(12.04.2025) The organisers of the ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland have published the itinerary of the round four of 2025 FIA ERC season. As many as 14 gravel special stages are set to host championship title contenders. Even though names of the stages sound familiar, many changes have been made to the route, compared with previous editions. Only Mikolajki Arena superspecial stage remained unchanged.
Rally Poland is being held in Masurian Lake District for the 20th time. This year the event is a part of European and Polish rally championships with more than 190 kilometres of special stages. The total distance of the rally, including road sections, is 801 kilometres. The rally HQ and service park are traditionally located in Mikołajki.
– We have modified the route to adapt it to the current requirements of the FIA European Championship. The changes also include the qualifying stage, which must be at least six kilometres long. The Saturday stages are quite close to each other. Stare Juchy test could be crucial for the outcome of the competition. It is a fast and at the same time very diverse stage, where competitors will face various challenges. We have not used it since 2019, so for many crews it will be completely new. The central part of the Swietajno stage runs on the roads, which have never been used before in Rally Poland. The route of the Olecko special stage has also been modified, but the spectacular Rosochackie jump, which is popular with fans, remains. On Sunday, we start with the Mikolajki stage, which this time is located east of the town. The next stage is the Pozezdrze test with numerous fan zones. The results of the rally shall be known after Gmina Mragowo Power Stage is finished – said Krzysztof Maciejewski, CoC of the ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland.
Return after six years
The first day of the ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland, Friday 13th June, will follow the same, proven schedule as in previous years. Baranowo stage (6.3 km) will be the arena of free practice (10:30), qualifying stage (13:01) and shakedown (14:00).
The results of qualifying stage are crucial in gravel events, as they determine the starting order for Saturday’s stages. The fastest crews of qualifying can avoid running in front of the field, which means reduced grip due to loose gravel and sand covering the stages.
The first special stage to count towards the classification will be a spectacular head-to-head battle on the Mikolajki Arena track (2.5 km, Friday from 19:00).
Saturday will feature three special stages to be covered twice, northeast of the rally base, and another visit to the track in Mikołajki. The rally crews will report to the start of the Swietajno (16.3 km, from 10:00 and 15:30), Olecko (20 km, from 10:50 and 16:20) and Stare Juchy (13.6 km, from 11:40 and 17:10) stages twice. The last of the stages has been included in the Rally Poland schedule for the first time since 2019. The day will end with another spectacular show on the Mikołajki Arena.
Extra points in Gmina Mragowo
The second and final leg of the ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland consists of three special stages, which will be held twice – in the morning and afternoon loop. The organisers have planned the following sequence: SS Mikolajki (7.6 km, from 8:00 and 12:40), SS Pozezdrze (20 km, from 9:05 and 12:40) and SS Gmina Mragowo (15.2 km, from 10:35 and 16:05). The final test of the event will run as Power Stage, where five fastest crews score additional points towards European and Polish championship standings.
The finish ceremony and prize giving will traditionally take place in the Market Square in Mikołajki (from 17:30).
ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland itinerary
Friday, 13 June (1 special stage, 2,5 km in total):
- 10:30 – 12:30 – free practice: Baranowo (6,3 km)
- 13:01 – qualifying stage: Baranowo (6,3 km)
- 14:00 – 15:30 – shakedown: Baranowo (6,3 km)
- 17:00 – opening ceremony (Main Square, Mikolajki)
- 19:00 – SS 1: Mikolajki Arena (2,5 km)
Saturday, 14 June (7 special stages, 102,3 km in total):
- 8:20 – service A: Hotel Golebiewski, Mikolajki (15 min)
- 10:00 – SS 2: Swietajno (16,3 km)
- 10:50 – SS 3: Olecko (20 km)
- 11:40 – SS 4: Stare Juchy (13,6 km)
- 13:35 – service B: Hotel Golebiewski, Mikolajki (30 min)
- 15:30 – SS 5: Swietajno (16,3 km)
- 16:20 – SS 6: Olecko (20 km)
- 17:10 – SS 7: Stare Juchy (13,6 km)
- 19:00 – SS 8: Mikolajki Arena (2,5 km)
- 19:25 – service C: Hotel Golebiewski, Mikolajki (45 min)
Sunday, 15 June (6 special stages, 85,6 km in total):
- 7:15 – service D: Hotel Golebiewski, Mikolajki (15 min)
- 8:00 – OS 9: Mikolajki (7,6 km)
- 9:05 – OS 10: Pozezdrze (20 km)
- 10:35 – OS 11: Gmina Mragowo (15,2 km)
- 11:40 – service E: Hotel Golebiewski, Mikolajki (30 min)
- 12:40 – OS 12: Mikolajki (7,6 km)
- 13:45 – OS 13: Pozezdrze (20 km)
- 16:05 – OS 14: Gmina Mragowo (Power Stage, 15,2 km)
- 17:30 – finish ceremony (Main Square, Mikolajki)