Silk Way Rally

🥳 The Directorate of the International Project Silk Way Rally congratulates you on the occasion of Tsagaan Sar (Sagaalgan) — the White Moon Holiday (Mongolian Lunar New Year)!

This New Year in the Buddhist tradition, which originated in modern-day Mongolia and is widely celebrated in many Russian regions, including Buryatia and Kalmykia, has long been celebrated in a special way — with attention to meaning, purity of intentions, and inner renewal. Today, Tsagan Sar unites millions of people around the world and symbolizes the arrival of spring, harmony, and a new stage — both in nature and in the lives of each of us.

At the White Moon festival, it is customary to gather with loved ones, say important words, and make plans for the future. We thank you for your trust, support, and warmth that you give to the Project, and we are glad that you are walking this path with us.

May Tsagaan Sar bring prosperity, peace, and clarity, and may every day of the new year be filled with good encounters, care, and joy. Happy holidays!

🧧 Chinese New Year is a holiday that has symbolized renewal, progress, and the beginning of a new cycle for thousands of years. It is believed that during this time, nature awakens, giving way to spring, hope, and new opportunities.

It is a time when it is customary to be with loved ones, share warmth, and make plans for the future. We are glad that you remain part of our large team and share this journey with us.

The year 2026 is marked by the Fire Horse — a symbol of energy, determination, and the desire to move forward. These qualities are especially close to the spirit of rally raids, where every kilometer requires character, confidence, and self-belief.

May this New Year bring you inspiration, inner strength, and new achievements. May each of your routes lead to new heights, and may the road ahead always be full of opportunities.

Dear friends,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year🎄

This bright and meaningful day is a time for calm, warmth, and gratitude — a moment to reflect on the journey taken, the people beside us, and the shared purpose that unites us. The past year has become another important chapter for the Project, filled with key decisions, challenges, achievements, and progress. Above all, it once again proved that the Silk Way Rally is, first and foremost, a community built on trust, partnership, and mutual respect.

We sincerely thank everyone who has been part of this journey — competitors, teams, partners, colleagues, and friends of the Project. Your support, dedication, and professionalism make forward movement possible and give real meaning to every new stage of our development.

Christmas reminds us of timeless values: peace, care for one another, and humanity. May this day bring comfort and harmony to your homes, inspire confidence in the future, and give strength for new beginnings. May the road ahead be filled with meaningful encounters, thoughtful decisions, and paths that lead to truly important goals.

We wish you good health, inner balance, and inspiration. May the coming year continue the journey of growth, and may Christmas be a source of warmth, hope, and faith in the best to come.

With respect,
The Silk Way Rally Team 🎄

🤔Today we look back at the 7th edition of the Silk Way Rally in 2017, when the race once again connected Russia, Kazakhstan, and China — and for the first time finished in ancient Xi’an, the capital of thirteen imperial dynasties and a legendary stop along the Great Silk Road.

The 7th edition became even more intense and spectacular after the triumph of the previous year’s 2016 route — the longest in the project’s history. The ceremonial start once again took place on Red Square in Moscow, and the world’s strongest teams set off: Peugeot 3008 DKR prototypes, X-Raid’s powerful Minis, Chinese Geely and Baicmotor entries, along with seasoned Russian and international crews. In the truck category: the mighty KAMAZ-master, Gerard de Rooy and his team, Aleš Loprais, Martin van den Brink, and the rapidly developing MAZ-SPORTauto.

🔘Peugeot versus Everyone

After Stage 1, Peugeot locked out the top three, but real challenges lay ahead. On Stage 4, rally legend Stéphane Peterhansel rolled his car at high speed. Unable to continue, he was forced to wait for evacuation. Cyril Despres also ran into trouble — his car had to be pulled out of a ditch with the help of Dmitry Sotnikov’s KAMAZ. The lost hour dropped him down the order, but he still held on to second place.

The leader was Sébastien Loeb. The nine-time World Rally Champion chose a cautious strategy and extended his advantage to 70 minutes by Stage 8. But everything soon changed: Loeb struck a hidden rock, rolled over, and dropped out of the fight for victory. Despres seized the lead and secured his second consecutive Silk Way triumph.

🔘Trucks: Battle to the Finish

In the truck category, KAMAZ-master were once again among the leaders, but the opening stages brought serious battles with rivals. Gerard de Rooy in an Iveco and Martin van den Brink in a Renault fought hard through Stage 3, until technical issues and navigation errors took their toll. De Rooy lost 17 minutes with suspension failure, while van den Brink’s crew made a costly navigation mistake of about half an hour.

This allowed Martin Kolomy in a Tatra to move into the lead, but his time at the top was short-lived. On Stage 5, his truck got stuck in soft ground, costing the crew around 40 minutes.

By mid-rally, KAMAZ driver Dmitry Sotnikov had taken the lead — and he carried it through to the finish. Anton Shibalov secured second, Ayrat Mardeev third. The entire truck podium belonged to the “Blue Armada.” The strongest of their rivals, Artur Ardavichus, finished fourth in an Iveco.

2017 became another leap forward for the Silk Way Rally: tough routes, fierce duels, and nonstop action on every kilometer once again amazed the world. But ahead lay new horizons and new stories — because a true rally never ends.

What if the Silk Way Rally took place in the world of Minecraft? Pixelated sand flies from under the wheels, motorcycles charge the dunes, a helicopter hovers over the track, and powerful trucks race ahead, following the symbol of Victory. On the surface, it all looks like a game — but the true spirit of competition, the mutual support of the teams, and the unstoppable energy of motion remain absolutely real. 👾

A photo selection for your screens📸

After hundreds of kilometers of dust, heat and hard work on the track, dinner at the bivouac seems tastier than in any restaurant.

There are no exquisite tablecloths here, but there is the main thing - strength, which comes back with the first spoonful of hot soup.

The thoughtful menu combines everything an athlete needs: calories for energy, proteins for recovery, vitamins for endurance.

Salad and meat, fresh fruit, hot first - and in half an hour the team is ready to face the track again and continue the fight 🍽️

Alexander Grishin. 1978—2025

Alexander Grishin, the Silk Way Rally official voice, our colleague, friend and one of the most prominent sports commentators of his time, has passed away.

From 2004 to 2015, Grishin was a commentator on the Sport TV channel, and then worked for Match TV until 2018. He hosted live broadcasts from several Olympic Games, from FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship games, and was also a figure skating specialist. Since 2018, he has worked on Channel One and was the Silk Way Rally official voice.

For thousands of competitors and millions of viewers around the world, Alexander Grishin’s voice became an integral part of the Silk Way Rally, lively and sincere, filled with passion for the sport. He was a paragon of professionalism, always ready to help colleagues, support athletes or tell a little-known story about the rally competitors. His signature smile became one of the Silk Way Rally mascots.

The Silk Way Rally Project Directorate expresses their sincere condolences to Alexander’s family, loved ones, friends and colleagues. We will remember him not only as a distinguished professional, but above all as an outstanding, honest and noble person.

👀These faces are full of emotions: fatigue, tension, sleeplessness, but through it all there is relief and joy.

Each of them has gone through an ordeal that words can't explain, and that's what makes the finish line moment special.

When the participants reach the finish line, they are greeted not only by spectators and journalists, but also by the team behind this whole machine called the Silk Way Rally.

⛺️ Bivouac is not just a camp, it is the heart of the rally.

Every evening the participants come back here after fighting kilometers. Tired, but full of adrenaline. Here the work is boiling: mechanics disassemble cars to the screws, pilots discuss the strategy for the next day, medics monitor the condition of the participants, and the organizers coordinate dozens of processes simultaneously.

Teams line up in colorful neighborhoods. Some live in motorhomes and others in tents next to the machinery.

A bivouac is a city that moves with the race. And every night it has its own story, its own atmosphere and its own expectation of tomorrow's start.