The ORLEN Rally Team crew battle in extremely tough Acropolis Rally, which traditionally, year by year, causes plenty of problems for the competitors. Challenging special stages destroy the cars and mean that a strike of luck may decide the outcome. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak did their best to avoid errors, maintaining very good pace at the same time. Despite some setbacks, they hold second position in the WRC2 Challenger category, for privateer crews, and sixth place in the overall WRC2 standings.
Right from the word go the pace of Kajetanowicz and Szczepaniak allowed them to fight for top three positions in their category. Unfortunately, two punctures and unlucky pass through a watersplash, where water got inside their air filter, pushed them back to sixth place. The ORLEN Rally Team duo fight against factory drivers and they are in second position among the privateer crews. There are three stages to go and many things can still happen on Sunday. For sure the Polish crew will not give up.
– We have completed another day at Acropolis Rally. Saturday’s leg brought us many plot twists. We had some struggles but when everything was going smoothly, we managed to avoid mistakes, driving at decent pace. We could have fought for a podium position, but a puncture and water under the bonnet on one of watersplashes, which got inside the air filter, put us on the back foot. We are not giving up, we will fight right until the end. It’s a new day on Sunday, so we will do our best because we love rallies, we love to race and even the toughest conditions would not scare us away
– Kajetan Kajetanowicz, the ORLEN Rally Team driver, commented midway through Saturday’s leg.
The final day starts with SS13 Tarzan (23.37 kms), followed by two runs of Grammeni test, shortened by nine kilometres – with additional points to score on the second pass, run as the Power Stage.
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz are supported by the title partner of the ORLEN Rally Team – PKN ORLEN, as well as technical partner Delphi Technologies, Pirelli, ATC CARGO S.A., ORLEN OIL – manufacturer of PLATINUM and QUAZAR Dynamic oils, and SJS S.A.
Acropolis Rally 2023, unofficial WRC2 standings after SS12:
- Mikkelsen/Eriksen (Norway, Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) 2:38:31.6
- Greensmith/Andersson (Great Britain/Sweden, Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +0.4
- Rossel/Dunand (France, Citroën C3 Rally2) +1:05.2
- Munster/Louka (Luxembourg/Belgium, Ford Fiesta Rally2) +1:41.6
- Fourmaux/Coria (France, Ford Fiesta Rally2) +2:07.2
- Kajetanowicz/Szczepaniak (Poland, Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +2:15.1
- Joona/Shemeikka (Finland, Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +2:36.6
- Cachón/Jandrín (Spain, Citroën C3 Rally2) +5:16.6
- Virves/Drew (Estonia/Great Britain, Ford Fiesta Rally2) +5:41.9
- Prokop/Ernst (Czech Republic, Ford Fiesta Rally2) +5:47.7
