Kajetan Kajetanowicz took part in this year’s prestigious Rally Silesia, driving through its special stages in a “0” course car. It was not only a very responsible role for the reigning WRC2 Challenger champion but also a sentimental journey to his roots and successful period of his career, when he competed in the European Rally Championship with Jarosław Baran alongside him. Last weekend, together with Maciej Szczepaniak, who has been co-driving him for the past five seasons to top-three finishes in the World Rally Championship, they appeared in front of the Polish fans, gaining energy before the Central European Rally.
Rally Silesia was the final round not only of the Polish Rally Championship but also of the European Rally Championship. The ORLEN Rally Team crew completed the rally route in a “0” car, checking the safety level on the special stages and making sure that many rally spectators stand in safe places.
It was also an emotional, sentimental journey for Kajetanowicz, after more than two decades of successful career which began right there. Everlasting rally passion of the Ustroń-based driver started in Silesia. He started in the International Rally Silesia in 2003, making his debut at the national championship level and claiming a class victory in a small Peugeot 106 S16. Exactly the same car was parked under the ORLEN Rally Team tent last weekend, attracting old and young fans alike. The windows of both Peugeot and Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 were adorned with words echoing sentiment of Kajetanowicz towards Rally Silesia and Silesia Voivodeship where he continues to live.
Following his memorable debut, Kajetanowicz climbed through the rally ladder and continued to dominate in the Polish Rally Championship for many years. Together with Jarosław Baran, they claimed four consecutive championship titles in the overall classification, from 2010 to 2013.
Afterwards they moved to the European Rally Championship and Rally Silesia is also an important element of this story. This year’s edition started exactly nine years after the finish of Acropolis Rally, in which Kajetanowicz and Baran claimed their first European title. They did not stop, reaching for the championship glory two more times, writing their names in the history books as the only crew which managed to win three championship titles in a row (2015-2017).
Kajetanowicz continues his successful streak – with Maciej Szczepaniak – in the World Rally Championship. The ORLEN Rally Team crew score top-three positions in their category since 2019, claiming the WRC2 Challenger title in 2023. The most successful Polish rally driver writes another chapters of his career.
– It’s been a busy but above all very nice weekend, Rally Silesia is close to my heart. I was born and raised in Silesia, achieved my first success here. I continue to live here, coming back home from rallies all over the world. We compete in the World Rally Championship, so we don’t have a chance to appear in Poland very often. We had an unusual role during Rally Silesia, driving a course car and performing the final safety test – checking whether the fans remain in safe places. I am happy that everything went smoothly, without problems. It was a great opportunity to meet our supporters and to get used to asphalt stages again, after 11 months’ break – since last year’s Rally Japan. The final ERC round helped me a little to prepare for the tarmac finish of the World Rally Championship season – short but very intense, with the Central European Rally followed by Rally Japan
– says Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
Kajetanowicz and Szczepaniak went to the Central European Rally right after the final stage of Rally Silesia. Their first tarmac World Rally Championship counter takes place on 17-20 October, with eighteen special stages on technically difficult roads of the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany.
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz are supported by the title partner of the ORLEN Rally Team – ORLEN S.A., as well as technical partner Delphi, Pirelli, ORLEN OIL, ATC CARGO S.A. and SJS S.A.
