Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Norwegian Mikkelsen will start first, Cais second, Kopecký third

28. 8. 2021 - Jakub Kudláč

After the qualifying special stage in the morning, the elite fifteen chose their starting positions on the jubilee 50th Barum Czech Rally Zlín on Zlín square. They all took the highest possible placing, so the cars will start in exactly the same way as they occupied the order in qualifying.

Andreas Mikkelsen will close the night Super Special stage, the next SS will open the starting field. "I'm here after a long time, the last time was 2012. I'm glad to be back, but we needed to drive the SS carefully. Of course, not so much has changed, we are very much looking forward to it," said the Norwegian driver.

No. 2 belongs to the young driver and rally ambassador Erik Cais. "There are a lot of you here in the square, I hope that there will be a lot of people around the track. Thank you very much for your support and let's enjoy it," told the Ford Fiesta R5 MkII driver to the fans.

Třetí bude jezdit čtyřnásobný úřadující vítěz barumky Jan Kopecký. „Trojka byla jasná volba, jelikož první dvě místa byla zabraná. Podmínky, co nás zítra čekají, nečistoty z vlhkých krajnic budou nepříjemné, pokud bude pršet. Ale doufáme, že nebudeme muset používat mokrá kola," pronesl devětatřicetiletý jezdec. „Moc se těšíme na noční RZ, snad ji zajedeme bez chyby," dodal Kopecký.

The four-time reigning Barum rally winner Jan Kopecký will run the third. "Number three was a clear choice, as the first two places were taken. The conditions that await us tomorrow, dirt from damp curbs will be unpleasant if it rains. But we hope that we will not have to use wet wheels," said the 39-year-old driver. "We are really looking forward to the night SS, maybe we will drive it without a mistake," Kopecký added.

Starting order of 50th Barum Czech Rally Zlín 2021:
1. Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR, Škoda Fabia Rally2), start no. 2
2. Erik Cais (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5 MkII), start no. 8
3. Jan Kopecký (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 6
4. Miko Marczyk (POL, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 4
5. Jari Huttunen (FIN, Hyundai i20 R5), start no. 7
6. Filip Mareš (Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 10
7. Simon Wagner (AUT, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 18
8. Yoann Bonatto (FRA Citroën C3 Rally2), start. number 9
9. Tomáš Kostka (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 12
10. Miroslav Jakes (CZE, Skoda Fabia R5), start. number 16
11. Norbert Herczig (HUN, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 5
12. Dominik Stříteský (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5), start no. 14
13. Callum Devine (IRL, Ford Fiesta R5 MkII), start no. 15
14. Adam Březík (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5), start no. 19
15. Petr Semerád, (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), start no. 20

You can find more information at www.czechrally.com and don't forget to follow Barum rally on the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.