The race weekend will follow a new American-style timetable, with the main special feature that the selective stages will be run on the same day, Saturday. Competitors will race on a similar course to last year, but instead of several short stages, after SS1 (14 km), there will be a regrouping and two longer selective stages totalling 311 km.
The areas used will be smaller than in previous races, as this year's focus is on saving the Hungarian championship and building its future, for which minimizing costs is essential. This is a particular focus this year and the whole concept of the schedule has been changed. However, this will not affect the fact that the event will not be a grandiose one, as the peloton will cover more than 300 kilometers in 1 day. The season opener will therefore be held in a shorter time frame, with less coverage, still with maximum safety requirements and a considerable total mileage. Friday will be devoted to the administrative and technical check-ins, while Saturday will be dedicated to the racing, so spectators will be able to see the service park on the first day and the racing cars on the second.
"I've been to America a lot, where I've visited the classic Baja races several times, and I've been planning for a long time to reform the Hungarian races along the lines of the Baja. This year, we will implement this innovation, so the race will take place on a 73-kilometer circuit, which will allow easy access to the service park between the finish and the start, where the riders will roll in at 30 km/h speed control. Here there is the opportunity to refuel and do a quick service on the cars, but after 20 minutes they will have to start again for the next lap. In addition to the American pattern, we also have the opportunity to reverse the route. I'm excited to see what this new concept will bring, as in previous years it hasn't been the norm and the pace is not what the drivers are used to. I'm glad that this idea has found a receptive ear, and hopefully we can organize the other rounds of the championship on a similar schedule and perhaps open a new chapter in cross-country rallying." - said Zoltán Garamvölgyi, the organizer of the event.
There is guaranteed to be no shortage of excitement, as there was in the 2024 edition. Right from the prologue, second differences decided the positions and the T1 and T4Natos lead. In the first round of the season, even the drivers found it harder to get up to speed and had to improve their set-ups, so it was not always possible to complete the stage without a head-on crash. The mileage also played tricks on some riders, as the smaller fuel tank meant that not everyone made it to the finish. Last year's race was won by Miroslav Zapletal in his T1+ Ford, and this year it remains to be seen whether someone from the smaller but nimble Challenger or SSV field can take the win. Perhaps one of the T4Nat buggies built to national rules will be the fastest?
One thing's for sure, the sand and soft ground that flows into the cars will be a real test for the drivers, offering a bit of a Dakar experience in the desert of Bugac.
In 2025, the race center will also be relocated, with the race control moving from the long-used and much-loved Táltos Pension to the newly built Golden Monastery Visitor Centre, around which the service park will be built.
"Although everyone loved the race center around the Táltos Pension, it was in a very remote location, so the move to the new venue will definitely benefit the event. At the same time, we will be able to promote the very unique and special historical event of the Golden Monastery, which uses incredibly modern and innovative technology. Everyone is very much looking forward to the Desert Express 300 cross-country rally field in Bugaco, which is extremely welcome," said the organizer of the event.
There is guaranteed to be no shortage of excitement, just as there was in the 2024 edition. Already in the prologue, second differences decided the positions and the lead in T1 and T4Natos. In the first round of the season, even the drivers found it harder to get up to speed and had to improve their set-ups, so it was not always possible to complete the stage without a head-on crash. The mileage also played tricks on some riders, as the smaller fuel tank meant that not everyone made it to the finish. Last year's race was won by Miroslav Zapletal in his T1+ Ford, and this year it remains to be seen whether someone from the smaller but nimble Challenger or SSV field can take the win. Perhaps one of the T4Nat buggies built to national rules will be the fastest?
One thing's for sure, the sand and soft ground that flows into the cars will be a real test for the drivers, offering a bit of a Dakar experience in the desert of Bugac.
In 2025, the race center will also be relocated, with the race control moving from the long-used and much-loved Táltos Pension to the newly built Golden Monastery Visitor Centre, around which the service park will be built.
"Although everyone loved the race center around the Táltos Pension, it was in a very remote location, so the move to the new venue will definitely benefit the event. At the same time, we will be able to promote the very unique and special historical event of the Golden Monastery, which uses incredibly modern and innovative technology. Everyone is very much looking forward to the Desert Express 300 cross-country rally field in Bugaco, which is extremely welcome." - said the organiser of the event.
The education of youngsters is a priority in Hungarian cross-country rallying, and a new project is being launched in Bugaco to mark the occasion. Next to the service park a "playground," a built and supervised track, will be set up where Polaris kids will drive two vehicles.
"The service park has a section that is not suitable for servicing, where we will designate an excellent track for the little off-road rally drivers who will arrive with a few Polaris for the competition. I'm very excited to be able to get them involved in the beauty of cross-country rallying while they can play on the specially designed enclosed track, which will be a great activity for spectators to view. They can drive in a supervised, safe environment, and we hope that this is the first step in a pioneering, trailblazing program and that more and more people will join the project, competition by competition," said Zoltán Garamvölgyi.
On 21-22 March, the first race of the season, the Desert Express 300, will kick off, and all interested motorsport enthusiasts are welcome to join us! More details are coming soon!
Automatic translation of the Hungarian version
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