For the 21st time, the HunGarian Baja cross-country race will be held in Várpalota in August. The European Cup race will be held in a picturesque setting, with the Thury Castle as the usual venue for the race. The race, which will take place from 8-10 August, is more than two decades old, yet it is always renewed.
From the very beginning, Zoltán Garamvölgyi, the main organiser of the race, has always aimed to update the event every year, and even to surpass the previous race. "This year will be no different, we want to recapture areas that were part of the programme in the early days. The shooting range is one such area that we can join hands to use – a huge thank you to the Ministry of Defence. We can provide a special route for the riders, but we still can’t compete with the Portuguese and Spanish organisers in terms of tracks, but perhaps that’s not our aim. We have been doing it to the best of our ability for more than two decades, and we can be justifiably proud of that, and we will continue to do so.” – Zoltán Garamvölgyi said.
For years, the atmosphere of the event has been based on Thury Castle and its beautiful surroundings. And this year will be no different: on Thursday evening, the three-day race will begin with a spectacular starting ceremony in the heart of Várpalota. The castle will be the centre of the three-day event, with the field returning round after round, and special musical programmes and surprises will make the event even more memorable. On the main square, spectators will be able to follow the events live on giant screens. The race will start on Friday with the prologue, after which the European Cup cars will choose their grid number, and then the Fejér County section will be included, and the field will return to the main square after two selective stages .On Saturday, the cars will complete a long selective stage to arrive at the prize-giving ceremony to close the 21st HunGarian Baja. Spectators can enjoy beer houses, streetfood stands and gastro programmes on all three days.
Zoltán Garamvölgyi said, "It is still very important to draw attention to the fact that the public and the press may only enter the areas and points designated by us, in compliance with the security rules. The competition area is mostly military territory, so anyone who breaks the rules is risking the future of HunGarian Baja. Breaking the rules can have very serious consequences either for the competition or for those who are caught, whether by the police, the military or our security people.”
Although the registration is still ongoing, so the exact number of participants is not yet known, it is almost a tradition that we have participants from many countries of the off-road world.
"I’m very proud that M-sport, which has its wings in off-road rallying, is preparing a very strong Ford team for the 2025 Dakar. We will be the front of this preparation, where the Raptor T1+ will be presented, with none other than Nani Roma. We are very fond of the two-time Dakar winner, who has participated in the Hungarian race several times.” – added the main organizer, Zoltán Garamvölgyi.
Source: Hungarian Baja
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