Kopecký fastest, Sordo suffered puncture

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25. 8. 2018 - Roman Ordelt

The factory crew Škoda Motorsport Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler (Škoda Fabia R5) won the night-time Spectators' Super Special Stage in the streets of Zlín, which kicked off the 48th Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which is the sixth event of FIA ERC and a part of Autoklub Czech Rally Championship 2018. The current ERC leader Alexey Lukyanuk was 2.1 second behind him. The third was the duo Václav Pech and Petr Uhel losing 3.8 seconds on Ford Fiesta R5.

Jan Kopecký who has three consecutive victories made the first step to win again. His biggest rival Daniel Sordo from Spain (Hyundai i20 R5) finished third because a puncture slowed him down losing 10 seconds. Nikolay Gryazin, the winner of QS, was fourth followed by Rhys Yates and Chris Ingram (all Škoda Fabia R5). The Czech drivers filled the rest of the top ten; Roman Odložilík (Ford Fiesta R5), Miroslav Jakeš, Martin Březík and Filip Mareš (all Škoda Fabia R5). All of them are within 1.1 seconds!

Two drivers buried their chances for a good result. The third man of ERC classification Norbert Herczig from Hungary (Škoda Fabia R5) had a double puncture and Jan Černý (Ford Fiesta R5) broke a wheel. In the 2WD category, Simon Wagner from Austria (Peugeot 208 R2) was the fastest one followed by Sindre Furuseth from Norway and a Czech driver Andrey Barčák (both Opel Adam R2).

Standings after SS 1 (9.51 km)
1. Kopecký, Dresler (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) 7:07.2 min
2. Lukyanuk, Arnautov (RUS, Ford Fiesta R5) + 2.1 s
3. Pech, Uhel (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5) + 3.8 s
4. Gryazin, Fedorov (LAT/RUS, Škoda Fabia R5) + 5.6 s
5. Yates, Edmondson (GBR, Škoda Fabia R5) + 6.5 s
6. Ingram, Whittock (GBR, Škoda Fabia R5) + 7.4 s
7. Odložilík, Tureček (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5) + 8.5 s
8. Jakeš, Machů (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 8.6 s
9. Březík, Omelka (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 9.2 s
10. Mareš, Hloušek (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 9.6 s

31. S. Wagner, Winter (AUT, Peugeot 208 R2), 1. 2WD + 40.4 s

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