The „Gurtam TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Baltics“ crew – Benediktas Vanagas and Aisvydas Paliukėnas – will not start this weekend at the FIA European Baja Cup Hungary stage.
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Late Wednesday evening, the organizers of the „HunGarian Baja“ informed participants that due to fires near the competition site, the race will not take place at the scheduled time and will be postponed to a later date.
Part of the Lithuanian team with racing equipment was already in Hungary at that time, while the remaining members of „Gurtam TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Baltics“ were supposed to fly to Hungary on the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Upon receiving the organizers’ decision, the trip was canceled.
Fires broke out very close to the competition area
According to the organizers, on Wednesday in the Várpalota area, very close to the future race tracks, two serious fires broke out. The fire covered several hundred hectares of meadows and forests, reached buildings, and firefighting efforts are ongoing. The situation is further complicated by the extreme heat of recent weeks and a months-long lack of precipitation.
The organizers, after consulting with local authorities and rescue services, decided that holding the competition under such conditions would be unsafe.
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Second stage in a row – canceled due to fires
This is already the second FIA European Baja Cup stage in a row whose scheduled date has to be changed due to extreme natural conditions. At the end of July, the „Baja España Aragón“ was also postponed due to a very high risk of forest fires. In Spain, the decision was influenced by high temperatures, strong winds, very low air humidity, and a long-lasting drought. Later, this race was moved to September.
“The situation is unusual – our second start in a row does not happen due to extreme natural conditions. Part of the team and equipment are already in Hungary, others were supposed to fly tonight, so from a sporting and logistical point of view, this is not easy. But there is no room for discussion here – people’s safety and the work of emergency services are the absolute priority. It seems that extreme weather phenomena and the changing climate increasingly affect not only our daily lives but also motorsport. We will have to learn to adapt to it,” says Benediktas Vanagas, who achieved the highest result in the Dakar car category among Baltic athletes.
Important fight for championship points
B. Vanagas was supposed to go to Hungary holding second place in the overall FIA European Baja Cup standings and leading the „Ultimate“ category. The Hungary stage is also special for the Lithuanian as he won here in 2022.
The „HunGarian Baja“ organizers have not yet announced a new race date. They promise to inform as soon as a decision is made.
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