The ‘summer break’ is a common concept in Formula 1. In the World Rally Championship; less so. But the month of August has been a time to relax for the world’s finest rally drivers before the end of the season closes in.
Typically, that means a vacation or simply time at home with the family. And inevitably, some sort of vehicle will be driven – rally drivers can’t help themselves!
Kajetan Kajetanowicz included. But he wasn’t driving a go-kart, ATV, quad bike, buggy or cross-car. Instead he was steering something more… vintage.
Cast your mind back two months to the end of Safari Rally Kenya. At the end of the powerstage, having just won the event in WRC2 for the second year in a row, the Pole gave us a tease.
“Now I go to Monte Carlo by Fiat 126p with my wife, so watch my social media.”
So DirtFish did. And it turns out the three-time European Rally champion and WRC2 contender drove 4000km across seven European countries, all in the bid to raise money for children.
“Wielka Wyprawa Maluchów, which translates to ‘Great Journey of The Toddlers’, was the largest motorsport charity campaign in Poland,” Kajetanowicz explains to DirtFish.
“The aim of the expedition was to raise money for children – victims of road accidents. Thirty-five crews drove to Monaco in iconic Polish cars, Fiat 126p – called ‘maluch’ which means ‘toddler’.
“One of the crews was us: my wife Aneta and me. We set off from Bielsko-Biała, a Polish town where the production of Fiat 126p started back in 1973 and we made our way to Monte Carlo.”
Kajetanowicz has had his detractors – mainly for those who aren’t onboard with his tactical approach to trying to win a WRC2 title, typically contesting events where there’s fewer opponents – but what a noble mission.
“The aim of the ‘Great Journey of The Toddlers’ was very close to both of us, to my wife and me, also due to the fact that we have two wonderful kids,” Kajetanowicz continues.
“Aneta was my co-driver for the best part of the journey, although she also drove our ‘toddler’. It was a marvelous adventure and also a great opportunity to spend more time with my wife, as we have very little of it during the rally season.
“Before the expedition, I had only been home for three days in the whole month. I was a little worried whether we would be able to bear each other for 24 hours a day, most of the time in a small, cramped car!
“But we are still a loving couple so everything went well.”
Clearly the mission was very close to Kajetanowicz’s heart, but so was the little Fiat he was driving.
“The Fiat 126p I was driving was produced in exactly the same year as the one which belonged to my parents many years ago – and it even shared the same color!,” he smiles.
“When I was a child, I used to sit behind its steering wheel, dreaming of driving the car on my own.
It was essential to have a broomstick onboard to start the engine in case of a starter failure. Those were the days!Kajetan Kajetanowicz
“Polish people still feel great fondness for the ‘toddler’, which used to be the most popular car in Poland. Now it is quite difficult to spot it on the local roads and children look at it with curiosity today.
“But I always smile when I see a Fiat 126p because it evokes plenty of good memories. I started competing in rallies with this car and I claimed my first rally win in a ‘toddler’.
“Fortunately, our ‘toddler’ withstood the journey and did not break up, so we reached Monte Carlo without serious problems. However, the trip reminded me of all challenges you had to face when driving a ‘toddler’: passive safety belts which do not roll up automatically and get stuck when you slam the door; driving with a partially open boot to cool the rear-mounted engine in hot conditions.
“Today it’s just impossible to consider a long trip in such a small car, without radio or air conditioning. Back in the days we travelled in this car for our holiday trips: our parents, my sister and myself.
“It was essential to have a broomstick onboard to start the engine in case of a starter failure. Those were the days!
“The ‘Great Journey of The Toddlers’ was for me a sentimental trip back to my childhood times.”
And in rekindling old memories, Kajto and Aneta managed to help raise over 1,000,000 Polish złoty for the STARS4STARS Foundation – something they can be immensely proud of.
“We wanted to make some noise around our charity project, draw attention to road safety issues, and gather money for children – victims of road accidents,” Kajetanowicz says.
“They need help not only with usual rehabilitation but also with mental assistance, which is often overlooked.
“The project continued after our return from Monte Carlo and until the end of July you could bid on items and activities donated by the project ambassadors, well-known national and international motorsport heroes: Longin Bielak, Sobiesław Zasada, Janusz Szerla, Rafał Sonik, Bartosz Ostałowski.
“I donated for auction, among other things, co-driver runs in my Škoda rally car and rally gloves.
“Our goal was to raise one million złoty but we raised much more, which we did not expect. It is a great success, I feel plenty of satisfaction. Now, thanks to the sponsors of our ‘toddler’ journey, 100% of the money we raised will go to children in need.”
You can’t say fairer than that.
But focus for Kajetanowicz is now reverting to rallying. After over two months out of competition, he’s back in action for Acropolis Rally Greece in two weeks’ time.
He heads there seventh in the championship, but every single driver ahead of him in the table has started more than his three events.
Kajetanowicz wouldn’t divulge details of his program for the rest of the year, but with WRC2 permitting a maximum of seven rally entries and there being just four left on the calendar, it’s a safe assumption that Kajetanowicz will be present on all the remaining 2023 events Greece, Chile, Central European Rally and Japan.
“I will do my best to achieve another great result this year,” Kajetanowicz promises. “However, I always say that our sport is unpredictable, so I am not making any assumptions.
“I am determined to fight as hard as I can and clear the bar which I set higher and higher. Let’s see what this approach will bring in terms of the final results in the championship.”
