53. SLOVAKIA RALLYE TATRY 2026

The oldest automobile competition in Slovakia 53. SLOVAKIA RALLYE TATRY 2026 is making its call. The traditional competition centered in Poprad will take place at its usual time at the end of May (28. – 30. 5.). Just like in previous years, it will be part of the Slovak championship in a one-stage competition mode. The organizers from AOS club Poprad have prepared many changes this year. The location of the competition's management, service parking area, and the start and finish area will be new. Along with the attractive city circuit test, there will be additional timed tests in the Spiš region, where the Poprad rally returns exactly after ten years.

The legendary rally in Poprad is annually one of the highlights of the Slovak rally season. This year, it is again included under the auspices of the International Automobile Federation FIA in the Central European Rally Series (CEZ), including the historical cars zonal championship (CEZ H). The biggest competition is expected within the International Championships of the Slovak Republic (MMSR), including historians (MSR – HA). Changes have also occurred in the management of the competition. After long fourteen years, Stanislav Hanzeli has left his position as chairman of the organizing committee and director of the Tatra rally. “Stano is a great personality of the Poprad rally and has a major contribution to building the prestige, economic stability, and high level of Slovakia Rallye Tatry. We thank him for his well-done work, we remain friends, and we hope our paths around automobile competitions will meet again in the future,” said Peter Oravec, chairman of AOS club Poprad, deputy director, and secretary of the Tatra competition. The role of chairman of the organizing committee will be newly filled by Igor Dzivý.

The competition's management will find asylum in the premises of the four-star Hotel International in Veľká Lomnica, which is part of the Black Stork golf resort. This unique resort provides exceptional sports and relaxation facilities in the High Tatras, and the hotel itself will offer great spaces for the individual units of the competition's management. About a kilometer from the management's office, we will find the service parking area. The competition teams will set up their service tents and facilities at the Eurocamp parking lot at the entrance to Tatranská Lomnica. For the convenience of the individual teams, technical inspections, marking, and sealing of mechanical parts will take place in the built tent during Thursday afternoon and Friday morning directly at the service parking area. The start and finish of the competition will be held on Nábreží Jána Pavla II right in front of the City Hall building in Poprad. “This year, extensive reconstruction of St. Egidius Square is underway, where the Tatra rally has regularly started in recent years. Thanks to the goodwill of the mayor of Poprad, Anton Danko, we managed to arrange a space in front of the City Hall. Additionally, there will be a spectator-attractive autograph session in the lobby of the office before the start of the competition featuring selected crews of this year's edition,” explained Igor Dzivý, chairman of the organizing committee of 53. Slovakia Rallye Tatry.

In the initial press release, we will look at the basic program of the competition. Already on Thursday, May 28, registration of crews, distribution of itineraries, track inspection, administrative checks, and technical inspections of vehicles will begin at one o'clock in the afternoon. On Friday, May 29, the track inspection, administrative and technical inspections will continue, and in the afternoon there will be a spectator-popular autograph session, followed by the ceremonial start in front of the City Hall in Poprad at 6:30 PM, where the results announcement will also take place on Saturday afternoon.

During Friday morning, a test RS or shakedown will take place on the traditional section in Šuňava, and on the May night, a spectator-attractive city night circuit is prepared. In the battle for valuable seconds, crews in the classification of the Slovak Rally Cup will appear on the track from 9:10 PM, followed by the main starting field at the strike of the twenty-second hour. On Saturday, May 30, the main starting field will complete speed tests in Spiš with the names Ordzovany (length 10.80 km) and Oľšavica (10.70 km), with each measured section being run twice. After lunch, these sections will be run in the reverse direction under the names Uloža (10.70 km) and Repaše (10.80 km). “We wanted to restore the speed tests near Levoča last year but did not receive permission due to a wedding in one of the villages. This year, nothing stands in the way of the return after ten years. These sections are demanding, and the drivers are unfamiliar with them. Many competitions lead their routes on the same sections, and for the crews, this will be a change this year,” stated Peter Oravec. In the Slovak championship, the route measures a total of 426 km and includes 8 speed tests over 5 sections with a total length of 86.5 km. The cup participants will complete a shortened route, consisting of just under 38 competitive kilometers across four RS. The races will also include separate events in the rally of historical automobiles under the name 7. SLOVAKIA RALLYE TATRY REGULARITY.

In the second half of April, the national authority SAMŠ approved the basic rally document in the form of special regulations. At the same time, electronic registration for crews has also been launched via the website www.sams-asn.sk, with the registration deadline set for Sunday, May 17, at midnight. That with a reduced registration fee a week earlier.**

Classification of the competition:
– FIA CEZ Rally Car Championships – 3rd event (CEZ)
– FIA CEZ Historical Car Championships – 4th event (CEZ H)
– International Championships of the Slovak Republic in Rally – 3rd event (MMSR)
– Championships of the Slovak Republic in Historical Cars – 2nd event (MSR HA)
– Slovak Rally Cup – 2nd event (SRP)
– RallyLegend – 2nd event (RL)
– Rally School (RŠ)

Further news service within 53. SLOVAKIA RALLYE TATRY 2026 will be provided in subsequent press releases. They will be published gradually on the official website www.rallyetatry.sk, on the Facebook and Instagram profiles.

In Poprad, May 1, 2026 Roman ORDELT, press secretary of 53. Slovakia Rallye Tatry