One date = two birthdays. 

The sevenfold German Rally Champion, Matthias Kahle, turned 50 on March 04. On the same day his „eternal“ competitor Anders Grondal celebrated his 35th birthday.  The question which arises is what leads to success, experience or youthful nonchalance.  

Kahle, who was born in the Lausitz, proves every year again that age has only secondary meaning in the rallye sport, when he is competing with partially significantly younger drivers. Especially his versatility and experience with different cars (WRC, Dakar, Buggy, R5, Historic) are his main advantages. He can adapt quickly to new conditions and remain a serious candidate for the podium. How his work as instructor for petrol-saving training programmes and his drifting and driving fit together, stays his secret.  

Anders Grondal, who is in his mid-thirties and not one of the youngest anymore can already look back at a proud number of titles and a long career.  He is an active driver since 2003 and won the Norwegian Rally Championship 5 times and took part in the WRC, which is the highest level in international rally sport, already 15 times. He was born into a family of fast drivers. His father and grandfather also felt comfortable at the steering wheel. We still have to find out why his successful Ford Fiesta R5 is up for sale now and what the further plans of Grondal are.

Up to now the two of them fought an exciting and close head-to-head race in the Lausitz-Rallye. Their driving skills were on the same level when Matthias Kahle won the race in 2016 while Grondal's Fiesta came to a halt with a technical defect. In the following year Anders Grondal turned the tables after a captivating duel with Kahle and made his way to the victory podium. 

Both won the Lausitz-Rallye 4 times, so the question if experience or youthful nonchalance leads to success remains unanswered yet.

We hope for another coming together this year to find out who will put on the crown of the Lausitz in 2019. The local matador? The gravel expert? Or will we have a whole new winner like last year?

We are looking forward to a reunion in the Lausitz!