Hosts and participants caught up in rally fever

Just a few days before the start of the 2025 Central European Rally, there is a spirit of optimism in Passau. At the official press conference just around the corner from the exhibition centre, which will house the service park and rally centre for the pan-European event in the coming days, representatives of the city, the organisers and the drivers looked ahead to the upcoming round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

They provided information at the press conference (from left to right): Yasin Özer (ADAC South Bavaria), Jürgen Fundke (Mayor of Bad Griesbach), Hermann Gaßner Junior (rally driver), Jürgen Dupper (Mayor of Passau)

Passau's mayor, Jürgen Dupper, expressed his pride that his city is once again the meeting place for the international motorsport elite: "I am delighted that the Central European Rally is back. This WRC race is the only world-class sporting event in the region and is of great importance to the city. This is reflected in our hoteliers, who are delighted with the high occupancy rates. We have completed all the construction work in time for the World Championship and are now looking forward to welcoming guests from all over the world.‘ At the same time, he emphasised the importance of the exhibition centre as a modern venue: ’We have done a great job of developing this former Bundeswehr site. Its proximity to the motorway means it has excellent transport links." Jürgen Fundke, Mayor of Bad Griesbach, is also eagerly awaiting the upcoming start, which will take place in his municipality on Thursday. ‘I can hardly wait,’ he says, looking ahead. "The rally is very good for our entire region. This is not only reflected in the number of overnight stays. The event will be broadcast in over 100 countries and will make the entire region even better known.‘

Organisers making final preparations

Yasin Özer, head of the motorsport department at co-organiser ADAC Südbayern, gave a positive interim assessment: ’After a year of preparation, we are now in the final stages and will be setting up the special stages for good starting today. Once that is done, we can finally get started on Thursday. This will be a milestone in this mammoth project, which involves a large team from Bavaria, Czechia and Austria.‘ He described the multinational cooperation as enriching, but also challenging: ’The big barriers are sometimes language and regulations – applying for a permit in Germany is a completely different process than in Austria or Czechia. This makes us all the more pleased with the support we are receiving from the region. This encouragement is very important and makes us feel very comfortable here.‘

After the atmospheric prologue in Prague, the organisers are now focusing on Lower Bavaria: ’On Thursday, the Central European Rally will start in Germany for the first time, followed by stages in Lower Bavaria, Czechia and Austria. The service park in Passau will be the heart of the rally this year. Every evening, there will be a programme of driver presentations, film premieres, concerts and much more."

The teams are also making their final preparations

Hermann Gaßner junior, for whom the event will be a real family affair, provided the sporting perspective. The Surheim native will compete in a Renault Clio Rallye3 together with his wife Ursula – his father Hermann Gaßner senior will drive an identical vehicle. And the junior's one-and-a-half-year-old offspring will also be there: ‘Grandma will be looking after our son during the rally weekend,’ says the junior, who is delighted that the organisers have opened the doors wide to national starters: "A lot has been done for us private drivers to keep the barriers to entry low – feedback from previous years has been implemented. Competing in the World Championship is something very special. We are also active rally fans and are looking forward to meeting our idols." Nevertheless, the World Championship terrain remains a challenge: ‘The effort involved is very high for our small team. We work with two mechanics per car here, and the standard tyres are also unfamiliar to us. It will be exciting from a sporting point of view – we are competing in the Rally3 class against a large field, including the Junior WRC. We hope that the home fans will cheer us on loudly.’