SOLIDEXPERT INNOVATION Team double at 8th GPPPZ
Despite an exceptionally short calendar of starts in the current season, the SOLIDEXPERT Team maintains its high form. Last week, in its third start this year, the Lancia Delta Integrale crew made an excellent showing on the route of Poland's longest multidisciplinary rally, where classic cars compete on race tracks and in regularity trials in open traffic.
Thirty-five crews - both rookies and veterans of the event - set off on the route of the 8th edition of the Witold Rychter Polish Historic Vehicle Grand Prix, leading from the capital city to the Bieszczady Mountains.
On Wednesday, 2 October, the rally started with a race on the Modlin Circuit, where the crews completed four laps in the rain. The SOLIDEXPERT Team entered the competition on a strong note, winning the inaugural trial and building up a considerable lead before the next races scheduled for Thursday.
Z Modlina załogi udały się w korku do Warszawy, gdzie obok Hotelu Bristol odbył się Start Honorowy. Następnie, pokonując Karową, skierowały się na błonia Stadionu Narodowego, gdzie kończyła się trasa środowego Prologu.
Thursday was very intensive for the participants, with almost 400 kilometres to cover and 7 race trials and 4 regularity driving sections. The day started with a double trial on the Słomczyn circuit, where the wet surface caused minor problems for most of the crews, including the Lancia Delta Integrale. Despite this, the SOLIDEXPERT Team again achieved the best times and increased its lead over its competitors.
On the way to the Circuit of Lodz, two RT (Regularity Test) sections were held, which identified a group of competitors driving at a similar pace, including the SOLIDEXPERT Team. On the Lodz Circuit, the test consisting of 4 laps was run twice. The disappearing rain and drying track surface allowed the competitors with the final starting numbers to drive faster. In the first run, the Lancia Delta succumbed to the Ford Sierra Cosworth, but the next run belonged again to the SOLIDEXPERT Team.
On the way to the finish line of stage one, located in Kielce, two more RT stages and evening trials were held on the Jastrząb and Kielce tracks. In the light of the halogens, the Sierra Cosworth crew was slightly faster, but the earlier advantage of the Delta Integrale crew allowed for the final success of the SOLIDEXPERT Team in the sporting trials classification. After 4 RT sections, the Lancia crew was in TOP 6, with a difference of only 7 seconds to the leading Lithuanian crew.
Friday's second stage was the longest in this year's GPPPZ, covering almost 500 kilometres. Crews fought for points on 8 RT tests. The finish line of the twelve-hour stage ending in Solina was reached by all crews that started from Warsaw. After 12 RT attempts, the SOLIDEXPERT Team advanced to second place, behind the Lithuanian crew driving the MG B GT Sebring, with the Volkswagen Golf crew just behind.
The final day of the rally, divided into two stages, was in the Bieszczady Mountains. Stage III consisted of 8 RT stages and the final, night stage had 3 RT. The fight for victory in the regularity tests was very fierce. After the 15th RT stage, the SOLIDEXPERT Team took the lead by just one point over the Lithuanians. Subsequent stages RT18-22 allowed the team to consolidate their first position, but after RT19 the VW Golf crew overtook the Lithuanian MG B. The last stage (RT23) brought no change to the top two positions, but a ford crossing buried the Lithuanians' chances of a place in TOP3, pushing them down to 5th place.
In its fourth appearance in the Polish Grand Prix, the SOLIDEXPERT Team triumphed in the classification of sports and regularity trials. A traffic jam-induced delay at PKC in Warsaw resulted in a significant points penalty, preventing the team from taking the top position in the rally's general classification. However, the 3rd place obtained in this year's edition of the GPPPZ meant that the SOLIDEXPERT Team had already occupied all the podium places in previous starts.