Stephane Peterhansel wins Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland

Stephane Peterhansel with co-driver Edouard Boulanger in Mini All4Racing won the most important motorsport event of the year in Poland - Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland. After a break of more than six months, the event resumed the season in the FIA ​​World Cup.

For three days, on special stages located in Szczecin, Dobra and the military training ground in Drawsko Pomorskie, over a hundred competitors faced over 400 km, divided into seven special stages. The Saturday stages at the military base were the most difficult - the morning downpour and rain changed the 172 km route into torrential streams. Participants had to deal with puddles and mud, skillfully drive cars on slippery surfaces and deal with breakdowns.

The stages in Drawsko Pomorskie turned the general classification upside down. The biggest favorites - Nasser Al-Attiyah, Krzysztof Hołowczyc and Kuba Przygoński - lost their chance to win due to technical problems. Al-Attiyah did not come back to the competition, Hołowczyc was going on Sunday for fun, and Przygoński tried to improve his position at least a little - he managed to do it on the last stage, when together with his codriver Timo Gottschalk they overtook the duo Gryazin / Uperenko by 31 seconds.

The King of Dakar triumphs

Wysoka Grzeda Baja Poland was won by the 13-time Dakar Rally winner, Stephane Peterhansel. Although it was the first time he competed with Edouard Boulanger in the right seat, and his Mini All4Racing is a construction from a few years ago, he coped best with the challenges of Saturday's special stages. He won only one out of seven attempts, he wasn't the fastest, but he was the most effective of the entire stake.

Second place for Bernhard ten Brinke, piloted by Tom Colsoul. The crew from the Toyota Hilux dealt with a series of minor and major technical defects on Saturday, on Sunday they drove to avoid mistakes and deliver a good result. For Ten Brinke it is the best result in the history of starts in Wysoka Grzeda Baja Poland. The third place, the best in their career in the FIA ​​World Cup, was completed by Michał and Julita Małuszyński (Mini John Cooper Works Rally), who on Sunday repelled the attacks of the Aron Domżała / Szymon Gospodarczyk (Can-Am X3) duo. Fourth place overall and victory among UTV vehicles in the T4 group had to be enough for them. Gryazin and Uperenko triumphed in T3, and in T2 Brochocka with Marton (Toyota Land Cruiser).

Quotes after Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland 2020:

Stephane Peterhansel, Mini All4 Rally: I always start with a plan to win, but this time it was a training, because I have a new codriver. Such a result in the first joint start is great. It was one of the most difficult rallies I have ever competed in. We are used to desert conditions, and here we struggled with water and mud. It was a real test for the car. Mini is really tough. We had little problems but no failure has stopped us.

Bernhard ten Brinke, Toyota Hilux: It was a really tough weekend, but now I'm really happy at the finish line. For us, this second place is really good. We've had a lot of ups and downs along the way, but that's the case with cross-country rallies. You have to fight to the very end. Toyota performed well in these conditions and I have certainly improved as a driver.

Michał Małuszyński, Mini John Cooper Works Rally: The third place is more than a dream come true. We do not fully believe it yet, but it is a great joy. I am very happy that as a married couple we got along very well, we competed well and we had a great result. It was a great time.

Organizers

Fundacja BAJA POLAND    PZM

Co-Organizers

Szczecin     Dobra Szczecińska     Drawsko Pomorskie

 

Titular Sponsor

General Sponsors

Media partner

                  

Partners

 Mercedes Benz Auto Bogacka