Four days of competition, 313 kilometres of special stage against the clock, and a total distance of 1,650 km: the timetable for the Central European Rally, the penultimate round of this season’s FIA World Rally Championship WRC, is taking shape. The first two special stages will take place on the Thursday afternoon (26th October), after the start ceremony in the Czech capital Prague. Six stages are scheduled for both the Friday and the Saturday, followed by a further four special stages on the Sunday. By the time the presentation ceremony takes place in the centre of Passau at 14:30 on the final day of the rally, the route will have taken the best rally drivers in the world through 18 stages in the region bordering Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
To the schedule and further details
Photo: Lukas Chum Photoshoots
After 168.5 kilometres and 14 special stages in the Czech Republic, Austria and Lower Bavaria, a blink of an eye decided the title at the season finale of the German Rally Championship (DRM): Philip Geipel and co-driver Katrin Becker-Brugger crossed the finish ramp in Breitenberg (Passau district) 0.5 seconds ahead of the Bavarian duo Dominik Dinkel and Pirmin Winklhofer after a terrific chase. This meant second place in the 3-city ranking. And because defending champion Marijan Griebel with Tobias Braun only finished fifth, the new last-minute champions from ADAC Saxony were jubilant at the end with a one-point lead in the overall standings. Leading the way for the stage win at the 3 Städte Rallye was the Czech super talent Erik Cais (23), who is not rated in the DRM, who with his co-driver Igor Bacigál ended up 56.1 seconds ahead of Geipel/Becker-Brugger.
In total, this attracted over 148 journalists and photographers from all over Europe to Waldkirchen. In case anyone missed the unique spectacle or would like to reminisce: We have compiled a selection of the most beautiful reports and publications below:
Bild: Lukas Chum Photoshoots
![[Translate to Englisch:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/7/csm_Jaanus_Ree__Red_Bull_Content_Pool_-_12_348487dc45.jpg "[Translate to Englisch:]")