Adrian Rzeźnik wins Wisła Rally to become youngest Polish rally champion

Championship decider in Wisła

Nineteen-year-old Adrian Rzeźnik and co-driver Kamil Kozdroń won the 70th Wisła Rally on 19 September 2026, securing the Polish Rally Championship title in their debut season. Entering the sixth and final round of the KIQ RSMP series, Rzeźnik held a narrow one-point lead over 2024 champion Jarosław Szeja, with 50 points available across the weekend. Driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 for the ORLEN Team, Rzeźnik required a clean run over the asphalt stages in southern Poland to protect his standing. He completed the event with a 7.4-second margin of victory over brothers Jarosław and Marcin Szeja, also in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Łukasz Byśkiniewicz and Łukasz Jastrzębski completed the rally podium in third place, finishing 1 minute and 55.1 seconds behind the winners.

Friday dominance and Saturday fightback

The event unfolded in two contrasting legs across the Silesian Beskids. On Friday, Rzeźnik and Kozdroń swept all six special stages during the opening leg, opening a 34.4-second lead over the Szeja brothers by the end of the day. Jarosław Szeja responded on Saturday morning by winning the first six special stages of the second leg, cutting the deficit to 6.2 seconds before the final test. The title contest came down to the 9.24-kilometer ORLEN VITAY Partecznik Power Stage. Rzeźnik set the fastest time on the final run, beating Szeja by 1.2 seconds to seal both the rally victory and the overall championship.

Debut campaign and season record

Rzeźnik, born on 29 September 2006 and the son of former competitor Maciej Rzeźnik, becomes the youngest overall champion in Polish Rally Championship history. Earlier in the season, his victory at the 54th Świdnicki Rally in April 2026 surpassed a mark set by Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi, who won Rally Poland in 2012 at age 21 years and eight months. Over the six-round 2026 calendar, Rzeźnik and Kozdroń took three victories, winning the Świdnicki Rally, their home 35th Rzeszowski Rally, and the Wisła Rally. Their only finish outside the top three occurred at the 10th Nadwiślański Rally, where a punctured tire dropped them off the podium, alongside third-place finishes at the Małopolska Rally and the 82nd Rally Poland.

Final standings and post-race reactions

The victory in Wisła brought Rzeźnik and Kozdroń to 188 points in the final championship standings, 11 points clear of Jarosław and Marcin Szeja on 177 points. Byśkiniewicz and Jastrzębski took third overall with 157.5 points, followed by Jarosław Kołtun and Ireneusz Pleskot with 139.5 points, Michał Chorbiński and Adam Chrzanowski with 88.5 points, and Zbigniew Gabryś and Adrian Sadowski with 53 points. At the finish line, Rzeźnik credited his team and family for maintaining focus during the decisive stage.

The whole team helped me concentrate before the last stage and thanks to that we are at the finish line with such a good time. Thank you for this stage, this rally and this season! Ogromne podziękowania dla całej rodziny, dla mojego taty, który wkłada w to całe serce, dla Kamila za świetną pracę. To dzięki wam tutaj jesteśmy! Dziękuję naszym partnerom i wszystkim, którzy nas wspierają oraz oczywiście naszym fantastycznym kibicom, czuliśmy wasz doping na każdej rundzie. To dla nas ogrom wsparcia, bez którego również nie bylibyśmy w tym miejscu.

Kozdroń commented on the pace of the final stage and their championship result.

I am glad that this last stage is already behind us, it was probably the fastest stage in my life. Full dedication and great pace from Adrian, who is the future of Polish rallying. A few days must pass before it reaches me, but we are Polish Champions.