Hayden Paddon is back in Europe for the third round of the FIA European Rally Championship, ORLEN Rally Poland, this week end(19 – 21 May) with high-speed gravel stages providing the latest challenge for the ERC stars and their cars.
“After a small pre-event test yesterday, we are into recce today followed by two days of rallying over the weekend,” commented Paddon. “This is a rally we last competed in in 2017 and the fast nature of the roads are very enjoyable to drive on. The big thing here is the soft road surface means the stages become a little rutted on the second pass, but I can’t wait!”
And with the ERC turning 70 this season it’s only fitting that the second oldest rally in the world is part of the 2023 schedule, kicking off a three-event run of flat-out gravel events.
Based in the Masurian lake district town of Mikołajki, a three-hour drive north of the capital Warsaw, ORLEN 79th Rally Poland has attracted a packed entry – including 58 ERC-registered crews – with a 16-stage, 182.06-kilometre route in store.
After claiming a highly emotional and popular home win in 2022, 27-year-old Miko Marczyk is firmly in contention for a repeat victory in his Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
“Last year the level of competition was high but now the level will go up because the big boys from the WRC, like Mads Østberg and Hayden Paddon, will be on the stages,” he said. “This is very important for me to compare myself with top drivers of the world on our stages, which are mainly a lot of fourth and fifth gear, a lot of straights and very fast corners. But even if we are slower than them we can develop and improve a lot with this comparison.”
Rally Poland also forms the opening round of the Hankook-equipped FIA Junior ERC Championship, which is giving 16 young talents the opportunity to build their experience for future career progression in Rally4 and Rally5 cars.
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