18 May 2026
PeerBerry CEO Arūnas Lekavičius returns from “Baja Europe” with a podium finish
PeerBerry investors know Arūnas Lekavičius as PeerBerry CEO, responsible for the platform’s business. However, beyond his daily work in the financial sector lies another major passion – motorsport.
Although Arūnas is actively involved in finance and investment business today, his journey in racing began back in childhood. Motorsport has remained not only a hobby for him, but also an activity that develops skills highly valuable both on the race track and in business.
International team debut ends with a podium finish
This year, Arūnas Lekavičius, who previously represented the “Pilėnai” motorsport club, joined forces with one of Lithuania’s best-known Dakar rally racers, Arūnas Gelažninkas, representing the “Rentway Dakar Team”.
The newly formed Lithuanian crew successfully debuted this weekend in the SSV category at the “Baja Europe” rally in Poland — one of the toughest off-road races in Europe. Competing in a highly competitive field, the team secured an impressive second place.
This year’s competition attracted nearly 50 motorcycle riders and more than 60 car and SSV crews, making the level of competition exceptionally high.
Technical issues prevented victory
Throughout the race weekend, the two-Arūnas crew demonstrated a competitive pace and fought for victory. However, with approximately 12 kilometers remaining before the finish line, technical issues struck — the vehicle’s turbocharger stopped functioning, forcing the car into emergency mode.
As a result, the Lithuanian crew finished just 1 minute and 55 seconds behind the winner.
The SSV category was won by Dakar Rally champion Matthias Walkner, while third place went to Lukas Lauda, son of legendary Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda.
“We had a great weekend — both driving and navigation worked very well. We found a strong rhythm and successfully managed the situation on the track. Unfortunately, technical problems in the final kilometers cost us the victory, but the result remains very encouraging. Our goals for the next races stay the same — to fight for first place,” says the team’s co-driver Arūnas Gelažninkas.
“It was great to return to racing after a break. We believe we demonstrated a truly competitive pace, and we are satisfied with the result achieved. Of course, we came very close to victory, but that is motorsport – sometimes unexpected things happen,” shares Arūnas Lekavičius.
Motorsport and business have more in common than it may seem
According to Arūnas Lekavičius, long-distance off-road racing not only helps clear the mind from everyday work, but also develops skills that are essential in business — quick decision-making, strategic thinking, discipline, and teamwork.
“In off-road racing, the ability to make quick decisions, maintain concentration, and work as a team under challenging conditions is extremely important. The very same qualities are essential in business,” says Arūnas Lekavičius.
According to him, motorsport also teaches responsibility, preparation, and trust within a team.
“When you compete at this level, you truly understand the importance of preparation, discipline, and mutual trust within the team. These principles are very close to the values we follow in everyday business as well,” he explains.
Next starts coming soon
After the race weekend in Poland, Arūnas Lekavičius returned to his daily responsibilities, but preparations for upcoming races are already underway — the next competition is planned for June.
The team would like to thank the partners supporting the team’s results: “Jonelio ATV Pro Service”, “Rentway”, “Mano Bankas”, “Crowdpear”, and “PeerBerry”.
