The Bucharest Challenge 2007 rally started in Bucharest on Friday morning, bringing together 137 racers for an event that will last until Sunday, May 20. The races take place around the huge Parliament Palace - better known as late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s House of People - in downtown Bucharest, seriously affecting traffic in the Romanian capital.

43 cars join the FIA GT3 section of the competition, 40 will join the FIA GT section, 32 - the British F3 and 20 - the Dacia Logan Cup.

Traffic around the Parliament Palace was closed for the public on Thursday.