In recent years, the V1600 class has become an excellent option for affordable yet exciting motorsport within the Baltic Touring Car Championship. The number of participants has doubled over the past three seasons, and even more drivers are expected on the grid this year. This class is popular among both circuit racing newcomers and experienced drivers who enjoy close competition on a reasonable budget.
The V1600 class features cars that are close to standard specification, equipped with engines up to 1.6 liters. The technical regulations are designed to prevent extensive modifications, ensuring that car preparation costs remain as low as possible. The most popular models among competitors in recent years have been Ford Fiesta, Honda Civic, Mini Cooper, and Toyota Yaris. The technical regulations for the V1600 class can be found here: https://balticracingseries.eu/images/2025-2026_V1600_TR.pdf.
Last season, Nauris Agafonovs secured the V1600 vice-champion title, defeated only by the experienced Mareks Matvejevs. Nauris began competing in circuit racing in 2023 and already won the ABC Race class championship in his first full season in 2024, but the Latvian driver is not ready to stop there: “I am generally satisfied with last season, but there is still a slight feeling of unfinished business – there were many rounds, but I only truly managed to fight at the front in one. Undoubtedly, the goal this year is to fight for the class victory.”
Agafonovs, who competes with a Toyota Yaris, admits he has not been sitting still over the winter: “We went to the Paul Ricard circuit in France to participate in the popular Renault Clio Cup’s training sessions, and it went very well. I also took part in a couple of winter races, so I definitely haven’t forgotten how to drive.”
When asked about the V1600 class, last year’s vice-champion speaks very positively: “I would say it has an excellent price/performance ratio. Extracting the last tenths from a lower-powered car is a great challenge. There should be more participants this year, so it’s going to be fun!” When asked about his favorite track, Nauris replies: “Biķernieki, but Kaunas is also a special track where you need courage to go faster than others.”
Another driver who will certainly fight for top positions this season is 15-year-old Ruudi Reinumägi. The young Estonian made his circuit racing debut last year behind the wheel of a Honda Civic and was already close to the V1600 podium in several rounds. “Last season was a big step in my racing career, as I had many great battles and gained a lot of useful experience. The wider goal is to gain even more new experience than last season, but more specifically, the goal for this season is to achieve a podium finish in the overall standings,” said the young Estonian talent.
Having competed in various motorsport disciplines, Reinumägi highlights that: “About the Baltic Touring Car Championship and the V1600 class, I like that you can drive a lot, but you don’t have to pay that much. The other thing I like is that V1600 cars are quite cheap, and maintenance costs aren’t high. Favorite track? My home track is, of course, Pärnu, but I have to say I like Kaunas more because the track has good flow, lots of elevation changes, and many flat-out corners.”
Several female drivers also compete in the Baltic Touring Car Championship, including Annija Anna Vītiņa, who made her circuit racing debut last season in the V1600 class. Driving a Mini Cooper, Annija describes her season as colorful: “Although my confidence grew with every minute spent on track and everything kept improving, at the same time, with every lap I realized how important experience is. Since it was my first season, I experienced literally everything on track for the first time and went through real baptism by fire. It didn’t help that it rained in almost every race, which made driving – especially for a newcomer like me – much more difficult.”
“As we had a proper winter this year, I made use of it – I participated in the Riga Winter Cup and used frozen fields and lakes, driving both RWD and FWD cars to better feel the car. We hope that the long hours on track will pay off, and we are now completing major preparation work in the garage to return to the track with a new, well-prepared car. The goal this season is to be faster, better, and more confident on track,” said the Latvian driver about her preparation and the upcoming season.
Annija also speaks positively about the accessible class: “The V1600 class is like the first step in circuit racing. Even though the cars are relatively slower and have less power, the battles are still very exciting. All the cars are somewhat ‘equal,’ yet we are not limited to a single manufacturer or model – we can drive what we like best. Favorite track? Kaunas, because it is extremely challenging. I am personally most ‘afraid’ of this track, which is probably why I like it the most – I want to figure it out and push myself.”
The Baltic Touring Car Championship season will begin in less than a month in Riga, Latvia, when the “WashCar Riga Summer Race 2026” takes place at the Biķernieki circuit from May 1st to May 3rd. Over three days, not only the V1600 class but also many other cars will take to the track – from powerful Lamborghinis and Porsches to historic yet impressively fast Formula cars. More information about the championship and the races can be found at www.balticracingseries.eu, and follow for updates on the “Baltic Racing Series” social media profiles.