car in the second highest tier of competition behind the Rally 1 category of FIA Priority One drivers.

The champion will also test the car serviced by M-Sport Poland before each round and receive a full tyre package from Pirelli.

Kimathi was confident of a fruitful weekend before recce and later scrutineering yesterday, saying he remains focused with the assignment at hand.

His motivational factor is that he is now well acquainted with the demands of the WRC unlike at the beginning of the season.

Not far behind is Lauri Joona, at 79 points and winner in Croatia who demonstrated his mastery of rough terrain, an experience which will come handy in the mountainous stages here this weekend.

Kimathi, with 30 points, will be chasing Irishman William Creighton (38) for fifth or better position.