29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix. Racing thrills and a road safety festival
From 14 to 16 August 2026, the 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix will take place as the 11th and 12th rounds of the Polish Hill Climb Championship. In addition to the sporting excitement, spectators can look forward to the first Sopot Road Safety Festival. The race course runs along Malczewskiego Street, which will involve temporary changes to traffic arrangements.
Motorsport fans will once again have the opportunity to admire racing cars on the Polish coast – during the ceremonial parade through the streets of Sopot, practice and race runs, and the presentation of the fastest drivers during Sunday’s trophy ceremony.
This year’s entry list features 67 competitors. The field includes a wide variety of cars – from powerful machines prepared to compete in the Polish Hill Climb Championship, through cars competing in the RHC, to historic vehicles. The entry list also includes representatives of the host club, the Sopot Sports Association Automobilklub Orski.
Road Safety Festival and Car Parade
On Friday, 14 August, competitors and their cars will undergo administrative checks and technical scrutineering, which will be open to spectators, in the car park at ERGO ARENA. The main attraction of the day will be the first Sopot Road Safety Festival, starting at 3:00 p.m., with open sessions for children, young people and adults. Visitors will be able to take part in the following activities: a Traffic Town, the Stewart Test and First Aid. There will also be simulator stations and electric go-karts for children.
At 7:00 p.m., the conference “Motorsport for Road Safety in Poland” will be held, together with a short mandatory briefing for all competitors and the official opening of the Polish Coastal Hill Climb Championship. At 7:45 p.m., the racing car parade will set off, travelling through the streets of Sopot from ERGO ARENA to the Sheraton Hotel and back to ERGO ARENA.
The 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix Gets Underway
On Saturday, 15 August, the sporting part of the 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix will begin. From 10:00 a.m. to noon, competitors will have two practice runs at their disposal. The official opening ceremony will also take place during this time. At 12:30 p.m., there will be demonstrations of competitive driving, while from 2:00 p.m. drivers will begin battling for the results of the 11th round of the Polish Hill Climb Championship in two race runs.
Sunday, 16 August, will bring another dose of sporting excitement. Competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. with two practice runs. At 11:00 a.m., competitive driving demonstrations are scheduled, followed half an hour later by the start of the 12th round of the Polish Hill Climb Championship. The two race runs will continue until 3:00 p.m.
At 3:30 p.m., the trophy ceremony for Sunday’s round will take place at the Kolberga roundabout. The final highlight of this year’s Grand Prix will be the trophy ceremony for the overall classifications and the official closing ceremony. At 6:30 p.m., competitors and fans will meet at the Concert Shell on Kuracyjny Square, next to the pier in Sopot.
Traffic Changes on 14, 15 and 16 August 2026
On Friday, 14 August, at 7:45 p.m., the racing car parade will depart from ERGO ARENA and travel through the streets of Sopot to the Sheraton Hotel before returning to ERGO ARENA. Temporary traffic disruptions and slower traffic may occur along the route.Due to the organisation of the 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix, temporary changes to traffic arrangements will be introduced on Malczewskiego and Kolberga Streets:
This year’s entry list features 67 competitors. The field includes a wide variety of cars – from powerful machines prepared to compete in the Polish Hill Climb Championship, through cars competing in the RHC, to historic vehicles. The entry list also includes representatives of the host club, the Sopot Sports Association Automobilklub Orski.
Road Safety Festival and Car Parade
On Friday, 14 August, competitors and their cars will undergo administrative checks and technical scrutineering, which will be open to spectators, in the car park at ERGO ARENA. The main attraction of the day will be the first Sopot Road Safety Festival, starting at 3:00 p.m., with open sessions for children, young people and adults. Visitors will be able to take part in the following activities: a Traffic Town, the Stewart Test and First Aid. There will also be simulator stations and electric go-karts for children.
At 7:00 p.m., the conference “Motorsport for Road Safety in Poland” will be held, together with a short mandatory briefing for all competitors and the official opening of the Polish Coastal Hill Climb Championship. At 7:45 p.m., the racing car parade will set off, travelling through the streets of Sopot from ERGO ARENA to the Sheraton Hotel and back to ERGO ARENA.
The 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix Gets Underway
On Saturday, 15 August, the sporting part of the 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix will begin. From 10:00 a.m. to noon, competitors will have two practice runs at their disposal. The official opening ceremony will also take place during this time. At 12:30 p.m., there will be demonstrations of competitive driving, while from 2:00 p.m. drivers will begin battling for the results of the 11th round of the Polish Hill Climb Championship in two race runs.
Sunday, 16 August, will bring another dose of sporting excitement. Competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. with two practice runs. At 11:00 a.m., competitive driving demonstrations are scheduled, followed half an hour later by the start of the 12th round of the Polish Hill Climb Championship. The two race runs will continue until 3:00 p.m.
At 3:30 p.m., the trophy ceremony for Sunday’s round will take place at the Kolberga roundabout. The final highlight of this year’s Grand Prix will be the trophy ceremony for the overall classifications and the official closing ceremony. At 6:30 p.m., competitors and fans will meet at the Concert Shell on Kuracyjny Square, next to the pier in Sopot.
Traffic Changes on 14, 15 and 16 August 2026
On Friday, 14 August, at 7:45 p.m., the racing car parade will depart from ERGO ARENA and travel through the streets of Sopot to the Sheraton Hotel before returning to ERGO ARENA. Temporary traffic disruptions and slower traffic may occur along the route.Due to the organisation of the 29th Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix, temporary changes to traffic arrangements will be introduced on Malczewskiego and Kolberga Streets:
- Malczewskiego Street will be completely closed to traffic between the intersection with Księżycowa Street and the roundabout at Kolberga Street, from 5:00 a.m.on 15 August until 8:00 p.m. on 16 August;
- on 15 and 16 August, from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the entire section of Malczewskiego Street from the Sopot city boundary will be temporarily closed to traffic;
- on 15 and 16 August, from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the roundabout at Kolberga Street, near Secondary School No. 3, will also be temporarily closed to traffic.
Due to the nature of the event and the need to ensure the safety of competitors, spectators and other road users, drivers are asked to take these disruptions into account when planning their journeys and, where possible, choose alternative routes.
The organisers apologise for any inconvenience and ask everyone to follow the temporary traffic arrangements and the instructions of the event security services.
More Than a Quarter-Century of Racing History
The Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix has more than a quarter-century of history. The first edition was held in 1998, with 48 drivers taking part. The winner was Rafał Podolski from Kraków, driving a Reynard 913 single-seater. A year later, one of Poland’s most accomplished racing drivers, Tadeusz Myszkier from the Polish coast, took the top step of the podium in Saturday’s Polish Hill Climb Championship round, competing in a Ford Escort Cosworth.
The Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix is about more than modern racing cars. This year’s entry list also includes a large group of historic vehicles, giving fans the opportunity to see cars representing different eras of motoring history on the course.
The course itself is also conducive to record-breaking performances. The fastest drivers tackle it at an average speed of up to 135 km/h, while the quickest cars exceed 220 km/h on the straight after exiting the roundabout in the Brodwino housing estate. It is this combination of high speeds, a demanding course and a unique urban setting that has made the Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix one of Poland’s most distinctive hill climbs for many years.
This year’s entry list shows that the Sopot-Gdynia Grand Prix has once again attracted a strong representation of Polish motorsport. Among the competitors in the most powerful classes will be Sebastian Stec in a Ford Fiesta, Marek Nieckarz in a Mercedes-Benz W207, Maciej Kornaś in a Toyota GR Yaris, Konrad Wróbel in a Ford Fiesta Proto, as well as Bartłomiej Madziara and Jakub Kozioł, who will compete in a Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo 2.
The course will also feature 4WD cars, including Mitsubishi Lancers, a Toyota GR Yaris and a Škoda Fabia, as well as spectacular rear-wheel-drive machines. The entry list includes BMWs, Mercedeses, Lamborghinis and Porsches.Local fans will undoubtedly pay particular attention to the drivers representing the host club. The colours of the Sopot Sports Association Automobilklub Orski will be represented by, among others, Leszek Orzechowski in a SEAT Ibiza Cupra Evo, Marcin Strocen in a Volkswagen Golf, Paweł Wasilonek in a Peugeot 106, Robert Zubrzycki in a Subaru Impreza and Christian Zaleski in a Porsche 911 SC 3.0. Jakub Dembek is also on the entry list, driving a Kia Picanto.
The event is organised by the Sopot Sports Association Automobilklub Orski.