Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Kopecký wants the fourth win at Barum Czech Rally Zlín

28. 8. 2015 - Petr Říha

Only five drivers in the history of Barum Rally managed to win the title three times. One of them is a Czech driver Jan Kopecký who can be the first driver to win this rally for the fourth time and he can even secure a Czech title in this year's jubilee edition. A Škoda Motorsport factory driver is the biggest favorite of a seventh event of FIA European Rally Championship and a fifth event of Czech Rally Championship 2015.

The crew Jan Kopecký - Pavel Dresler is in the ongoing Czech Championship unbeatable and they would like to win a fourth consecutive domestic rally. "I will do my best. We have a great car and background," said Kopecký who came with a new car Škoda Fabia R5.

For the two times Czech champion is a fourth victory an enormous motivation. "If I have a good navigation, it can be," said the 33-year-old driver, born in Opočno, who won here in 2009, 2011 and 2013. "Our priority is to gain points for Czech Championship and to secure a victory. Personally, I am peeping at the first position. I would like to win here again," said Kopecký.

The 2013 European champion is expecting a very swift rally. "The weather is good and if it does not rain, the roads will not be muddy. It is going to be one of the fastest Barum rally in history so the fans have something to look forward to," believes Kopecký.

His major rival should be the Polish driver and the ERC leader Kajetan Kajetanowicz. "The special stages are very interesting here and also beautiful and it will be difficult to adopt my driving style to these roads. In Poland there are a bit different. But we still want to win and please our fans. I cannot wait for it to start," said Kajetanowicz who is driving Ford Fiesta R5.

Jaromír Tarabus, who is living in a nearby village Želechovice, very much likes and enjoys Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Just like Kopecký he is going to drive Škoda Fabia R5, which was prepared by Roman Kresta, a three times winner of Barum Rally. "We have had our car for three weeks and we have driven about 150 kilometers but it is not enough and I need more time behind the wheel of this car to feel more confident," said Tarabus. He finished eighth at the Qualifying stage but during shakedown he damaged his car a bit when he hit a retarder. "I hope it was the last scratch. We will try to get the best result possible. But with this new car it is hard to predict a final position. We managed to get on the podium here and if we end up among the first five, we would be immensely satisfied," revealed Tarabus.

One of the most talented foreign drivers is a Swedish young man Emil Bergkvist, who has already won European Junior Rally Championship. "I am very happy about what I have achieved and I hope it will be good for my future. I would like to confirm my victory at Barum Rally," said Bergkvist.

The 45^th Barum Czech Rally Zlín begins with a Friday's Super Special Stage in the streets of Zlín and the former's Bata factory compound. Three day long rally ends on a finishing ramp in the same place on Sunday 30 August at 4 pm. At that point the competing crews will have endured 645 km long race composed of 15 special stages on eight roads of total length 229 km.