Central European Rally kicks off on Thursday (25.10.) with show start in Prague and two stages in the Czech Republic. On Friday, drivers will head from the rally centre in Passau to the Czech Republic, before moving on to the German-Austrian border region on Sunday. Originally scheduled for Friday, the Super Special Stage in Klatovy has been brought forward to Thursday – tickets remain valid.
Some adjustments have been made to the schedule for the Central European Rally (26 – 29 October). Originally scheduled for Friday, the Super Special Stage in Klatovy, Czech Republic, has been moved forward to Thursday and will now provide the first action highlight of the penultimate race in the World Rally Championship. After the show start in the picturesque old town of Prague, drivers will race through a stage in the Golden City and now also the spectacular circuit at Klatovy. This significantly simplifies route planning and logistics for teams and spectators. Tickets for the Super Special Stage in Klatovy remain valid. For up-to-date information about the Central European Rally and to access the ticket shop, go to www.centraleuropeanrally.eu.
The opening ceremony for the Central European Rally will take place at Hradčany Square, at 13:00 on Thursday 26 October, against the backdrop of Prague Castle – a real treat for rally fans around the world to mark the inclusion of this new event in the WRC calendar, a rally taking place in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. After a Super Special Stage at 14:00 on the outskirts of Prague, the racing will continue at the renowned Klatovy circuit in the Bohemian Forest. The WRC rally stars will be welcomed by thousands of fans ready for top-quality action in the Super Special Stage at what promises to be one of the highlights of the rally on Czech soil. Spectators will enjoy an unobstructed view of large parts of the course at the 8.92-km stage in Klatovy – where a Technical Zone with regrouping will be set up for the teams – and they will also be able to take advantage of the excellent infrastructure in place at the nearby parking area, including snack options and bathroom facilities. There is no cause for concern for those who have already purchased a ticket for this part of the event, which was originally scheduled for Friday: Tickets remain valid for Thursday, or can be exchanged free of charge.
The schedule for Friday is now more compact for Vimperk and Prachatice. Drivers will race the three stages in Vlachovo Březí (13.71 km), Zvotoky (24.29 km) and Šumavské Hoštice (23.37 km) once in the morning and once in the afternoon, while the service zone is located in Prachatice. The teams will return to the service park in Passau in the evenings. The stage layouts on Saturday and Sunday in the German-Austrian border region remain unchanged. The optimised routing provides several advantages when compared to the original plans. “The opening event on Thursday is now more attractive from a sporting perspective, providing fans and teams with more stage racing time. The layout is now much more compact with the connecting stages on Friday. This provides more entertainment for teams and spectators alike,” explained Jan Petrů, coordinator of the Czech organisational team for the Central European Rally, when asked about the changes to the schedule.
