Partnered by co-driver Aisvydas Paliukėnas, the Gurtam Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics duo clocked a time of 3 minutes and 59 seconds over the tight 6.17km opening circuit. The benchmark puts them third in the absolute classification and hands them the provisional lead in the FIA European Baja Cup.
It was a chaotic start for the Lithuanian pair. Vanagas locked his wheels on a sharp hairpin, stalling his Toyota GR DKR Hilux EVO T1+.
"I managed to lock the wheels and kill the engine just 100 metres in," Vanagas admitted. "We had to restart the car and lost valuable time. But looking at the bigger picture, the result is highly positive."
The mishap was a direct result of a modified anti-lag system on the car's engine specifically for Greece's notoriously narrow tracks. The software tweak reduces anti-lag under heavy braking to improve corner entry. While it increases agility in tight bends, it causes a temporary drop in engine power - that ultimately triggered the unexpected stall.
Co-driver Paliukėnas echoed the sentiment, noting the tricky conditions. "The prologue was slippery in places, and we hit a wall of dust at one point. Aside from the stall, everything went well."
Baja Greece holds a prestigious double-status on the international motorsport calendar this year. The event serves as round three of the FIA World Baja Cup and round two of the FIA European Baja Cup.
The battle lines are already drawn for the weekend ahead. In the European Fight Dakar legend Vanagas faces a fierce challenge from France’s Lionel Baud, who is chasing hard in a Mini JCW Rally. In the World Cup, Saudi Arabia's Dania Akeel, driving for Overdrive Toyota, remains a top favourite for the global classification but faces stiff European resistance.
The real test begins tomorrow. The prologue times do not count towards the overall rally standings; they merely dictate the crucial starting positions for Saturday and Sunday's mountain stages.
Drivers face a brutal 800-kilometre route, including 550 kilometres of fierce, timed special stages. With narrow mountain passes offering zero margin for error. Experts predict that managing mechanical overheating in the blistering Greek heat will be the key to the podium.
Source: Gurtam Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics
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