Rally Železniki 2026

Rally Železniki 2026: Mark Škulj Wins by a Heart-Stopping 0.8 Seconds!

The 2026 edition of Rally Železniki will go down in history as one of the most intense battles ever witnessed on Slovenian tarmac. In a dramatic final-stage showdown, 22-year-old Mark Škulj narrowly defeated national champion Rok Turk by just 0.8 seconds.

A Duel for the Decades: 0.8 Seconds After 95 Kilometers

The race was a game of two halves. On Saturday, Rok Turk (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) dominated the opening four stages, building a solid 9.3-second lead over the young challenger. However, Sunday belonged entirely to Mark Škulj (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2). Moving with clinical precision, Škulj began chipping away at the deficit, winning every single stage of the second day.

The tension reached its peak during the penultimate stage. Entering the final kilometers, Škulj trailed by 4.6 seconds, but a massive "all-or-nothing" attack saw him overturn the lead. In the end, after nearly 100 kilometers of high-speed racing through the Selca Valley, the gap was a staggering 0.8 seconds—the narrowest winning margin in the history of independent Slovenia. Statistics show that at an average speed of 91.6 km/h, the difference was a mere 20 meters of road.

Podium and Class Winners

While the spotlight was on the lead duo, Klemen Kovačič (Citroën C3 Rally2) drove a consistent race to secure his first-ever career podium in third place. The top five was rounded off by Marko Grossi and Gašper Kos, the latter also celebrating a dominant victory in Division 2 with his Peugeot 208 Rally4.

Other notable winners included Alan Pajk, who dominated Division 1 in his Renault Clio Rally5, and Mitja Klemenčič, who took the top spot in the Masters category. Despite the hard-fought battle, the atmosphere at the finish line in Železniki was one of mutual respect between the crews, who provided the fans with a spectacular show of world-class driving.

Final Standings - Rally Železniki 2026

• 1. Mark Škulj / Uroš Ocvirk (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) - 1:02:30.6
• 2. Rok Turk / Blanka Kacin (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) - +0.8s
• 3. Klemen Kovačič / Matic Dolenc (Citroën C3 Rally2) - +1:47.6

Železniki once again proved why it is a crown jewel of the Slovenian Rally Championship. With this result, the fight for the national title remains wide open as we head into the second half of the season!