The Mongol Rally 2025 Has Begun

On July 12th 2025, over 100 Rally teams from 24 countries gathered at the Mongol Rally 2025 Launch in the Czech Republic, to celebrate their impending clash with motoring stupidity.

Mongol Rally teams take the tiniest cars they can find across 10,000 miles of the planet’s most formidable terrain, pointing them roughly in the direction of the Finish Line in the far east of Kazakhstan. To keep this rabble in check, we employ a complex matrix of 3 rules: their vehicle must be no more than 1 litre in size (125cc for bikes), they must travel unsupported, and they must raise at least £500 for charity.

The Launch

The official launch took place at Junktown, a disused missile base deep in the forests of Bratonice. An exhibit of the ridiculous, it was replete with misinformation, human speed bumps, cage drinking, swamp fighting, bunker discoing, fire dancing and some very serious casino-face making.

For some, the Mongol Rally launch is the culmination of months of careful preparation – fixing on roofracks, adding light pods and studying their tiny steed’s insides for hours at a time.

For others, it’s weeks of thinking about needing to get a car, finding one at the last minute and pondering how to weld the big hole under the driver’s seat. Then possibly grabbing an outdated road map of Europe and a pillow before hitting the road for a month.

Whatever your technique, it’s all irrelevant once you reach the Mongol Rally Launch, which will swallow you up and spit you out the next morning like you temporarily entered a parallel universe; one where common sense, cars big enough to drive further than the local shops and health and safety have been banished.

Indeed, the morning after the Mongol Rally 2025 Launch Party was a messy splendour of rude awakenings and sore heads, as ralliers were roused from their princess-like slumbers by Mr Buddy and his troupe of wandering musicians. We do promise them a launch after all, so however spent from the night before, a launch they get…

Bears, Borders and Breakdowns – Week One

Then they were gone, vanishing into the wilds of Europe and crossing the border into Turkey, via a brief stop at the Mongol Rally pitstop in Sofia, Bulgaria. For most, crossing Europe is a relatively easy task, with all it’s shiny asphalt and organised road markings. But this year’s Mongol Rally teams have faced bears in Romania, border shenanigans crossing into Turkey and a more than healthy helping of breakdowns.  Some even had a narrow escape from a landslide on the Transfăgărășan. 

Given the majority of the teams have vehicles that run on will power alone, post-launch mishaps are inevitable. Team Marchal Transport’s 1985 Citroen Acadiane initially failed to transport anything further than Prague and The Rusty Chariot’s Perodua Kelisa felt it needed a rest having driven not very far at all from the Start Line. Sporting a Rally classic – a 1996 Fiat Panda – Team Silk Road Unstuck found themselves the opposite in Turkey.

Meanwhile, Team Kegland’s Daihatsu Hijet was also temporarily out of action. Boasting the smallest engine size (in the “car” category) on the Rally this year, this 540cc microvan was a matter of scrupulous consideration here at Rally HQ, due to its potential for overt storage of supplies.

However, its tiny engine and the fact it has caused adequate levels of inconvenience just a short distance from the Start Line should win over even the most militant of tiny car fanatics. 

Team Kegland being inconvenienced by their Daihatsu Hijet – 540cc.

Mongol Rally Belligerence

Mongol Ralliers aren’t the type of animal that gives up that easily, however.  Their natural belligerence shines through when broken down and stranded, often with nothing but zip ties and duct tape to act as tool, spare part and mechanic.

So, at the end of week one, there were no official withdrawals, and all got back on the road to continue their adventuring escapades eastwards. Here’s the spread at the end of the first week, with the first teams entering Georgia already. May the Rally gods continue to shine on their meanderings…

Follow the teams on the Mongol Rally Facebook Page or on Instagram as they tackle motoring stupidity on a global scale.  See how far they’ve got on the Mongol Rally Live Tracking Map.

Fancy signing up for this stupidity? You can find out more about the greatest motoring adventure on earth here.