In all technical sports disciplines, the preparation of “the machinery” for competition plays a decisive role in shaping the winners’ podium. Rallying is no exception. Even the most skillful driver will achieve nothing if their competitors are behind the wheel of cars equipped with noticeably more powerful engines and higher top speeds. Regulations governing engine displacement, weight, chassis design, and various other modifications have been in place since 1973. Yet race engineers and mechanics remain among the key architects of victory to this day. What makes their work so special? How are unexpected problems solved during competition? And how is fair play maintained? All this can be witnessed firsthand during Rally Žemaitija 2025 this coming weekend.
Perhaps the best example of what rally “golden hands” can do to a car is illustrated by the legendary vehicles produced by VFTS (an acronym for Vilniuskaja fabrika transportnych sredstv), later renamed EVA (Vilniuski eksperimentalny zavod sportivnych avtomobilei)—a company founded on the initiative of the iconic Stasys Brundza. These were no ordinary cars; factory-standard Lada models were radically transformed. A serial production VAZ-2105, for example, would be significantly shortened and lightened; its engine displacement was increased from 1.3 to 1.6 liters, and its output boosted from 69 to 160 hp. Acceleration to 100 km/h improved from 20 seconds to just 8.4, while top speed rose from 142 km/h to 192 km/h. The maximum engine RPM limit was raised from 5,600 to 7,000, and compression was increased from 8.5 to 11 atmospheres. Depending on the type of rally, the company's experts customized each car by selecting camshafts with different profiles—wider cams for high-speed stages and narrower ones for better torque at low revs.
Arūnas Volungevičius, a motorsport commentator who worked at VFTS at the time, recalls that engines placed in the hands of these semi-self-taught engineering geniuses underwent radical transformations.
"The principles of engine tuning are quite old. The VFTS masters didn’t invent anything revolutionary in theory, but lightening and polishing the crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, valves, and increasing and polishing the intake and exhaust ports was delicate, precise work. Almost mystical even—after countless empirical experiments and testing on stands, the final engine performance often rivaled that of specially developed engines from Western car manufacturers. In other words, the engineering expertise has always been here in Lithuania—and still is,” Volungevičius concludes.
After the fall of the Soviet Union and the opening of borders to the civilized world, Lithuanian teams slowly gained access to professionally prepared racing cars. However, as Juta Racing team leader Audrius Gelžinis, who has competed in nearly every motorsport discipline, points out, the role of engineers remained crucial even when using factory-made rally machines.
“Today almost everything in motorsport is strictly regulated and limited to eliminate the influence of team budgets on race results—to prevent ‘money victories,’ where the car becomes unbeatable due to massive investments in materials and technology. Engineers are needed not only to maintain the cars according to the manufacturers’ service algorithms but also to maximize the permitted adjustment possibilities. Their knowledge and experience allow them to operate ‘on the edge’ of the rules without breaking them,” Gelžinis explains.
Veteran racer Ramūnas Čapkauskas, who likely holds the longest continuous racing career in Lithuania, adds that with the rise of homologated factory cars in every motorsport discipline, the scope for mechanical intervention has diminished.
“In some classes, like L6 with the Mitsubishi platform, you can still find ways to improve by modifying the suspension—slightly increasing travel, replacing some rubber bushings with metal ones, and making a few other adjustments. This can save about a second per kilometer on a special stage. But even with all modifications, it’s impossible to match the performance of an R5-class car, even theoretically. That’s why everyone whose budget allows tries to buy or rent such cars. Those who can’t afford it—usually young drivers—end up behind the wheel of BMWs,” Čapkauskas admits.
Legendary car builder and rally engineer Darius Biesevičius agrees and emphasizes that even with a homologated car, mechanics’ “magic” remains essential—their understanding of which settings work best on particular stages is irreplaceable.
“Different manufacturers create ‘fast’ cars using different methods, so every car has its secrets. To prevent these secrets from distorting the principle of fair competition, especially in the N5 class, it’s agreed that cars are tested on a dynamometer to ensure everyone runs the same engine power,” Biesevičius explains.
He also notes that while programming the car’s control electronics is now crucial, no software genius can compensate for poorly built mechanical components.
All the motorsport experts we spoke to agree that Lithuania now boasts a growing number of highly skilled mechanics capable of maintaining both homologated race cars and home-built specials. And during Rally Žemaitija 2025, fans will have a rare chance to witness these masters of their craft up close.