Pirelli takes on Rally Poland as European Champion makes his WRC debut

Kajetanowicz will compete for WRC2 honours

Pirelli’s assault on the fast gravel stages of Rally Poland will be bolstered by its European champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz, who makes his World Rally Championship debut on his home round. Kajetanowicz is something of a national hero in a country that’s truly passionate about rallying. Rally Poland was first run in 1921, with only Rallye Monte-Carlo having an older heritage among WRC events. Currently leading the European Rally Championship standings as he defends his 2015 title, Kajetanowicz will now drive his Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta R5 on an event he won outright on three occasions before it returned to the WRC schedule in 2014. That local knowledge could prove useful on the rally based in the town of Mikolajki, with average speeds on the stages approaching those seen on the famously fast Rally Finland. After a string of rough and rocky rallies, this event marks a move onto softer and more sandy surfaces. Warm summer temperatures can increase the demands on the tyres. The Pirelli drivers will have the Scorpion KSB soft compound as the main tyre option, with the Scorpion KSH hard compound as an alternative for hotter or longer stages. A third of the route is different compared to 2015, with only four of the stages remaining the same. In total there are 21 stages totalling 306.1 kilometres, starting with a superspecial in Mikolajki on the evening of Thursday 30 June which is repeated following eight stages on Friday and again after six on Saturday. The rally concludes with four stages on Sunday, including the Sady Power Stage. Leading Pirelli drivers Kajetanowicz will compete in the WRC2 category where his rivals will include Nicolas Fuchs and Armin Kremer, both driving Skoda Fabias on Pirelli tyres. Another European championship star competing in Poland will be young German Marijan Griebel, fresh from victory in the ERC Junior category in Ypres last weekend and looking to gain gravel experience in his Opel Adam R2 ahead of the next round of the Pirelli-supplied class in Estonia. He will be co-driven for the first time by Kremer’s daughter Ella. Regular World Rally Car privateers Lorenzo Bertelli and Valeriy Gorban are also supplied by Pirelli. The tyres and the rules World Rally Car drivers are allowed to use 28 tyres during the rally, with four tyres per tyre change opportunity and four spares. In Poland, they can choose from 28 of the 205/65-15 Scorpion KSB Reinforced soft compound and 16 of the 205/65-15 Scorpion KHB Reinforced hard compound. WRC2 drivers can use a maximum of 26 tyres. Quotes Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli rally activity manager: “Though still on gravel, Rally Poland marks a shift onto faster stages with softer surfaces, posing a different but demanding challenge for the tyres. Our Scorpion K gravel tyres offer excellent performance in traction and braking, even on low-grip surfaces, as well as good stability at high speed, and these characteristics will be very beneficial in Poland. We are confident that Kajetan Kajetanowicz, as the European champion, will put on a great show for his home crowds on his WRC debut.”

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For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com