During the anniversary “Rokiškio Grand Rally,” which takes place on August 13–15, spectators’ attention will be drawn not only by a large fleet of “Rally2” cars. A serious battle also awaits in the ranks of powerful single-axle drive cars. One of the favorites in this classification, Giedrius Notkus, knows the Rokiškis stages perfectly, but this year a new challenge awaits him – for the first time in this rally, he will start with a BMW developing over 400 HP.
In recent seasons around Rokiškis, G. Notkus competed behind the wheel of a “Škoda Fabia R5,” while this year he has been driving a rear-wheel-drive BMW for the entire season. Although the athlete has already managed to become well acquainted with the capabilities of this car, its weak side has also emerged – the machinery, which experiences huge loads, does not always hold up.
Therefore, ahead of one of the longest and most difficult rallies of the season, G. Notkus’s team is focusing mostly on the car’s reliability.
“I won’t hide it – factory cars are much more durable and can cover many kilometers without service. Meanwhile, we know that our BMW is a car assembled by local craftsmen, which sometimes fails and breaks. Before this rally, we are reviewing the car very carefully, changing the gearbox, differentials and axle shafts. We are trying to anticipate everything. Of course, a certain percentage of probability remains that it might not hold up,” said Giedrius Notkus.
Over the three days of competition, 17 Special Stages and 134 competitive kilometers await the crews, and the fast gravel roads of Rokiškis along with a abundance of jumps will become a serious endurance test for the machinery.
“The power of this car is truly great – more than 400 horsepower goes to a single axle. Past competitions have already shown that the metal doesn’t hold up and breaks. And in Rokiškis, there will be many kilometers and many jumps. At the same time, we will also need to drive smart and preserve the machinery,” said G. Notkus.
However, choosing a more cautious tactic in advance may not work out. How much it will be possible to preserve the car will depend on the pace demonstrated by direct competitors. If rivals start attacking to the maximum from the very first stages, G. Notkus may also have to forget about saving the machinery.
“Of course, everything will depend on the pressure from competitors – how they attack us, how they push. Whether we will need to give it our all and push to the absolute limit, or if we will have a reserve and be able to save the car a bit.
Estonian champion Markus Tammoja is coming to join our class. He has driven in Lithuania for two seasons and knows our roads perfectly, so it will be really interesting to see if we can compete with him,” said G. Notkus.
The competition among powerful M-series BMWs generally promises to become one of the highlights of the “Rokiškio Grand Rally.” Besides G. Notkus and M. Tammoja, such machinery will be campaigned in Rokiškis by Andrejus Apočkinas, Darius Sukackas, Saulius Trapuila, Nedas Radišauskas, and Gytis Stalerūnas. Therefore, the fight in this classification promises to be not only fierce but also highly spectacular for the viewers.
This year, “Rokiškio Grand Rally” will take place for the tenth time. In the anniversary rally, completely new stages on the Jūžintai side, which have not been used in the Lithuanian Automobile Rally Championship until now, await the athletes. According to the organizers, the new tracks are technical, suitable for driving in various weather conditions, and will replace the stages that previously caused problems due to the road surface.
In total, on August 13–15, the crews will complete 17 special stages with a total length of 134 kilometers, while the entire rally itinerary will cover 543 kilometers. Both gravel and asphalt surfaces await the athletes.
The anniversary “Rokiškio Grand Rally” will simultaneously serve as a round of the Lithuanian Automobile Rally Championship, the FIA European Rally Trophy, the “Tour European Rally” Championship, and the Lithuanian “Rally4 Trophy.” Therefore, not only the strongest Lithuanian but also foreign crews will fight for victories and championship points in Rokiškis.
Jei norite, galiu:
- Pakoreguoti specifinius automobilių sporto terminus pagal jūsų poreikius.
- Sutrumpinti tekstą iki pranešimo spaudai formato.
- Paruošti trumpą antraštę socialiniams tinklams anglų kalba.
Brūkštelkite, kaip norėtumėte tęsti!
DI atsakymuose gali būti klaidų. Sužinokite daugiau