KING OF ZLIN KOPECKY DIGS DEEP FOR 10TH VICTORY
Jan Kopecky reckons his record-extending 10th Barum Czech Rally Zlin victory was “one of the most difficult” after changeable weather conditions made for a challenging penultimate round of the European championship last weekend.
Kopecky won Friday night’s superspecial in central Zlin, slipped to second after a wrong tyre call on the rain-hit SS2 before regaining a lead he wouldn’t relinquish on stage three.
“This one was one of the most difficult wins of them all because the conditions were really crazy,” said Czech Kopecky, 40. “Even today, the rain was following us on every single stage.”
Czech Filip Mares, who beat Briton Chris Ingram to the ERC1 Junior crown in 2019, finished second with Austrian Simon Wagner making it a Skoda podium lockout after he held off WRC2 star Erik Cais for third. Local driver Cais was 2.5 seconds behind Wagner starting the Powerstage but was slowed by a puncture.