Photos by ©Gints Grīnfogels
RALLY LIEPĀJA, October 6-8, 2017
Round of the FIA European Rally Championship
Round of the FIA ERC Junior Championship
Round of the Latvian Rally Championship
Rally Liepāja, first held in 2013 when it ran up Latvia’s Baltic coast from Liepāja to Ventspils, was to open the 2016 ERC schedule in February. However, higher-than-normal temperatures damaged stage surfaces, prompting concerns over safety and the state of the public roads. It was rescheduled to autumn and the new date effectively made for an all-new rally as crews adjusted to gravel stages free of snow and ice. As well as hosting an asphalt street stage, Liepāja is home to the ceremonial start and finish. The city’s Great Amber concert hall is the setting for the ERC end-of-season awards.