The WRC-2 championship leaders are ready for round twelve of the World Rally Championship. This is 75th running of Wales Rally GB – a classic event which forms a part of the WRC calendar since its early years. Kajetan Kajetanowicz contests this gravel rally for the first time in his career and faces 27 opponents in R5 machinery. The LOTOS Rally Team driver chose a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 for this rally.
During this event we can count on additional excitement caused by changeable weather conditions. According to current forecast, we can expect some rain – quite common in this area – which will soften the roads and provide extremely unpredictable grip levels. Together with fog and stages run after sunset, all these conditions make this rally one of the toughest in the WRC calendar.
No less than 16 crews entered the competition in the WRC-2 category. Kajetanowicz, co-driven by Maciej Szczepaniak, will fight – among others – with Benito Guerra from Mexico and Pierre-Louis Loubet from France (both using Skoda Fabia R5 evo) or Ole-Christian Veiby from Norway (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5). Another two Polo GTI R5 will be used by the 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg and his son, Oliver.
– This is one of those rallies which enjoy undisputed position in the World Rally Championship calendar. Extremely slippery and difficult special stages await us – you need to approach them carefully, especially when you drive them for the first time. One of the most famous tests – over 23-kms Myherin stage, run on Saturday – takes place in extraordinary surroundings of wind turbines. I know that plenty of spectators from our country will line the stages. They were trying to convince me to take part in this rally and kept asking if I would do it. We face another big challenge and I am looking forward to it
– comments Kajetan Kajetanowicz, the LOTOS Rally Team driver.
The organisers have prepared almost 310 competitive kilometres, divided into 22 special stages. Shakedown – Gwydir – starts at 9:00 CET on Thursday, 3rd of October. The opening test – SS1, The Dayinsure Oulton Park Stage – gets underway at 20:08. On Friday the crews face two runs of four special stages: Elsi (11.65 kms, at 8:18 and 14:40 CET), Penmachno (16.19 kms, at 8:46 and 15:08), Dyfnant (19.36 kms, at 10:56 and 19:11) and Aberhirnant (10.26 kms, at 11:53 and 20:08). There is one more short stage, added to the second loop: Slate Mountain (1.6 kms, at 16:57).
Both Friday loops are split by service zone, but on Saturday there is no opportunity for service during the whole day, with over 150 competitive kilometres to cover. The crews will have to take care of their cars by themselves, without any assistance of the mechanics. The day starts with Dyfi test (25.86 kms, at 9:06 CET), followed by Myherin (22.91 kms, at 11:08) and Sweet Lamb Hafren (25.65 kms, at 12:02). The second loop runs in a bit different order: Myherin (15:08), Sweet Lamb Hafren (16:02) and Dyfi (17:19). There is one more stage to finish the day: Colwyn Bay (2.4 kms, at 20:13).
Sunday consists of five special stages: Alwen (10.41 kms, at 8:28 and 12:10 CET), Brenig (6.43 kms, at 9:08 and 13:18) and Great Orme (4.74 kms, at 10:26). The competition in the 2019 Wales Rally GB comes to an end around 14:00 CET.
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz are supported by strategic partner of the LOTOS Rally Team – Grupa LOTOS – as well as Delphi Technologies, Driving Experience and Pirelli.
