Britain's Colin McRae has won the Acropolis Rally, the seventh round of the world championship, for the third consecutive time.

The Ford Focus driver claimed victory despite not winning a single one of the 16 special stages in the three-day race.

Our main aim is still to win the world title Colin McRae

McRae came in ahead of Finland's Marcus Gronholm, who won three of the day's special stages in his Peugeot 206 WRC, and Ford team-mate Carlos Sainz.

"Today seemed to go on forever," said McRae. "The win is really down to the strength and set-up of the car.

"As a result we could judge our speed through the rougher sections."

It was McRae's first victory since winning this event last year, and he feels a championship challenge is still possible.

"Our main aim is still to win the world title and this victory has come at just the right time," he said.

"Hopefully we can close the gap again to Gronholm on the next round in Kenya."

Gronholm leads the championship by 14 points from Spaniard Sainz, followed by McRae and French Peugeot driver Gilles Panizzi in joint third spot.

Sainz was delighted to claim his 82nd podium finish.

"This is a great result, especially after our success in Argentina," he said.

"Starting third on Friday when the roads were still covered in loose gravel was never going to be easy.

"But the car is reliable and has good suspension, which is what is required in these conditions."

McRae's fellow Briton Richard Burns retired from the rally earlier on Sunday.

Peugeot's Burns trailed Ford driver McRae by 32.6 seconds overnight but the reigning world champion suffered suspension damage on Sunday's opening stage and was forced to drop out.

Other high-ranking drivers also succumbed to the boulder-strewn dirt tracks and heat of central Greece

Peugeot's French driver Gilles Panizzi retired in the 14th special stage with transmission problems.

And four-time world champion Tommi Makinen dropped out on Friday after losing a wheel.

The Finn, who has never won the Greek race, fell from fifth place to seventh in the championship standings.

Hyundai driver Freddy Loix was also forced to retire on the road section after damage caused by hitting a rock.

The drivers' next international competition is the Safari Rally in Kenya from 11-14 July.

Final results from the Acropolis Rally:

1 Colin McRae (GB) Ford 4hrs 27mins and 43.8secs
2 Marcus Gronholm (Fin) Peugeot 24.5 seconds behind
3 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ford 1:45.6
4 Harri Rovanpera (Fin) Peugeot 1:57.6
5 Petter Solberg (Nor) Subaru 1:58.6
6 Markko Martin (Est) Ford 2:40.1
7 Sebastien Loeb (Fra) Citroen 3:45.8
8 Thomas Radstrom (Swe) Citroen 5:08.7
9 Armin Schwarz (Ger) Hyundai 5:41.0
10 Toni Gardemeister (Fin) Skoda 7:17.4

Drivers championship standings

1 Marcus Gronholm (Fin) Peugeot 37 points
2 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ford 23
3= Gilles Panizzi (Fra) Peugeot 20
3= Colin McRae (GB) Ford 20
5 Richard Burns (Bri) Peugeot 19
6 Petter Solberg (Nor) Subaru 15