Homecoming for Kubica

Formula One race winner Robert Kubica is back on ERC duty for a rare appearance in his homeland. The 28-year-old, who hails from Kraków to the far south of Poland, has led all three ERC events he has contested this season, clocking the fastest stage time on 16 occasions in his turbocharged Citroën DS3 Regional Rally Car. Kubica has never competed on Rally Poland before so will be relying on the experience of his co-driver Maciej Baran, who has tackled the event on seven occasions since its relocation to Mikołajki.

 

Serious competition ahead

With as many as eight drivers tipped as genuine contenders for victory, there will be serious competition ahead on LOTOS 70 Rally Poland. Of the bulging 85-car entry, 15 drivers will be in Super 2000 or Regional Rally Cars with four competing in new-generation R5 machines. The ERC Production Car Cup and ERC 2WD Championship both feature entries full of quality and quantity, while three drivers will chase success in the ERC Ladies’ Trophy including newcomer Joana Survilaitė from Lithuania.

 

Polish champion steps up

Kajetan Kajetanowicz, who is on course to make it four Polish titles in succession this season, will not only be making his 60th start on a Polish championship rally and his second in this year’s ERC, he’ll be doing so in a new-generation Ford Fiesta R5, which he’s using in competition for the first time. Running under the LOTOS Rally Team banner, Kajetanowicz, a two-time Rally Poland winner, is better known for his exploits in a Subaru Impreza R4 STI. Countryman Michał Kościuszko will also be competing in a Fiesta R5 with LOTOS backing, despite nursing a broken vertebra (see Q&A).

 

Legend on parade

When it comes to embracing all things European, Krzysztof Hołowczyc has done more than most. Not only is the 51-year-old legend a winner in the European Rally Championship, he’s also a former champion, taking the title in 1997. Furthermore, Hołowczyc also held a seat in the European Parliament between 2007 and 2009. And further afield, the Olsztyn-born driver has contested 19 world championship rallies and taken part on the Dakar Rally on nine previous occasions although a crash on this year’s event left him with back and rib injuries. He will form part of the three-strong M-Sport team on LOTOS 70 Rally Poland in a Ford Fiesta RRC.

 

Peugeot Rally Academy returns

The Peugeot Rally Academy will field three rising talents on LOTOS 70 Rally Poland with Jérémi Ancian and Craig Breen in 207 Super 2000s and Stéphane Lefebvre in a 208 R2. The French Saintéloc Racing concern, which oversees the Peugeot Rally Academy cars, will enter a second 208 R2 for young Corsican driver Jean-Mathieu Leandri. Bryan Bouffier will also be relying on Peugeot power in Poland. The Frenchman spent several seasons competing in Poland and won the title with Peugeot in 2007 and 2008 before making it a hat-trick in 2009 in a Mitsubishi Lancer. Victory on Rally Poland has so far eluded him but he’s been rapid in this year’s ERC with podiums in Austria and Poland and victory on May’s Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse.

 

High-speed challenge awaits

LOTOS 70 Rally Poland features six repeated stages plus a superspecial in host town Mikołajki on the opening afternoon, which has capacity for 15,000 spectators. High speeds are achieved on the all-gravel tests in Poland’s stunning Masurian Lake District although this is no Rally Finland with few jumps and lots of wide open areas maximising viewing opportunities for fans. Tall grass lines sections of the route, which can limit visibility on the approach to corners. Corner cutting is best avoided due to hidden rocks. There are two new stages this year, Mrągowo, one of two televised live on Eurosport, and Biskupiec. The action begins with the Qualifying Stage on the 2.50-kilometre Mikołajki stage from 16:00hrs on Friday 13 September. The results will be used to help determine the starting order of the leading runners.

 

Teams aiming high in Poland

GPD Mit Metal Racing Team and Napoca Rally Academy will both be represented on LOTOS 70 Rally Poland. The former heads the European Rally Championship for Teams, while the latter is in front in the ERC Production Car Cup for Teams.