AKPOL Baja Poland 2026: FIA Europe Cup round set for August

The 18th edition of AKPOL Baja Poland will take place from 27 to 30 August in Szczecin and Drawsko Pomorskie, serving as the fourth round of the FIA Baja Europe Cup. Poland's premier cross-country rally will also count towards Polish and regional championships, as well as the FIA Central Europe Zone Championship and Czech Republic cross-country title. The event will feature cars, motorcycles, and quads across multiple categories, including an amateur Baja Promo series.

The rally covers a total distance of 611.15 km, with four special stages totalling 351.66 km for the FIA Europe Cup classification, plus an 8.85 km prologue. Krzysztof Hołowczyc holds the record for most victories at Baja Poland with ten wins; his most recent triumph came in 2025 co-driven by Łukasz Kurzeja.

Friday begins with a test section between Dobra and Wołczków (10:00–14:00), followed by the prologue on the Głębokie–ul. Zawadzkiego route in Szczecin at 17:20. The prologue does not count toward the final classification but determines starting order for Saturday. An opening ceremony on the Wały Chrobrego waterfront at 20:00 will allow spectators to see the rally cars and crews in central Szczecin.

Saturday is the decisive day, with crews tackling the Drawsko military training ground twice. Each pass covers 149.75 km, with the first run starting at 09:15 and the second at 13:40, totalling nearly 300 km against the clock. The route has been modified to be faster than previous years, featuring fewer turns but higher speeds. The military terrain is closed to spectators, though a service park at Drawsko Pomorskie railway siding will be open; crews have 45 minutes between runs.

Sunday concludes the event with two passes of the Sławoszewo–Wołczkowo–Szczecin stage (26.08 km each), starting at 09:05 and 13:05. The podium ceremony takes place at Enea Arena at 14:30. The rally combines urban spectacle in Szczecin with long, fast stages on the Drawsko range, where reliability, navigator skill, and sustained concentration over Saturday's marathon will prove decisive.