ERC
Big surprise as ERC Rally Poland route revealed
The route for the 55th Rally Poland to count as a round of the FIA European Rally Championship, and the 82nd since it first ran in 1921, has been confirmed.
Switching to asphalt, following two decades as a gravel-based fixture, and relocating from Mikołajki, its home since 2005, to the Silesian region, 82nd Rally Poland takes place from 24 - 26 July as round four of both the European and Polish championships. The honorary patronage of the event has been assumed by Wojciech Saługa, Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship.
With the event starting in the city of Katowice and passing through or close to several towns and villages in Silesia, this year’s Rally Poland is a homecoming of sorts with the event having first followed a similar route back in 1923.
Organised by Fundacja Automobilistów (Automobilists Foundation), 82nd Rally Poland will challenge crews over 15 special stages of more than 187 kilometres. The route includes a return to the famous Przegibek Pass for the first time since 1999, a move considered a big surprise.
The 82nd Rally Poland route was revealed during a press conference at the Silesian Museum in Katowice last month, which was attended by representatives of the authorities of the Silesian Voivodeship, the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, the city of Katowice, ORLEN OIL, the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium. ERC leading light and reigning Polish champion Jakub Matulka, who is from Silesia, also attended.
A big entry is expected for 82nd Rally Poland
© ERC
Grzegorz Wróbel, who heads up the 82nd Rally Poland organising team, said: “It is a great honour for us and also a sign of trust that, after nine editions of Rally Silesia, we have been entrusted with organising the 82nd Rally Poland. We see this as recognition of our work and experience so far. We are convinced that this will be not only an exceptional sporting event, but also excellent promotion for the entire region. Fans can expect a fantastic atmosphere and a very strong and exciting field of competitors that will guarantee top-level competition.”
Fans can expect a fantastic atmosphere and a very strong and exciting field of that will guarantee top-level competition
Michał Sikora, president of the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (PZM), said: “For more than 100 years, Rally Poland has shown that it is ‘Polish’ not only in name. From the first edition in 1921 running from Warsaw to Białowieża, through Kraków, Wrocław, the Kłodzko Valley and Masuria, our national classic has become permanently embedded in the history of motorsport and many regions of the country. The Masurian gravel roads created a unique chapter of this story, and now another lies ahead – a new location and once again asphalt roads in a region that has long been an important point on Poland’s motorsport map. Rally Poland is not only a beautiful tradition, but also one of the most important rally events in Europe. I believe this year’s edition will open another important chapter in the history of our national classic.”
Poland's ERC route was revealed at a press conference in Katowice
© ERC
Event highlights
*Ceremonial start in downtown Katowice from 17:30 on Friday 24 July.
*GZM Katowice Powered by ORLEN OIL super special run in the heart of the Katowice next to the famous Spodek Arena from 21:15 on the opening night.
*Spectacular super special in the grounds of the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium on Saturday 25 July. Known as the Witches’ Cauldron, the venue will also house the rally headquarters, service park and podium ceremony.
*Only three stages (Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium, and Hażlach) are unchanged from when they were used on the ERC-counting Rally Silesia in 2024.
*All other stages (GZM Katowice, Ochaby, Gmina Jasienica, Kiczyce and Silesian Voivodeship) have been modified.
Local hero Jakub Matulka will be one to watch
© ERC
*The famous stage over Przegibek Pass returns to Poland after a 27-year absence. The 6.50-kilometre stage, which includes 50 hairpins and corners, was first used in 1967. When it was last used in 1999, Krzysztof Hołowczyc and Jean-Marc Fortin won the first of two runs aboard a Subaru Impreza WRC before Katowice driver Robert Gryczyński went quickest on the second pass in the Toyota Corolla WRC he was sharing with co-driver Tadeusz Burkacki.
