This year it will be even more convenient to watch: for the first time, the organizers will set up two spectator zones with infrastructure ensuring comfort, and in the last city stage, participants will start in reverse order. There are already more than 70 participants in the fifth stage of the Lithuanian Rally Championship.
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The rally will maintain a compact format
On Friday, September 11, participants will write down the stage notes, the rally will be officially opened in the evening, and on Saturday they will compete for points in the Lithuanian Rally Championship and the exceptional abundance of prizes at “Rally Elektrėnai 2026”.
“The Elektrėnai rally is known not only for some of the best stages in Lithuania but also for its great location between the two largest cities, so as every year, we want to ensure convenience for both participants and spectators. Traditionally, participants will have to complete 4 unique stages twice each during the day, and the event will be crowned by the popular city street stage,” says rally organizer and racer Ramūnas Čapkauskas.
He says he does not want to change what works well, so the competition concept will remain the same. However, there will be improvements, and this year they are focused on the spectators.
For the first time in Elektrėnai – spectator zones with amenities
For the first time at the Elektrėnai rally, two spectator zones will be set up with good access and parking, amenities, catering, and live commentary. They will be revealed along with maps at the beginning of rally week, but the organizers reveal that the locations will definitely be scenic.
“Rallying in Lithuania is experiencing a true golden age, with the newest, fastest, and most modern cars competing, crews so strong they would challenge even continental champions on home tracks, interest in rallying is growing, and we want it to be easy and comfortable for new spectators to enjoy this beautiful sport. We are creating infrastructure so that all you have to do is click a navigation link and arrive on time at the spectator zone,” explains R. Čapkauskas.
Cars will pass through the spectator zones twice. One zone will be set up in the first rally section in the morning, and the second will operate in the second section in the afternoon.
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Once the maps are published, the organizers will also announce recommended race viewing spots for long-time rally fans; these may be harder to reach, and spectators will need to provide their own amenities there, but true enthusiasts know – the most impressive views are worth the effort.
In the last stage – reverse start order
To allow spectators to get from the stages in the Elektrėnai district to Elektrėnai itself, where the decisive battle will take place on city streets, the organizers arranged a break in the rally schedule during which participants will be regrouped, and they will start the last stage in reverse order.
“The Elektrėnai city stage has become a true legend, attracting thousands of people, both die-hard rally fans and curious onlookers. Usually, when the fastest participants start first, spectators gradually begin to leave because participants driving with weaker cars after the impressive leaders cannot create the same emotions. This year we want to keep the intrigue until the end and finish the rally on a high note. The slowest drivers will start first on the city stage, and the leaders will be like the cherry on top,” says the organizer.
An unexpected Latvian invasion on Lithuanian tracks
And there will definitely be something to watch this year. By Monday, 73 participants had registered for the rally. Besides all the Lithuanian rally stars and championship participants, the number of crews starting from neighboring Latvia will surprise.
On the same weekend, September 11-12, as the Elektrėnai rally, a stage of the Latvian Rally Championship was supposed to take place in Cēsis, but it was canceled. The neighbors ready to race are not going to sit idle and have massively started registering for Elektrėnai, so here we will see the Lithuanian champion Janis Vorobjovs, very fast Ralfs Sirmačs, Emils Blūms, Kārlis Dzenītis.
“This year promises to be more interesting and fierce than ever, with anything possible. We strive to make it safe and comfortable for spectators to watch the battles on the track, and to create an event that becomes a celebration. In return, we ask spectators to respect local residents and maintain discipline: we want the celebration to end on a high note. We also recommend securing tickets in advance, as they will be more expensive during the rally,” Ramūnas Čapkauskas addressed the spectators.
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