ERC Q&A: Krzysztof Hołowczyc
ByERC
Published 21/09/2018 at 19:04 GMT
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Image credit: ERC
He claimed the coveted FIA European Rally Championship 21 years ago and is on duty as the course-opening zero car this weekend. The Polish legend shares some of his memories and gives his views on all things Rally Poland, an event he has won three times in the past.
What do you make of Rally Poland as it is today? It's a very different rally to the one you used to compete on…
“Since day one Rally Poland has had high ambitions. For years it had functioned well in Lower Silesia. When we moved the rally to Mikołajki, safety became a factor. Everyone is aware that special stages in Lower Silesia are very difficult and very dangerous, the idea was to move the rally and teach us, Poles, how to drive on gravel. There was not many gravel [rallies back then]. All of a sudden it turned out that we can go really far and a chance that this kind of rally is needed for World Rally Championship. For every one that was something unbelievable. One-two rallied, then we were a pretender and then it turned out that we got it and that was a crazy time.
“In terms of organisation, I think this rally has evolved a lot, step by step. You'll never make a rally 100 per cent safe, we're all aware of that, but I can say that our organisers do everything they can to do so. Unfortunately, the budget is one of the elements. The greater it is, the more you can do. I can assure you, as far as organisation, logistics are concerned, it's a splendid rally. A massive hotel that provides room for everyone, greatly prepared and maintained special stages. I'm convinced that this rally is unique. You have to ask the big ones in rallying... Ogier, Loeb, they all say "well done, Hołek". I was heavily involved in that. When they came for the first time, it turned out that we're in a great place and that we're in Europe.”
Tell us some of your best memories both from the Rally Poland here in the Masurian Lake District, and the one held in the Lower Silesia?
“Well... I managed to win both. I have great fondness for Lower Silesia because the emotions were great and that was the beginning for me. Here, I feel more at home, on my home soil. When I touch it, I have this feeling that l I know how much grip it will give me. Here I had an advantage from the beginning. My heart is here at Mikołajki, I really like this city, and it’s a very special place. It's very tourist-oriented but at the same time, you drive out of it a little and you're in the middle of nowhere, something that we need for special stages.
“Speaking of great memories... there were moments, like when none of us [Polish drivers] could even reach the podium of the rally for 20 years and then we won it [in 1996], fighting with [Dieter] Depping with for life till the last special stage, on the verge of madness. That win was a milestone. After we won the European Rally Championship title and everything became easier. The interest in rallying was at national level in Poland, as marketing people would call it. Everyone was into it, following us and wondering if "Hołek" and "Wiślak" will clinch the title. It's an unforgettable moment for me when we won the title that's also linked to Rally Poland.”
What was the best rivalry you had on Rally Poland? Was it with Depping?
“That one was a beautiful fight. After that, here we had a great fight with [Oscar] Svedlund [in 2007]. It was another fight for life when we left everyone else far behind. Unfortunately, we lost, we had the win in our pocket, we congratulated each other with my co-driver and all of a sudden we had a puncture. We finished the stage with only a disc break left of the wheel and till we set second-best time.”
“Since day one Rally Poland has had high ambitions. For years it had functioned well in Lower Silesia. When we moved the rally to Mikołajki, safety became a factor. Everyone is aware that special stages in Lower Silesia are very difficult and very dangerous, the idea was to move the rally and teach us, Poles, how to drive on gravel. There was not many gravel [rallies back then]. All of a sudden it turned out that we can go really far and a chance that this kind of rally is needed for World Rally Championship. For every one that was something unbelievable. One-two rallied, then we were a pretender and then it turned out that we got it and that was a crazy time.
“In terms of organisation, I think this rally has evolved a lot, step by step. You'll never make a rally 100 per cent safe, we're all aware of that, but I can say that our organisers do everything they can to do so. Unfortunately, the budget is one of the elements. The greater it is, the more you can do. I can assure you, as far as organisation, logistics are concerned, it's a splendid rally. A massive hotel that provides room for everyone, greatly prepared and maintained special stages. I'm convinced that this rally is unique. You have to ask the big ones in rallying... Ogier, Loeb, they all say "well done, Hołek". I was heavily involved in that. When they came for the first time, it turned out that we're in a great place and that we're in Europe.”
Tell us some of your best memories both from the Rally Poland here in the Masurian Lake District, and the one held in the Lower Silesia?
“Well... I managed to win both. I have great fondness for Lower Silesia because the emotions were great and that was the beginning for me. Here, I feel more at home, on my home soil. When I touch it, I have this feeling that l I know how much grip it will give me. Here I had an advantage from the beginning. My heart is here at Mikołajki, I really like this city, and it’s a very special place. It's very tourist-oriented but at the same time, you drive out of it a little and you're in the middle of nowhere, something that we need for special stages.
“Speaking of great memories... there were moments, like when none of us [Polish drivers] could even reach the podium of the rally for 20 years and then we won it [in 1996], fighting with [Dieter] Depping with for life till the last special stage, on the verge of madness. That win was a milestone. After we won the European Rally Championship title and everything became easier. The interest in rallying was at national level in Poland, as marketing people would call it. Everyone was into it, following us and wondering if "Hołek" and "Wiślak" will clinch the title. It's an unforgettable moment for me when we won the title that's also linked to Rally Poland.”
What was the best rivalry you had on Rally Poland? Was it with Depping?
“That one was a beautiful fight. After that, here we had a great fight with [Oscar] Svedlund [in 2007]. It was another fight for life when we left everyone else far behind. Unfortunately, we lost, we had the win in our pocket, we congratulated each other with my co-driver and all of a sudden we had a puncture. We finished the stage with only a disc break left of the wheel and till we set second-best time.”
The post ERC Q&A: Krzysztof Hołowczyc appeared first on FIA ERC | European Rally Championship.
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