Ivars and Andris Velme. The brothers bringing Group B back to life

There are cars that fans travel to rallies specifically to see. And there are crews that make spectators start moving towards the best corners long before they appear on the stage. At Polski Rajd Legend 2026, Ivars and Andris Velme undoubtedly belonged to that group. Their Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, huge controlled slides and the unmistakable sound of its five-cylinder engine once again became one of the most spectacular attractions of the entire event.

The Latvian brothers were not coming to Poland for the first time. After their appearance last year, they already knew what to expect from the roads of the Kłodzko Valley and, perhaps even more importantly, from the Polish rally fans.

Ivars makes no secret of how much he enjoyed returning.

“The atmosphere was incredible. Coming to Poland this year, I already knew it was going to be a great event. Polish fans are crazy, in the best possible way, and it was a fantastic celebration of rallying.”

Asked what convinced them to return, his answer was equally enthusiastic.

“We were at this event last year as well. We really enjoyed the special stages and the enormous joy people showed towards the rally and the Audi Quattro.”

Inspired by McRae. Sideways not just for the spectators

Anyone who watched Ivars on the stages probably noticed one thing very quickly.

He is not a driver who treats a demonstration class as an opportunity to gently drive a historic car through the stages.

The S1 E2 is supposed to be seen. It is supposed to be heard. And whenever conditions allow, it is supposed to go sideways.

Interestingly, this style was not created specifically for Polski Rajd Legend.

“I really liked Colin McRae’s driving style. From the very beginning of my rally career, I adopted a style with big slides because I enjoy it. The fans also love fast, wide slides.”

That perhaps explains the appeal of this crew better than anything else.

Velme does not drive spectacularly simply because hundreds of people are standing at the corner with their phones pointed towards him.

He genuinely wants to drive the car this way.

The spectators get their show, but the driver is having just as much fun.

How do you control an Audi S1 E2 in a full slide?

From the outside it looks spectacular. From behind the wheel, however, it means dealing with a machine that offers little room for mistakes.

Ivars points first to the unusual proportions of the Audi.

“The Audi S1 E2 is difficult to drive. A lot of that comes from the very short wheelbase and the engine extending beyond the front wheels. But you can get used to everything.”

Then there are the roads of the Kłodzko Valley.

“The Polish roads are very narrow and fast. At first I was a little nervous, but that feeling disappears as soon as you start driving.”

Even more interesting is the way Ivars has developed the car specifically around his spectacular driving style.

“I have already developed good settings for the locking differential. By using the handbrake before the corner, I can control the slide all the way through it using the Audi’s four-wheel-drive system.”

There is, however, one important condition.

“It requires entering the corner at high speed, so we are driving in the classic rally style, racing against the clock.”

In other words, the spectacle is not simply about breaking traction for the crowd.

The car has to be positioned correctly before the corner, before the quattro system can be used to carry that controlled slide all the way through.

Spalona. A stage made for the Quattro

We asked Ivars which Polish stage suited his Audi best.

He did not want to identify a stage he disliked.

“I liked all the special stages. Each one has its own unique character.”

But one stood out.

“Spalona is probably the most exciting road for the Audi Quattro.”

It is difficult to imagine a better recommendation for one of the most distinctive stages of Polski Rajd Legend.

Flares, fireworks and crowds. You can see it all from inside the car

One thing we particularly wanted to understand was how much of the spectators’ reaction actually reaches the crew.

Standing beside a stage, it can be easy to assume that a driver concentrating on controlling a rally car barely notices what is happening around him.

Ivars quickly dismissed that idea.

“From inside the car you can see how much people are enjoying it. Smoke flares and fireworks, all of that affects the people inside the car as well.”

Then came perhaps one of the most important statements of our entire conversation:

“The goal is a spectacular drift so that the spectators can experience the atmosphere of Group B rallying from the 1980s.”

A large crowd only adds to the experience.

“A big crowd definitely brings a lot of excitement and emotion, as well as the desire to put on a beautiful show.”

It works both ways.

The fans come to see the Quattro. The driver sees their reaction and wants to give them even more.

An Audi born from the dream of two brothers

There is much more behind this car than spectacular driving.

It represents a shared dream for Ivars and Andris Velme.

Today, they are able to do exactly what they once dreamed about.

“Building a car like this was a dream for me and my brother. We managed to do it, and now we are enjoying it to the fullest. It all feels like a dream come true.”

That statement changes the way you look at their appearances.

This is not simply a factory-owned historic car brought to an event by a huge professional operation.

It is the project of two brothers who wanted to create the car of their dreams and then use it exactly as they believe a machine like this should be used.

And they are largely funding the dream themselves

There is another part of the Velme story that many spectators may not realise.

There is no huge sponsorship budget behind their appearances.

The crew told ANS News that MIRCO is the only company currently supporting the team. The remaining funding required to compete comes from their own pockets and help from friends.

That makes the story of their S1 E2 even more remarkable.

Behind every spectacular run there is much more than fuel, tyres and replacement parts.

There are years of work, private money and, above all, an enormous amount of passion.

Why are we still obsessed with Group B?

Modern rally cars are faster, more precise and technologically belong to a completely different world.

And yet, as soon as an S1 E2 can be heard approaching in the distance, phones start appearing above the crowd.

For Ivars, the explanation is simple.

“I think people like the raw appearance. And the most important thing is the sound of the five-cylinder engine echoing through the forests of a special stage.”

That is something numbers alone cannot recreate.

A Quattro needs to be seen and, above all, heard.

“Rallying is something Polish fans genuinely care about”

Ivars also noticed something that distinguishes the spectators at Polski Rajd Legend.

It is not simply the size of the crowds.

“You can immediately see that rallying is something Polish fans genuinely care about.”

The Latvian driver also noticed how much effort spectators put into preparing for the event.

“Every fan prepares for an event like this in an impressive way, from air horns, flares and special outfits to notebooks and shirts covered with collected autographs.”

For an international crew coming to Poland, details like these clearly make an impression.

Is Polski Rajd Legend already among the best?

Even stronger words came when we asked Ivars to compare the Polish event with other Rally Legend-style events.

“After just two editions, I realised that Poland would be the place where a truly spectacular event of this kind would take place.”

Velme also praised the organisers for bringing together such a large collection of historic rally cars and creating the atmosphere around the event.

His assessment is very clear:

“I believe that already this year it can be considered one of the best Legend events.”

That is significant praise from a driver who knows what these events look and feel like outside Poland as well.

Not everything went according to plan

The brothers’ 2026 appearance was not completely trouble-free.

Ivars was unable to complete all of the planned special stages. Asked whether there had been a particularly wild moment during this year's event, he responded with characteristic humour.

“Last year there were moments like that, as we know from the videos, but this year I didn't manage to drive several stages, so it was quite calm.”

What matters most, however, is what he said afterwards.

Those problems have not changed the way he feels about the Polish event.

Quite the opposite.

“I will definitely return”

When we asked whether the Velme brothers would return for another edition, Ivars did not need much time to think.

“I will definitely return. You simply cannot miss an event like this!”

And at the end of our conversation, he had a message directly for the Polish fans:

“I am grateful for all the photos and videos you sent and tagged me in. Thank you for all the kind words. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to give you the joy of completing all the special stages, but machinery is machinery. See you next year.”

Perhaps “see you next year” is the perfect way to end this story.

Because Ivars and Andris Velme are rapidly becoming one of those crews without whom it is difficult to imagine the next edition of Polski Rajd Legend.

Their Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, the unmistakable five-cylinder soundtrack and the way Ivars throws the car into corners mean that spectators simply wait for their arrival.

For many fans, crews like this are one of the main reasons to travel to an event such as Polski Rajd Legend.

Not simply to see an iconic rally car sitting in the service park, but to watch it being driven the way we remember Group B from the legendary archive footage: fast, loud and sideways.

And with Ivars already promising to return, all that remains is to wait.

Ivars and Andris Velme and their Audi Quattro S1 E2 are expected back on the Polish stages. And you can be almost certain that thousands of spectators will once again be waiting for them at the most spectacular corners.

Photos: Davei.am / Kuba Akoński

Ivars and Andris Velme crew partner: MIRCO https://mirco.pl/en/

Watch: https://youtu.be/7MqZNYYc-f4?is=w0V9QIKYRU4vV-4C