After SS2: Kopecky starts as he means to go on
Jan Kopecký has made a storming start to Saturday’s action to extend his overnight lead of round eight of the FIA European Rally Championship to 9.1s.
In warm and dry conditions, local hero Kopecký took 12m01.2s to complete the 8.81 kilometres of Biskupice as he aims to win Barum Czech Rally Zlín for a third time.
“We can say this stage is like a warm-up because some difficult stages are coming up,” said ŠKODA Motorsport’s ERC title leader. “There were lots of spectators in this stage and that was really nice.”
Vacláv Pech, second overnight in his MINI John Cooper Works S2000, was 5.9s slower than Kopecký but remains in second place overall, one position ahead of Tomáš Kostka in a Ford Fiesta R5, who was second fastest through the stage, 3.6s down on Kopecký. “It was very slippery, not good driving at all,” said Pech, the current Czech championship leader.
Esapekka Lappi, who was 4.1s down on Kopecký in third, said he had been too careful in his factory Fabia S2000. The Finn also reported a bout of understeer.
Toshi Arai said he lost 20s in his misfiring Subaru Impreza R4 STI while there were also problems for Jaroslav Orsák, who led the ERC Production Car Cup overnight for GPD Mit Metal Racing Team. “There is something wrong with the transmission but I don’t know why because all parts are new,” said Orsák’s co-driver Lukáš Kostka. “We have big trouble with transmissions, maybe differentials.”
Team Renault Sport Technologies aces Robert Consani and Germain Bonnefis both impressed in the ERC Production Car Cup in their Mégane RSs but were no match to rising Czech star Miroslav Jakeš, who topped the class to move into the category lead, 4.5s ahead of Consani.
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After SS3: Pushy Kresta climbs high in Zlin
Roman Kresta has moved from fifth to third on Barum Czech Rally Zlín, round eight of the FIA European Rally Championship.
The three-time event winner and local hero was 2.4s down on stage winner Jan Kopecký but climbs ahead of Tomáš Kostka and Esapekka Lappi in the overall standings. With three stages run, Kresta is 3.7s down on Czech championship leader Václav Pech.
“I like this stage very much,” said the former factory Ford WRC driver, who took 12m15.1s to complete the 22.03-kilometre Troják stage. “There is a lot of bumpy and we gave it a push.”
Jaromír Tarabus was also a man on the move in his similar ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000. He has shot up from seventh to fourth after going second fastest, 1.4s down on Kopecký, and outpacing his team boss Kresta in the process.
Meanwhile, ERC champion Kopecký reported dropping a handful of seconds braking for a chicane. “I missed one braking point in a chicane and lost maximum two or three seconds. But there’s a really beautiful feeling in the car. The notes are correct and the car is perfect I must say.”
Pech was fourth fastest in his MINI John Cooper Works S2000 and remains in second overall, 15.1s down on Kopecký. “This is my limit, I cannot go faster,” he said.
Esapekka Lappi, who is competing in Zlín for the first time and making only his fifth start on asphalt, drops from fourth to fifth. He said: “It’s quite crazy you know, it’s so fast, narrow and bumpy. We went wide at one junction where there was no grip.”
Tomáš Kostka was another driver to lose position, slipping from third to sixth in his Ford Fiesta R5. “It’s still a big learning for the whole team and we try to find a good set-up because it’s really bumpy.”
Next up is the 11.51 kilometres of Semetín at 10:59hrs local time prior to regroup and service in Otrokovice.
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After SS4: No fun on the bumps for Kostka
While Jan Kopecký has made it four stage wins out of four on round eight of the FIA European Rally Championship, Tomáš Kostka says there’s still some work to do in order to make his Ford Fiesta R5 fly on the bumpy roads.
Along with Pavel Valoušek, Kostka is giving the exciting new-generation machine its competition debut in the ERC. After four stages, the ex-circuit racer is sixth overall having reached Friday’s overnight halt in third place.
“We are losing a lot when the stages are really bumpy because we’ve still not got the set-up right,” said Kostka. “It’s not fun on the bumps but we are still learning the car because this is only our first time after a very short test.”
Valoušek, meanwhile, dropped time in his R5 on the 11.51-kilometre Semetín stage. “We went off into a ditch and had to reverse,” said the former Czech champion, who is currently eighth overall. “I hope there were no damages to the car.”
Out front, ŠKODA Motorsport’s European championship leader Jan Kopecký’s advantage over second-placed Václav Pech is now up to 18.8s following his latest stage triumph.
Roman Kresta continues to hold third place, despite tipping his Fabia on to two wheels when he cut a corner too tightly. His advantage over fourth-placed team-mate Jaromír Tarabus is now 1.5s. Rising Finnish star Esapekka Lappi, who was third fastest through the stage, is a further 3.3s behind Tarabus in his factory Fabia.
GPD Mit Metal Racing Team’s Jaroslav Orsák’s problem on stage two has been put down to a broken rear differential, while Toshi Arai’s Subaru Impreza continues to be hampered by a lack of power.
Meanwhile, Robert Consani crashed after five kilometres in his Renault Mégane RS. With the car blocking the road, the stage was temporarily halted but has since restarted. Consani and co-driver Nicolas Klinger were both unhurt.
Crews enter service in Otrokovice at 12:54hrs local time following the regroup.
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