From August 14–16, a large part of the cross-country rally field will once again gather in Várpalota for the HunGarian Baja! The Hungarian round will see numerous Dakar Rally experts at the start: Denis Krotov, Benediktas Vanagas, Miroslav Zapletal, Pál Lónyai, Tomas Ourednicek, Magdalena Zajac, Paul Spierings, Alexandre Pesci, and the list goes on.
Fifty race vehicles will take on the challenge of the 22nd Hungarian Baja: 13 Ultimate, 8 Challenger, 10 SSV, 10 T4Nat, 1 Stock, 1 TH, 2 Trucks, and 5 UP cars. On Friday evening at 8:30 PM, the entire field will parade in front of Thury Castle during the ceremonial start, where both the stunning machines and their drivers will shine in the spotlight.
Benediktas Vanagas will arrive in Várpalota with his Toyota Hilux nicknamed the “Black Hawk.” The Lithuanian driver is returning to the shooting range for the third time, having claimed victory here in 2022. With 12 Dakar Rally appearances and more than 25 years of motorsport experience, he is the most successful racing driver in the Baltic region. With the exception of just one, he has crossed the finish line in every desert chase, finishing 8th overall in 2024. This year, he also achieved an outstanding result at the Italian Baja, where he claimed third place.
Tomas Ourednicek, who has successfully completed the Dakar eight times, is also a regular competitor in the Hungarian championship. Last year, he took part in the Desert Express 300 and the Raid of the Champions, finishing fourth overall in the latter, with the same co-driver, Lukás Barták, who will once again navigate for him at this year’s HunGarian Baja.
Pál Lónyai, who has claimed the Hungarian championship title and numerous race wins, will start in the fan-favorite Porsche Macan at the 22nd HunGarian Baja. His navigator will be Aleksei Kuzmich, with whom he also competed in the 2024 Rally du Maroc in a Yamaha. This will be their second joint race in a T1 car.
In the high-quality field, two trucks from Leeuw Rallysport will also appear, with father-son duo Marc Leeuw and Marnix Leeuw behind the wheels. In previous editions of the HunGarian Baja, they competed in side-by-side vehicles, but this year, honoring the elder Leeuw’s passion, they will both race in trucks.
There’s no HunGarian Baja without Christof Danner, the Austrian driver has competed in the event every year except three. A special connection between him and the Hungarian Baja is that his race car has been competing for exactly as many years as the event has existed.
Each year, more and more female competitors line up at the start, whether as drivers or as co-drivers — and this year is no exception. Eleven women will compete in the HunGarian Baja: three in the FIA field and eight in the national field. On this occasion, for the second time after last year, the Women’s Conference will also be held.
During August 14–16, every cross-country rally and motorsport enthusiast should be in Várpalota for the HunGarian Baja! The detailed schedule and the Race Guide, complete with designated spectator points, will be released in the coming days. Ready, steady, go… the cross-country rally fever begins!
Source: Hungarian Baja
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