Jakub Matulka
Poland
·
ERC
Key Facts
Nationality
Poland
Date of Birth
28.05.2000
ERC 2026
Team
ORLEN LOTTO Rally Team
Co-Driver
Car
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
Tyres
Michelin
ERC Victories
-
ERC Podiums
1
ERC Stage Wins
7
Matulka only began competing in 2022 – he was an alpine skier before then and also studied law at university – but wasted little time by moving up to four-wheel drive one year later when he tackled three ERC rounds.
He stepped up another gear in 2024, adding a Junior WRC attack to his domestic programme at Rally2 level, which netted a breakthrough victory on Rally Košice in July of that year. He returned to the ERC on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion and won ERC3, a prelude to a full ERC1 campaign in 2025, which he combined with a successful Polish championship title bid.
New-for-2025 co-driver Syty brought considerable experience and the pair celebrated their Polish crown ahead of the 2025 Croatia Rally finale.
Why did you choose the ERC for 2026? “Moving to ERC is a natural step forward in my career. It will be my second full season in the ERC. Last year we combined ERC with the Polish Rally Championship, which was our main priority. For 2026, we’re fully focused on competing on the European stages”
What target have you set yourself for this season? “Year by year I try to make real progress. Last season we had some strong results, but we were missing consistency. This year I want to find the right balance between good pace and stronger results at the finish”
What are you hoping to learn from competing in the ERC this year? “I’m still building experience, which I realistically don’t have as much of as some of my rivals at this level. I want to get as much as possible out of every kilometre and turn it into valuable knowledge to become a better driver”
Who’s your rallying hero and why? “Sébastien Loeb. I’ve always admired his calm approach, precision and his ability to win in all conditions. He’s a driver you can learn consistency and total control from”
What’s your greatest achievement in rallying/motorsport so far? “Definitely winning the Polish Rally Championship title last season”
Looking back to your first rally, when was it and where, what car did you drive and what happened? “My first competitive kilometres came in 2021, driving with my dad in amateur events on a closed circuit. We were in a Peugeot 206 XS. My first proper rally was in 2022 at Rentor Rallycup Kopřivnice, where we won Class F3 in a Ford Fiesta R200”
Looking to the future, where do you hope to be in five years? “I want to be a better driver and successfully competing in the World Rally Championship”
If you weren’t a rally driver, what sport would you like to do? “I really enjoy water sports like windsurfing and kitesurfing. For a few years now I’ve been travelling with friends to places with good conditions. In winter, I focus on skiing in different forms – from downhill to ski touring”
When you are not competing what do you do to keep busy? “My everyday life revolves around rallying. I focus on managing the team, and when I’m not competing, I’m preparing for the next events – gym training, simulator work, watching onboard footage and improving my pacenotes”
Tell us something interesting about yourself? “This is actually only my fifth proper season in rallying. Before I got into rallying, I spent almost seven years in alpine skiing, achieving success at junior level”
