Nikolay Gryazin surprised everyone on the Qualifying Stage

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24. 8. 2018 - Roman Ordelt

The Latvian-Russian crew Nikolay Gryazin, Jaroslav Fedorov with Škoda Fabia R5 representing Sports Racing Technologies edged out all the big names on the Qualifying Stage of the 48th Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which is the sixth event of FIA ERC and is a part of Autoklub Czech Rally Championship 2018. Only 0.047s behind him was Jan Kopecký, the six-time winner of Barum rally, and third was Fabian Kreim from Germany with 0.157s loss. All three crews are on Škoda Fabia R5.

The Qualifying Stage (4.71km) for priority drivers took place on a hot Thursday afternoon on a section Komárov - Pohořelice Thousands of fans witnessed great action, especially throughout Pohořelice. The biggest star Daniel Sordo from Spain on Hyundai i20 R5 finished on a fifth place. Four Czech drivers finished in the top ten; aside from Kopecký it was seventh Miroslav Jakeš (Škoda Fabia R5), eighth Roman Odložilík and tenth Václav Pech (both on Ford Fiesta R5).

Fifteen fastest drives will select their starting position for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in front of the Zlín City Hall. After the Qualifying Stage the rest of the crews took part in Shakedown.

Results of the Qualifying Stage Komárov (4.71 km)
1. Gryazin, Fedorov (LVA/RUS, Škoda Fabia R5) 2:50.026 min
2. Kopecký, Dresler (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 00.047 s
3. Kreim, Christan (GER, Škoda Fabia R5) + 00.157 s
4. Lukyanuk, Arnautov (RUS, Ford Fiesta R5) + 00.349 s
5. Sordo, Del Barrio (ESP, Hyundai i20 R5) + 01.150 s
6. Herczig, Ferencz (HUN, Škoda Fabia R5) + 02.068 s
7. Jakeš, Machů (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 02.263 s
8. Odložilík, Tureček (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5) + 02.487 s
9. Ingram, Whittock (GBR, Škoda Fabia R5) + 02.683 s
10. Pech, Uhel (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5) + 02.895 s