When and where they will race – the agenda and route of the Rally Silesia 2023
This year’s Rally Silesia, scheduled for 8-10 September 2023, will for the first time be held on an international stage. Not only the best national crews, but also participants in the FIA European Rally Trophy will take part in the competition under the auspices. The schedule of the largest motoring event in the province includes 12 special stages, including brand new trials.
Rally Silesia – who will we see during the event?
This year, the line-up of participants in the Silesia Rally will be even more varied, as the event, whose main partner is the Silesian Voivodship, has been promoted to the FIA European Rally Trophy calendar. The FIA ERT is a European competition under the aegis of the FIA (World Automobile Federation). Recognised and very popular European rallies are included, among others: Rally Antibes (France, Côte d’Azur), Rali Vinho de Madeira (Portugal, Madeira), Rally du Valais (Switzerland) or Rally Český Krumlov (Czech Republic). Joining the international category means that the total distance of the special stages of the Rally Silesia has increased to over 150 km.
The Silesian special stages will also host competitors competing in the Polish Rally Championship, and the results of the Rally Silesia may determine who will reach for the title of national rally champion this season.
This year’s Silesia Rally is also part of the calendars of the historic Polish Championship (Motul HRSMP), the Southern Rally Championship (RMP) and the Central European Zone Championship (FIA CEZ).
Thus, fans will be able to see the most advanced modern rally cars costing up to one million Polish zlotys in action, as well as automobiles evoking sentiment from decades ago – such as the Audi Quattro, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4, Porsche 911 or Opel Kadett.
Apart from the competitors contending for the best times, part of the route of the Rally Silesia will also be driven by participants in the series of Silesian Rallyes for Regularity, organised by the Automobile Club of Częstochowa.
Previous editions of Rally Silesia have attracted more than 100 crews, and in the record-breaking year of 2018, as many as 125 teams entered the competition. The full list of participants in the Rally Silesia 2023 will be announced on Friday, 1st September.
Start and evening racing in Katowice – the first day of the Rally Silesia
Just like last year, on the first day of the Rally Silesia the rally drivers will take advantage of the hospitality of Katowice. The ceremonial start of the competition will take place on Dworcowa Street, on Friday, 8 September at 7 p.m. Here, fans will be able to see all the rally cars up close or talk to the drivers and pilots awaiting the start of the rally.
At 08:30 p.m. the motoring spectacle on the city streets will begin, i.e. a spectacular race on a closed and secured special section in the heart of Katowice, which this year will be even more attractive for fans. Its route is extended and looped, which means that in one place each of the rally cars will be seen twice.
First time in Jasienica – agenda for the second day of the Rally Silesia
For Saturday, 9th September, the organisers have prepared four special stages, i.e. roads excluded from traffic and protected, on which the rally drivers and pilots will race. Three of them will be run twice.
Saturday’s part of the competition will begin in the Jasienica commune (start at 10:00 a.m.), where a brand new, never-before-used special stage of 15.32 km has been delineated. Next, the competitors will tackle the Hażlach stage (12.2 km, Cieszyn poviat), included in the route of the Rally Silesia for the first time. The rally will finish with a trial in Jastrzębie-Zdrój (18.2 km), set on a route modified compared to the previous editions.
After the three special stages, the crews will have a break for a tyre change in Bielsko-Biała, followed by rallies in the Jasienica Commune (from 02:40 p.m.), Hażlach (from 03:40 p.m.) and Jastrzębie-Zdrój (04:40 p.m.). From the finish of the last of these stages, the rally crews will set off for Chorzów to end Saturday’s rally near the Silesian Stadium. A spectacular, fan-favourite special stage of 1.5 km has been set out on the fringes of the Witches’ Cauldron, which will start at 7 p.m.
Sunday in Ochaby and Kiczyce – schedule for the third day of the Rally Silesia
On the final day of the Rally Silesia, the competitors will again travel to the south of the province to race on two special stages there. The stage will start with a start on another of the new sporting trials, i.e. the Ochaby stage (11.4 km, from 10:40 a.m.). The next of the Sunday stages is a modified variant of the Kiczyce test (15.3 km, from 11:20 a.m.).
The second run of the Ochaby stage is scheduled for 01:10 p.m., and the competitors will take to the route in Kiczyce again at 02:10 p.m. The final special stage of the Rally Silesia will be a Power Stage. This is an extra-scoring trial, where the five fastest crews score further scores for the national championship classification.
Servicing and finish in the Witches’ Cauldron
Since its first edition, the Rally Silesia has been associated with the Silesian Stadium. The multifunctional facility in Chorzów houses the service park and the rally base. This is where fans can see rally cars and mechanics at work up close. Visitors to the Silesian Stadium can also look forward to many additional attractions prepared in a cooperation with the organisers of the GT Festival, including motor shows, an exhibition of vintage vehicles and surprises for children.
On Sunday afternoon, the closing ceremony will also take place in front of the legendary Witches’ Cauldron. The finishing ceremony, during which the cups will be handed over to the best crews of the Silesia Rally, is scheduled for 04:30 p.m.
Schedule of the Rally Silesia 2023
Friday, 8th September
11:00 a.m. – 03:00 p.m. – Test stage (2.85 km, Bieruń – ERG)
07:00 p.m. – Ceremony of the start (Katowice, Dworcowa Street)
08:30 p.m. – Special Stage 1: Katowice (4 km)
Saturday, 9th September (7 special stages, 92.94 km in total)
8:00 a.m. – Service A: (Chorzów, Silesian Stadium)
10:00 a.m. – Special Stage 2: Gmina Jasienica (15.32 km)
11:00 a.m. – Special Stage 3: Hażlach (12.2 km)
11:50 a.m. – Special Stage 4: Jastrzębie-Zdrój (18.2 km)
02:40 p.m. – Special Stage 5: Gmina Jasienica (15.32 km)
03:40 p.m. – Special Stage 6: Hażlach (12.2 km)
04:40 p.m. – Special Stage 7: Jastrzębie-Zdrój (18.2 km)
07:00 p.m. – Special Stage 8: Silesian Stadium (1.5 km, Chorzów)
07:20 p.m. – Service B: 45 min. (Chorzów, Silesian Stadium)
Sunday, 10th September (4 special stages, total 53.4 km)
08:55 a.m. – Service C: 15 min. (Chorzów, Silesian Stadium)
10:40 a.m. – Special Stage 9: Ochaby (11.4 km)
11:20 a.m. – Special Stage 10: Kiczyce (15.4 km)
13:10 a.m. – Special Stage 11: Ochaby (11.4 km)
14:10 a.m. – Special Stage 12: Kiczyce (15.4 km, Power Stage)
04:17 p.m. – Service D: 10 min. (Chorzów, Silesian Stadium)
04:30 p.m. – Finish Ceremony (Chorzów, Silesian Stadium)
Rally Silesia 2023 – information:
Honorary auspices of the competition are held by Jakub Chełstowski, Marshal of the Silesian Voivodship.
The main partner of the Silesia Rally is the Silesian Voivodeship.
The strategic partner of the Rally Silesia is the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolis, and Kazimierz Karolczak, Chairperson of the Management Board of the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolis, has assumed honorary auspices of the competition.
The partner of the event is the city of Katowice, and the honorary auspices of the competition were taken by Marcin Krupa, Mayor of the City of Katowice.
The partner of the event is the city of Bielsko-Biała.
The Rally Silesia is organised in a cooperation with the poviats of Cieszyn, Pszczyna, Bielsko and Bieruńsko-Lędziński, the city of Jastrzębie-Zdrój, as well as the communes of: Skoczów, Jasienica, Hażlach, Pawłowice, Strumień and Dębowiec.
The Rally Silesia is sponsored by Silesia Oil sp. z o.o. – manufacturer of AVIA brand oils, Febi Bilstein and FOB-Decor.
Motul is the title sponsor of the HRSMP. Motowizja is the media partner of the competition. RMF Maxx is the exclusive radio patron of the event.
All information about the Rally Silesia can be found at www.rajdslaska.pl, Facebook @rajdslaska, Instagram @rajd_slaska and Twitter @RajdSlaska.
