Excellent pace of Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak during the opening loop of Rally Estonia: the LOTOS Rally Team crew scored a stage win in the WRC-3 category on SS3, recording a total of four top-three stage times. Amazing performance of the Polish crew enabled them to defeat all WRC-2 factory crews in the overall standings!
Kajetanowicz and Szczepaniak (Škoda Fabia R5 evo) started the day with fifth-fastest time on SS2 – Prangli 1 (20,93 kms). On the next one – SS3 Kanepi 1 (16.88 kms) – nobody could match their efforts, with Solberg/Johnston and Kaur/Simm losing 6.5 seconds and 7.4 seconds respectively. The LOTOS Rally Team crew set the pace among R5 cars as well, losing out to the potent WRC cars only!
Over the next three stages the Polish crew maintained great pace, setting another top-three times. After six stages Kajetanowicz holds third position in the WRC-3 standings, trailing the second-placed crew by just 2.8 seconds. He is also faster than all factory crews, competing in the WRC-2 category.
– The first loop went very well, we are in top three right now and it gives us plenty of energy ahead of the second loop. I admit that we did not expect such pace in these difficult conditions but on every stage we give our maximum, enjoying the competition. Our whole team is ready and we are looking forward to the second loop. Keep your fingers crossed!
– says Kajetan Kajetanowicz, the LOTOS Rally Team driver.
Rally Estonia, round four of the 2020 World Rally Championship, is at the same time round number 600 in the World Rally Championship history. After mid-day service break the crews return to competition, repeating the same five stages: SS7 Prangli 2 (20.93 kms, at 13:37 CET), SS8 Kanepi 2 (16.88 kms, at 14:18 CET), SS9 Otepää 2 (9.30 kms, at 15:08 CET), SS10 Mäeküla 2 (14.76 kms, at 16:00 CET) and SS11 Elva 2 (11.72 kms, at 17:19 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.
Rally Estonia 2020 – unofficial WRC-3 results after SS6:
- Solberg/Johnston (Sweden/Ireland, VW Polo GTI R5) 40:51.9
- Kaur/Simm (Estonia, Škoda Fabia R5 evo) +11.7 s
- Kajetanowicz/Szczepaniak (Poland, Škoda Fabia R5 evo) +14.5 s
- Huttunen/Lukka (Finland, Hyundai i20 R5) +36.2 s
- Pietrainen/Linnaketo (Finland, Škoda Fabia R5) +39.9 s
- Bulacia W./Der Ohannesian (Bolivia/Argentina, Citroën C3 R5) +42.6 s
- Linnamäe/Korsia (Estonia/Ukraine, VW Polo GTI R5) +57.3 s
- Ciamin/Roche (France, Citroën C3 R5) +1:07.9 s
- Jeets/Toom (Estonia, Škoda Fabia R5 evo) +1:24.5 s
- Solans/Barreiro (Spain, Ford Fiesta R5) +1:27.4 s