Jan Kopecký celebrates his fifth victory and takes home the challenge cup

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28. 8. 2016 - Petr Říha

The Czech driver Jan Kopecký (Škoda Fabia R5) won the 46th Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which is the eight event of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and the fifth event of Auto-club Czech Rally Championship 2016. The Škoda Motorsport factory driver had nerves of iron in the end unlike Russian Alexey Lukyanuk (Ford Fiesta R5) and won for the fifth time Barum Rally and takes home the Challenge cup.

Lukyanuk on the last stage was trying to overtake Kopecký but he crashed and dropped out of the top ten. The second place took Czech Tomáš Kostka and third was Jan Černý (both Škoda Fabia R5).

Before the last stage Kopecký was almost 5 seconds ahead of Lukyanuk, who was the only one capable of keeping score with him during the weekend. However, the Russian driver made a mistake in the end and after crashing into a wall, he had to change the wheel thus gaining inerasable loss. Kopecký celebrates his fifth triumph on Barum Rally and on Saturday he has already secured himself fourth Czech title.

But there was also thrilling duel for the podium on Sunday. After France's Bryan Bouffier (Citroën DS3 R5) retired the third place was taken by Jaromír Tarabus (Škoda Fabia R5). But he crashed on stage 13 and the rally was over for him. Even Jan Černý left for a while the third place after losing to Tomáš Kostka, but Černý took the podium back after Lukyanuk's crash.

Italy's Giacomo Scattolon (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX) won the ERC2 category, British Christopher Ingram (Opel Adam R2) dominated the category ERC3 and Junior. The fastest one in the two-wheel drive category was Slovakia's Martin Koči (Citroën DS3 R3T).

Final standings after 15th SS:
1. Jan Kopecký – Pavel Dresler (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) 2:07:34.7 hour
2. Tomáš Kostka – Ladislav Kučera (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 2:34.0 min
3. Jan Černý – Petr Černohorský (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 2:41.9 min
4. Pavel Valoušek – Veronika Havelková (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 3:47.7 min
5. Fabian Kreim – Frank Christian (DEU, Škoda Fabia R5) + 5:16.1 min
6. Martin Vlček – Jindřiška Žáková (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5) + 5:17.9 min
7. Vojtěch Štajf – František Rajnoha (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 5:43.3 min
8. Miroslav Jakeš – Marcela Ehlová (CZE, Škoda Fabia S2000) + 6:00.5 min
9. Cédric Cherain – Filip Cuvelier (BEL, Ford Fiesta R5) + 6:40.4 min
10. Roman Odložilík – Martin Tureček (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5) + 7:02.0 min