January in the calendars of motorsport enthusiasts marks not only major competitions elsewhere in the world, but also the start of the rally season in Lithuania. For the second year running, the season opens with the “Biorina Winter Rally Rokiškis”, which invites cold-resistant, adrenaline-seeking participants and spectators to Rokiškis. Most excitingly, the Lithuanian Rally Sprint Championship (LARSČ), which was struggling until recently, is now attracting significantly more participants. But why?
Previously, it was rare to see more than 20 participants in the LARSČ championship, but this has improved markedly in recent years. Although registration is still open, more than 30 sprint championship participants have already registered for the “Biorina Winter Rally Rokiškis 2026”, which will take place on the last weekend of January. This is very encouraging, as it fills the gap between the main Lithuanian car rally (LARČ) and the mini rally championship (LMRČ), both of which are thriving. The rally pyramid, from amateurs to professionals, is functioning well, and participants naturally move up and down. One reason for the surge in the sprint’s popularity is the separation of its events from the LARČ, resulting in a more convenient format, better road conditions, and unique rallies. The chance to race on ice and snow-covered stages in the Rokiškis area is a draw in itself. The 2025 LARČ champion, Mindaugas Grikienis, highlighted the following strengths:
“Rally sprint is an affordable way to try motorsport without high costs. The short competition format allows you to experience plenty of adrenaline and gain valuable driving experience in one day. It is an excellent school for beginners, and the friendly community helps you get into the sport more quickly.”
Mantas Dilys, who made his debut in the sprint championship last year, is well placed to compare the jump from mini rally to sprint, and had no doubt that moving up from mini rally was the right decision:
“As soon as the LASF decided to separate LARSČ and LARČ and give sprinters the opportunity to compete in separate events, without having to drive after the entire LARČ field and risk damaging their cars, our decision was clear. In my opinion, there are several main advantages: more competitive kilometres, special stages without numerous braking zones, and the use of sports tyres is allowed. Not least is the ratio of entry fee to competition kilometres.”
“All this allows us to improve much faster. In my view, by switching to sprint, we made much faster and greater progress than if we had spent another year in mini rally. I want to reassure and encourage my colleagues from mini rally who may be hesitant about switching to sprint. The myth about the budget increasing significantly has been dispelled. The costs rise only minimally, while the enjoyment and benefits are much greater. There are some very fast crews in mini rally, so once again I want to encourage my colleagues to take the step up.”
Mantas Gurkšnys, who missed the first step in mini rally, was also pleased that he could immediately gain experience by driving at least 50–60 competitive kilometres.
“I think the sprint championship is great because of the length of the special stages compared to a mini rally, so I immediately entered this championship. The more kilometres, the more experience. Of course, now that there are separate events, the road is not as damaged when driving a second time as it is in the LARČ.”
Another important aspect is the format of the rally sprint championship events, which saves crews time, energy, and car resources. This is especially relevant for those for whom rallying is a hobby alongside their main job, and whose car is not new.
“It is worth participating in a rally sprint because the competition usually lasts up to two days, so it does not take much time. There are not many kilometres, so the reece goes quickly and you do not get very tired. The rally itself lasts one day: it starts in the morning, ends in the evening, and afterwards you go home. On average, there are about 60 km of competition, so you really get a dose of emotion and adrenaline. In this way, fewer car resources are used, so you can drive an older car in the sprint and it holds up well. Now, most of the stages are separate from other leagues, and the road surface is very good,” shared Eligijus Maračinskas.
„Biorina Winter Rally Rokiškis 2026“ vyks sausio 31 d. Sportininkams maksimaliu tempu teks įveikti 8 greičio ruož
During the Biorina Winter Rally Rokiškis, wristbands (tickets) will be available for purchase at the entrances to the special stages and from 30 January 2026 at 12:00 at the Rokiškis District Municipality (Rally Centre).
The event is free for children under 12 years of age.
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