The fifth and final round of the Baltic Touring Car Championship heads to Tor Poznan in Poland on 19–20 September. With Baltic championship titles to be decided, the drivers have a lot of pressure to fight against.
For the third consecutive year, the Baltic Touring Car Championship will hold its season finale at Tor Poznan alongside the Polish championship. Tor Poznan is Poland’s only licensed circuit for car racing. Despite being more than 40 years old, it meets modern safety requirements and provides a safe setting for exciting racing.
The BaTCC entry list features 80 competitors from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, France, Finland, Poland and Iceland. Together with the Polish championship entries, the total is expected to exceed 200, including more than 50 teams on the grid for the two-hour endurance races. Testing takes place on Thursday, followed by qualifying on Friday and racing on Saturday and Sunday.
In BMW 325 CUP, the championship’s most competitive class, positions throughout the standings remain up for grabs. Matiss Malinovskis of RS Motorsport holds a sizeable 64-point lead, but with a maximum of 120 points available, he cannot afford to overlook second-placed teammate Karol Wyka from Poland. Close behind are Darius Gaidulionis, Donatas Jucius and Laimonas Starkevicius from Lithuania, all racing for LIK Racing by KTK, along with Dmitrijs Gornevs from Latvia in the Rode Racing entry. All remain in contention for the title and the overall podium places. As championship leader, Malinovskis will carry 70 kg of success ballast, while Wyka will carry 60 kg. In the Masters category, for drivers born in 1986 or earlier, Wyka leads Gornevs, Jucius, Gaidulionis and Latvian circuit racing legend Janis Horeliks. Laimonas Starkevicius from Lithuania tops the Rookie standings ahead of Emils Daugavins of Daugavins Racing and Arturs Jansons of RS Motorsport. In the Gentleman category, Normunds Dobums from Latvia leads Olivier Villeneuve from France and Rain Kuuskmann from Estonia.
The BMW Turbo Cup title battle could hardly be closer. Reigning champion Artjoms Koclamazasvili and his main rival Aurimas Mistautas from Lithuania are level on 109 points, with Rolands Arnis Alfredsons close behind on 97. The title will be decided between these three drivers, and with 50 points on offer, all have a strong mathematical chance. Koclamazasvili and Mistautas will each carry the maximum 70 kg of success ballast, while Alfredsons will carry 60 kg. That could give other competitors an opportunity to challenge for victory at the finale and complicate matters for the title contenders.
The V1600 and ABC Race classes, which count towards both the Baltic and Latvian championships, will race in Poland for the first time. In V1600, reigning champion Mareks Matvejevs is closing in on another title after winning all six races so far this season. His 150 points give him a 42-point lead over Nauris Agafonovs of JV Racing Academy. However, with three races and 75 points available at Poznan, the championship remains open. The situation is similar in ABC Race, where Roberts Ozolins leads on 133 points, followed by Agnis Rozitis on 109 and Arturs Locs on 93.
GT promises spectacular racing as Baltic and Polish championship competitors share the grid, bringing together an impressive field of fast and exclusive machinery. In the top BGT PRO class, two Lamborghinis are set to fight for the title. Egidijus Gelunas from Lithuania leads on 91 points in his Lamborghini Huracan ST EVO2, just five ahead of Arturs Batraks from Latvia in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO. Three races will decide who comes out on top. Another driver from Latvia, Martins Lukstins, is also expected to challenge for victory at the finale, racing a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT3 EVO for Lithuania-based ES Motorsport AMG. Lukstins leads BGT AM+ on 100 points, but his switch to another class opens the door for his rivals. Audrius Piktys of Baltic Karting Academy is his closest challenger on 72 points. Paulius Urbonavicius has already secured the 2026 BGT AM title and will look to continue his dominant form in Poland, while Rokas Kvedaras and Harri Horto battle for second place.
Four drivers will line up in the BTC2 class of Baltic Touring Cars, with the title to be decided between two competitors from Lithuania. Agnius Narbutas leads on 136 points, while Orestas Burgaila remains within reach on 102. In BTC3, Sven Karuse from Estonia has 118 points, leading Atis Veismanis and Marts Starks from Latvia by 51 and 55 points respectively. In Group H, the historic car category, Ricards Alekss Svaglis heads into the finale with a 14-point advantage over Vilnis Batraks.
In the BMW 325 CUP class of Nankang Endurance Academy, the two-hour endurance series, the title fight is between two teams from Latvia: Daugavins Racing and IBIZA, separated by just 10 points. Third place is likely to be contested by Agentus 325 CUP from Lithuania and Vianova Motorsport from Latvia. In BMW Turbo Cup, Contribee Racing from Lithuania leads on 152 points. Rode Racing is 24 points behind, while Laista, also from Lithuania, holds third on 110. BTC3 is set for a thrilling finale: RS Racing Team from Estonia leads on 152 points, 10 ahead of RS Motorsport Jurmala, with Mande Racing by Autoradvilis from Lithuania a further eight points back.
Hankook Endurance Challenge will feature another duel between the two Lamborghinis. Smart Cooling by Flash Racing from Latvia heads into the finale on 162 points, just two ahead of Reimpex by Capkauskas Autocentras from Lithuania. The two teams lead both BGT PRO and the overall championship standings. In BGT AM+, Porsche Latvija Racing team leads on 170 points, setting up a showdown with PI Rent by Baltic Karting Academy on 160. Just two points also separate the BGT AM leaders: Eagle Racing from Finland heads the standings on 146 points, with Baltic Karting Academy from Lithuania close behind.
The Baltic Touring Car Championship brings together circuit racers from the Baltic states and neighbouring countries, combining the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian national championships in one series with high sporting and organisational standards. Classes cater for cars with engine capacities up to 1,400 cc, 1,600 cc, 2,000 cc, 3,000 cc and 4,000 cc, alongside the one-make BMW 325 CUP and BMW Turbo Cup categories and classes for high-powered and factory-built race cars. Competitors can take part in sprint races lasting 15 or 20 minutes, as well as two-hour endurance racing series.