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Knaus Tabbert AG takes part in the WRC again

  • Leisure vehicle manufacturer lends its name to the "KNAUS TABBERT AM HOCHWALD" stage

  • 12.80-kilometre section leads directly past the plant in Jandelsbrunn on Sunday (20 October) 

  • COO Vaterl: "Top motorsport right on our doorstep is a great benefit for the region"


Last year, Kalle Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen celebrated their successful defence of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title at the Central European Rally (CER) - and the Knaus Tabbert AG logo was emblazoned above the two lightning-fast Finns on the finish arch in the Nordic Centre. This year, the leisure vehicle manufacturer from Jandelsbrunn is once again on board as a partner of this motorsport spectacle: as the namesake of the 12.80-kilometre special stage KNAUS TABBERT AM HOCHWALD, which passes directly behind the factory gates in Jandelsbrunn and ends in Neureichenau. It will be driven twice on Sunday, 20 October, from 8 and 10:30 am on.


The second edition of the Central European Rally (CER) will take place this year from 17 to 20 October, once again passing through three countries - the Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany - and is once again the twelfth of 13 stops on the WRC calendar. Last year's premiere attracted a total of 125,000 visitors and triggered rally fever throughout the region. This response also generated enthusiasm at Knaus Tabbert AG. "They were impressive images that went around the world", emphasises Chief Operation Officer (COO) Werner Vaterl. "Thanks to the professionalism already demonstrated by the organisers of the ADAC 3-Städte-Rallye, they have managed to put on a sporting event with the highest rating and bring a world championship here. That's a big win for the region." Knaus Tabbert employees both in the Bavarian Forest and from the Czech Republic were also caught up in the enthusiasm. Several hundred of them were at the track named after their company and at other special stages. The World Championship race was a social highlight in the region due to the enormous spectator response.


In addition to all the sporting superlatives, the organisers of this three-country race also focus on sustainability. "From hybrid drive technology for the top teams and the use of non-fossil fuels to waste separation at the fan zones: This shows how motorsport is taking a contemporary path into the future", says CER Managing Director Andreas Bachmeier. With its KNAUS, TABBERT, WEINSBERG T@B and MORELO brands and the RENT AND TRAVEL rental service Knaus Tabbert AG is one of the leading manufacturers of recreational vehicles in Europe and also sets standards in the areas of resource optimisation, alternative drive technologies and environmental protection. "In this respect, the cooperation between us and the World Rally Championship is also a very good fit from this point of view," says Vaterl. "We are very happy to be co-piloting the CER again!"


"Knaus Tabbert AG loyal companion in the Champions League of motorsport"

Bachmeier is delighted: "Knaus Tabbert AG has been involved since the first ADAC 3-Städte-Rallye 2019 here in the region, which was the blueprint, catapult and initial spark for the promotion to the WRC event. We are delighted that this internationally successful flagship company has joined us on the road to the Champions League of motorsport."  With 250 million fans, the World Rally Championship has the second largest fan base in motorsport after Formula 1 (327 million). The media interest is also immense: 3,893 reports on the Central European Rally 2023 in the border triangle alone appeared worldwide - the TV reports alone reached 65 million people in over 100 countries. "And this year, they will once again get to see spectacular images of the KNAUS TABBERT AM HOCHWALD special stage with its impressive scenery and sporting prowess," assures Bachmeier.


CER KOMPAKT: The rally in the heart of Europe

The 2nd Central European Rally (CER) will start under the motto "Beyond Borders" on Thursday, 17 October at 14:00 in front of Prague Castle in the Czech capital and will cover 18 special stages (SS) with around 313 kilometres. It is the twelfth of 13 rounds in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), which traditionally starts with the legendary Rally Monte Carlo in January. After the first stages in the Czech Republic on Thursday and Friday, the decision will be made at the weekend on the routes in Lower Bavaria (Passau and Freyung-Grafenau districts) and in Upper Austria (Mühlviertel and Innviertel). The final stage on Sunday, 20 October, will once again end at the Jägerbild Nordic Centre. Afterwards, the best teams in the world and all finishers will attend the winner's ceremony on Passau's town hall square. This year, the service park will be located on Karpfham's Volksfestplatz - in the immediate vicinity of the new headquarters at the Hotel Maximilian in Bad Griesbach. The ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, the world's first all-electric one-make cup, is also integrated into the CER.



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