Polish rally pioneer Bogdan Wozowicz dies at 80

Bogdan Wozowicz, an 80‑year‑old Polish rally champion and engineer, died this week. He won four Polish rally championships and is remembered for designing the prototype rally car Oberek between 1987 and 1990. The vehicle combined parts from the Polonez, a Ford Escort RS suspension, and a Lancia Beta Montecarlo gearbox, and was tested with various engines, including a turbocharged Fiat DOHC. Although praised by drivers, the Oberek never received homologation and the sole prototype was later destroyed in a fire.

In the same period the Polish football community mourned the death of Tadeusz Gapiński, 78, a long‑time figure at Widzew Łódź. Gapiński spent his career as a player, coach and club official, becoming one of the most respected legends of the club. His passing adds to a series of recent losses among Polish sport icons.

Both deaths highlight the passing of a generation that shaped Poland’s rally and football histories.