(23/06/2024) Krzysztof Hołowczyc did not have many opportunities to take co-driver’s seat in a rally car during his rich career. This time, he was given a lift to the press conference of the ORLEN 80th Rally Poland in a Ford Puma Rally 1 Hybrid driven by Martins Sesks. The 24-year-old Latvian, the winner of last year’s edition of Polish event, will make his debut behind the wheel of the top category machine in Mikołajki next Thursday.
The host of the press conference on the PGE National Stadium grounds in Warsaw was Michał Sikora, president of the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, who devoted a lot of attention in his speech to topics related to safety during the seventh round of the World Rally Championship.
WRC is a huge challenge. Organisation of such event as ORLEN 80th Rally Poland needs good, motivated and experienced team. Thanks to them we can hold top level events, no matter if it is a WRC or ERC round. All in all, I am sure that everything will be 100% ready for 27th of June, when 80th edition of Rally Poland kicks-off. Moreover, we are equipped and ready to safely handle hybrid Rally1 cars, which are equipped with high-voltage, electric power unit. On this occasion I want to ask spectators not to touch Rally1 cars if there is a red light behind windscreen or side window. Please enjoy the event responsibly – safely and with respect for the environment.
Michał Sikora, president of the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation
Martins Sesks revealed some interesting details about his start on the fast Masurian gravel roads.
Rally Poland is a special event for me. It brings lot of good emotions, not only because we already won here. The car which I will use in Poland – Ford Puma Rally 1 – is stunning, it’s a machinery from a different world, even if I will make my debut without additional hybrid power. I decided not to use hybrid version in Poland to take this challenge step by step. ORLEN 80th Rally Poland gives me four days to discover the Rally1 car. This is very important part of our preparations to our home WRC round – Rally Latvia – where I will compete behind the wheel of full Rally1 car – equipped with hybrid drivetrain
informed Martins Sesks.
Krzysztof Hołowczyc, three-time winner of Rally Poland in 1996, 1998 and 2005, spoke in a very emotional way about his beloved event.
For many years we were convincing world of motorsport that there is a place where you can run fast, spectacular gravel rally, which both fans and crews are going to love. I will not forget the comments from top rally drivers after 2009 edition, when Rally Poland made its comeback to WRC. They said to me that this is a fantastic rally with stunning stages and it was worth to come here. I think that Masurian Lake District is a special place for Polish and world rallying. Local community is special too with their famous hospitality. Thanks to this we can enjoy WRC round in Poland. I know that fans would like to experience the rally as close to the stages as possible but believe me – there is a reason why spectator zones are sometimes a bit far from the r§oad. WRC drivers go c§zy fast, so this distance is necessary
concluded popular driver called Holek by rally fans.
After the press conference, the large audience could watch the demonstration runs by Martins Sesks, Grzegorz Olchawski, Marek Suder, Adam Sroka, Mateusz Fijała, Arkadiusz Kula, Łukasz Nagraba, Andrzej Borkowski, Gosia Prus and Andrzej Król, the organizer of the WRC Rally Show.
Among the sports cars, apart from the Ford Puma Rally1, fans admired in action Subaru Impreza, Ford Fiesta R4 and Escort, Renault Megane Maxi, Toyota Yaris GR, Skoda Fabia Rally2 and the drifting Toyota Supra with a monstrous engine power of 1,500 HP.
The anniversary ORLEN 80th Rally Poland starts next Thursday, June 27, and the winner of the Polish round of the WRC will be announced on Sunday, June 30, at the finish podium located this year in the Mikołajki Arena complex.
