The world's top drivers and the fastest cross-country cars - that's what awaits us at the beginning of September in Szczecin, Drawsko Pomorskie and Dobra. Rally routes of Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland will be the arena of struggle for the titles of the FIA World Cup, and emotions like every year will certainly not be missing.

Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland will be for the International Automobile Federation (FIA) an event that will resume the season of international cross-country baja rallies. So far only took place the Dakar Rally in early January and Northern Forest Baja Russia and Manateq Qatar Cross-Cross Country Rally in February. The coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions, as well as the difficult economic situation meant that many rallies this year were canceled, and only a few changed their dates to the second half of the year.

Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland, thanks to the support of a new title sponsor - the Wysoka Grzęda producer of ecological eggs , and stable partners, i.e. the City of Szczecin and the Drawsko Pomorskie City and Commune, maintained the status of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas round and will be the event of the highest rank of automobile sport in Poland.

"Baja Poland is currently the highest rank automobile sport event in Poland. I am very happy that status of FIA  World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas has been maintained. This prestigious competition could not have taken place without the support of Szczecin City Hall, Drawsko Pomorskie City Hall, Drawsko Pomorskie Military Training Area, 12th Mechanized Brigade and of course the title sponsor that is Wysoka Grzęda, for which I am very grateful. I encourage the competitors to participate in these spectacular competitions, which every year provide us with many emotions and unforgettable experiences.” - says Michał Sikora, President of the Polish Automobile & Motorcycle Federation.

Rally cars, planes and sailboats

The rally will change compared to previous years. The event has been shortened by one day - it will start on Friday, September 4 and end on Sunday afternoon of September 6. In turn, the rally park was moved from the Szczecin Łasztownia wharf to the Szczecin-Dąbie Airfield and to the Sailing Center in Szczecin.

"The Baja Poland Rally is one of Szczecin hallmarks. It has been with us for 11 years and is growing together with Szczecin. We started in 2009 at the military shooting range on Szafera Street. In 2014 the rally moved to the newly opened Sports and Entertainment Hall on the same street, which has become a lively place of sport and entertainment. Then the rally was held for several years on the revitalized Łasztownia wharf, which became the cultural centre of the city. Now, due to the continuous growing of the event and the increasing number of competitors and fans, we are moving to Dąbie airfield and to the Sailing Centre". - says Piotr Krzystek, President of Szczecin.

The Szczecin-Dabie Airfield and the Sailing Centre provide better conditions to maintain the required social distance and greatly facilitate communication between the rally park and special stages.

"I hope that the presence of Baja Poland will increase the attractiveness of these unique places, and the view of rally cars, planes and sailing boats next to each other at Dabie Airfield and Sailing Center will be something unprecedented. I invite all competitors to participate in the rally." - adds the President of Szczecin.

Even more stars in Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland

There are only four baja rallies in the new FIA World Cup calendar. The Baja Portalegre 500 and Dubai International Baja are scheduled after the Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland. That's why every kilometer of the routes around Szczecin, Drawsko Pomorskie and Dobra will be of great importance for the title fighters. No one can afford to lose points.

"We've prepared 444 kilometres of special stages for the best drivers and co-drivers. We are expecting more stars during the Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland than before. The competitors have a very good opportunity to fight for the titles, because there are fewer rallies. Furthermore, if they are planning to compete in the 2021 Dakar Rally, they need to prepare themselves in a proper way and train as much as possible. The challenging Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland routes are ideal for this.” - underlines the clerk of the course Marcin Fiejdasz.

The leader of the FIA World Cup after the first round is Vladimir Vasilyev, who in the last two editions of the rally was third and stood on the podium together with Krzysztof Hołowczyc and Kuba Przygoński. Nobody won this event more often than Hołowczyc, who has six wins to his credit. Przygoński, in turn, triumphed in Baja Poland in 2018. Everything seems to indicate that three times Dakar Rally winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, will race in Poland again. Al-Attiyah has won the Baja Poland twice so far. He is Przygoński's main rival in the FIA World Cup and the winner of the February Qatar Cross-Country Rally, in which Przygoński was third.

Polish and European drivers will certainly join the fight for victory. Bernhard ten Brinke is expected to come back, who, like Vasilyev, has two thirds places in Baja Poland. The Dutchman is the factory driver of the Toyota GAZOO Racing team and can be named among the favorites. The glove will also be taken up by drivers well known from the national championships. Miroslav Zapletal will fight not only for the podium, but also to defend the title of Polish Champion and FIA CEZ Champion, while the rally married couple of Michał and Julita Małuszyńscy also aim for the top positions.

"This year we will again see a fierce fight on the routes of Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland. We invite all competitors to take part in the rally and we hope that they will like not only the routes, but also the new location of the rally park". - says the clerk of the course.

All the competitors competing in Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland will be known on August 28th when the rally's entry lists will be published.

2020 Wysoka Grzęda Baja Poland Programme - short version

September 4 - Friday

9.00-14.00 - Shakedown - Szczecin-Dąbie Airfield

17.40 - Competitors presentation - Szczecin, Szafera Street

18.00 - Qualifying Stage "Szczecin" - Szczecin, Szafera Street

20.45 - choosing of starting positions by top 10 drivers - Szczecin-Dąbie Airfield

September 5 - Saturday

8.45 - Special Stage "Drawsko Pomorskie" - Drawsko Pomorskie military training ground

14.35 - Special Stage "Drawsko Pomorskie" - Drawsko Pomorskie military training ground

September 6 - Sunday

8.50 - Special Stage "Szczecin - Dobra" - Szczecin, Szafera Street / Dobra

9.30 - Special Stage "Lubieszyn-Dobra" - Dobra

12.30 - Special Stage "Szczecin-Dobra" - Szczecin, Szafera Street / Dobra

13.10 - Special Stage 'Lubieszyn - Dobra' - Dobra

14.30 - Podium Ceremony - Szczecin-Dąbie Airfield