Foot. Gabapix
The Silesian Rally is fast approaching – in just a few dozen hours, all the blank spots of the 2024 season will be filled, and we will learn the names of the newly minted RSMP champions. At first glance, the situation in class 3 seems obvious – Kowalczyk and Hryniuk are rushing for the coveted gold. However, the Green Olive duo must be careful – Marcin Kowal and Sebastian Lenkowski are waiting for their mistakes.
All good things come to an end… The 2024 rally campaign is inevitably approaching the final stage – in just a few moments we will know this year’s winners, crowning new stage rulers. A real honor is the fact that the euphoria of victory or the bitterness of defeat will be decided by local special stages as part of the eighth edition of Rally Śląska. The event with its base in Chorzów will host four cycles: ERC, RSMP, HRSMP and RMP (RO).
See also: Kowalczyk and Potępa are the rally champions of Lower Silesia
The final special stage of the Silesian Rally will also decide the issue of championship sashes in class 3. Two teams have a chance to win – Zielona Oliwka (Kowalczyk/Hryniuk) and Mahle Rally Team Poland (Kowal/Lenkowski). Hubert and Jarek will be natural favorites, but the blue and white Fiesta crew will not give up. Let’s check the layout of the four-drive table.
photo: Mahle Rally Team Poland – official Facebook profile
Zielona Oliwka or Mahle Rally Team?
Discussions about the situation in grade 3 should start with reading… RSMP regulations. Pursuant to Article 19.1, the condition for seasonal classification is to start in at least two rounds (providing a time card at the first CP). Article 20.4.2. it specifies that at least three classified competitors are required to be awarded the championship title in individual classes. Unfortunately, the relatively low attendance and single performances of several duets did not meet the above-mentioned provisions of the regulations. This changed when the list of entries for the Silesian Rally was published – Paweł Grzywacz will take part in his second start, joining the “full-time” representatives of class 3 – Kowalczyk and Kowal.
See also: Rally Śląska: Paddon vs. Franceschi, Marczyk in the fight for silver
Moving on to the analysis of the table, Kowalczyk and Hryniuk are the undisputed dominators of their category… They won the Świdnica Rally with an advantage of over three minutes, in Puławy and Wadowice they were already within four minutes of margin. They also added a convincing triumph in Podkarpacie to this year’s victories. In class 3, it would have been all over if it weren’t for the mishap in the Koszyce Rally, where Zielona Oliwka broke off a wheel on the power stage…
photo: Vacat Motorsport – official Facebook profile
Hubert and Jarek are literally one step away from their dream triumph – they have one hundred and forty points on their accounts, thirty-one more than the Mahle Rally Team, Kowal and Lenkowski. However, the leaders cannot skip the final round – due to the changed point coefficient in Silesia (x1.5, as many as fifty “points” to be scored), Marcin and Sebastian still have a mathematical chance of “leaping” their rivals.
The layout is very simple. If the Renault Clio Rally3 crew crosses the finishing line, they will receive the coveted group 3 championship sashes. If Hubert and Jarosław do not finish the competition, and Kowal and Lenkowski win the 8th Rally of Silesia, Mahle will win the gold medal.
Rally Śląska – decision time
The organizer of the final round of ERC, RSMP and Millers Oils HRSMP prepared a route of approximately one hundred and eighty kilometers of special stage, divided into fourteen tests. The “trial” before the actual competition will be Friday’s qualifying/test stage “GZM Zabrze Mikulczyce” (11:30). After the start ceremony in the center of Katowice (6 p.m.), the crews will set off for the first sports test – a spectacular evening super stage near Spodek. Seven stages with a length of nearly one hundred kilometers are planned for Saturday, with the grand finale at the Silesian Stadium. Sunday’s “menu” includes six special episodes. The winners of the Silesian Rally and the new ERC, RSMP and HRSMP champions will be announced around 5 p.m.
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Complete information about the 8th Rally of Silesia can be found here official website of the event. For more emotions from domestic and European stages, visit rallyandrace.pl.
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