After its successful debut, the Jusema Rally Ukmergė competition is taking a significant step forward – this year it will be a candidate event for the FIA European Rally Trophy. This is extremely important news for everyone involved in the competition, as the rally event in Ukmergė seeks not only international recognition but also the opportunity to develop further, creating a better experience for both competitors and guests. This progress will be supported by the visiting FIA observer from Portugal, Antonio Medeiros, whose report will serve as a starting point for Jusema Rally Ukmergė to become a full member of the FIA European Rally Trophy calendar.
The GSR Motorsport team, which competes in international motorsport, knew even before the first Jusema Rally Ukmergė that this project would not be just another rally. From the outset, the organisers looked to the future, ensuring that early decisions would provide a solid foundation for the rally’s development in an international context – and those decisions have paid off.
“Last year, we implemented many of the ideas we had nurtured even before the first Jusema Rally Ukmergė. We are pleased that the debut event received excellent feedback and that our organisational solutions were effective. However, from the very finish, we realised that we wanted to go further and offer even more to the Lithuanian rally community. Therefore, we made an important decision in the off-season – to submit an application to organise a candidate round of the FIA European Rally Trophy. This is a new stage for our team, full of responsibility, challenges, and even higher quality standards. Our goal is to help raise the bar for rally organisation in Lithuania. Although the 2026 rally will be a candidate round of the FIA European Rally Cup, we are already planning more broadly. We are preparing for 2027, aiming to ensure that all organisational processes meet the requirements set by the FIA. We want the FIA observer who comes to Ukmergė to have no doubt that Lithuania can organise top-level international rally events,” said Ernesta Globytė, director of Jusema Rally Ukmergė.“
What is the European Rally Trophy? It is a series organised by the FIA, combining national championships with higher-level competitions such as the ERC or WRC. Its aim is to provide drivers, co-drivers, and organisers with the opportunity to gain international experience and gradually progress to higher series.
The ERT was established in 2014, replacing the former European Rally Cup. The series allows crews to compete in championships in various countries, often alongside ERC or WRC competitors. Since 2023, a unified system has been adopted: participants collect points in a common calendar, with the six best results counting towards the standings. Coefficients are applied based on the number of crews, so cars from slower classes can also compete for the title. This year, the calendar includes 15 stages, with Lithuania represented by the Rokiškio Grand Rally, which also held candidate stage status last year. Eligible cars include Rally2, Rally3, Rally4, Rally5, Rally5-Kit, and RGT.
The status of an international stage brings significant responsibility and many additional organisational challenges, so why did Jusema Rally Ukmergė choose this seemingly expensive and complex path?
“There are many reasons, but the most important is the Lithuanian rally community. By becoming part of the FIA European Rally Cup calendar, the event gains international status and recognition. This is not only a great achievement for the organisers but also adds value for Lithuania, Ukmergė, partners, the municipality, and our entire rally community. The economic benefit to the region is also significant. Although the number of foreign participants may not be large in the candidate year, in the future we hope to welcome more teams, mechanics, spectators, and fans from other countries. They will use hotels, restaurants, gas stations, local services, and visit the Ukmergė district. This will mean additional income for local businesses and greater visibility for our region in Europe. The standard of rally organisation in Lithuania is already very high. This is consistently emphasised by foreign competitors and teams visiting our country. However, we believe we can do even more. We want not only to maintain high quality but also to implement new ideas and seek solutions that will make our events even more professional, modern, and visible internationally. We are convinced that everyone will benefit from this – rally fans, competitors, teams, officials, volunteers, local businesses, the tourism sector, partners, and the entire Ukmergė community. That is why we are investing in the growth of this event.” Our goal is not only to organise an excellent rally, but also to help make Lithuania’s name even more prominent on the European rally map.“
“We believe that ambitious goals begin with bold decisions. If we want Lithuania to be visible on the European rally map, we must not be afraid to set the highest standards for ourselves. This is the path we are taking today, together with the entire Lithuanian rally community.“
The third event of the Lithuanian Rally Championship, “Jusema Rally Ukmergė 2026”, will take place on 9–11 July in the Ukmergė and Molėtai districts. Crews will cover more than 130 competitive kilometres over two days, and spectators will be thrilled not only by the exciting competition but also by two impressive concerts.
