Skoda Motorsports team has feared quite well at the Agrotec Rally Hustopece. The Skoda Motorsport crew made their second appearance in the International Czech Republic Championship this season to dominate the event and comfortably achieve their second victory. Kopecky came top in Stage 3 and then just kept gradually increasing his lead until the end of the event. Although the crew have taken part in only two of the three Championship events that have taken place so far this season, they are second in the overall rankings.
Stage 1 was the first and last one in which Kopecky & Stary failed to finish among the first three crews. From then on, they kept making it clear who was the hottest favorite for victory. All of the three stages on Fridays (52 km) were fierce battles for every tenth of a second – at the end of the day, Kopecky was only 1.6 seconds ahead of Pech and 5.8 ahead of Kresta in another Fabia Super 2000.
The Saturday programme included eight stages, 121 km in total. The rally took place in the surroundings of Moravian vineyards, and the route included a large number of fast stretches – the average speeds reached over 110 km/h. Just like on Friday, the weather was beautiful and summer-like, with no threat of rain. Kopecky kept steadily increasing his lead all day and, having won five stages on Saturday (seven in total), he celebrated his second victory at home this year. Fabias’ success was underlined by Roman Kresta who came second (- 37.4 s), Vaclav Pech in a Mitsubishi finished third. Kresta has reinforced his lead in the Championship, Kopecky has climbed up to second place overall.
Commenting on the event, Skoda Motorsport Team Manager Pavel Hortek says: “Being one of the hottest favorites for victory is always tricky and obliging at the same time. We are therefore pleased that our second appearance in the Czech Championship this season has been a success and that our crew have won really comfortably. Besides the crew, I wish to thank the entire team – our agenda this year is really a big challenge for everybody. We are also very happy that Roman Kresta did so well here with his private Fabia. He had no technical problem throughout the event and is certainly a hot favorite for the Championship title.”
Commenting on his second victory in the home championship this year, Jan Kopecky says: “We are really pleased about this victory, because nobody gave us anything for free here. It was a great battle and an excellent preparation for the Belgium Rally in Ypres (two weeks from now) where we want to fight for victory.”
The factory team’s programme continues next week in Acropolis, Greece (Juho Hänninen with the Red Bull Skoda team – SWRC) and then two weeks from now in Ypres, Belgium (Jan Kopecky – IRC).
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