Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Norwegian Mikkelsen won the qualifying stage ahead of Kopecký and Cais

28. 8. 2021 - Petr KOMÁREK, Stanislav PETŘÍK

The Norwegian-Swedish crew Andreas Mikkelsen, Jonas Andersson racing a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo from Toksport WRT was the fastest in the qualifying special stage of the 50th Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which is part of the European Championship (FIA ERC) and the Czech Rally Championship 2021. The home rider and ambassador of the Barum Erik Cais took second please loosing just 0.524 seconds. The favoured eight-time winner of the prestigious race, Jan Kopecký, finished third with a loss of 0.530 seconds. The 22-year-old Cais competes with the Ford Fiesta R5 MkII, the 39-year-old Kopecký is in the cockpit of the same car as the Norwegian Mikkelsen.

The morning qualification at the jubilee barumka was affected by rain. It made this four-kilometer-long track more difficult and the competitors had to take hard time on the way from Zlín-Malenovice to the nearby wooded area. However, one of the biggest current rally stars, Russian Alexey Lukyanuk, did not race drive here. His absence has been caused by significant damage to the car during a test drive, has been compensated for motoring fans by, for example, Czech representatives Filip Mareš and Tomáš Kostka. Mareš took sixth place in the Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Kostka who decided to start at the Barum recently, took ninth place behind the wheel of the same car. Right behind him was another home racer - Miroslav Jakeš in a Škoda Fabia R5.

Fifteen quickest drivers from the qualification will choose the starting position for Saturday stage in front of the Zlín City Hall from 16:30. After the qualification a classic shakedown followed on the same track.

The results of qualifying stage Maják (4,07 km)
1. Mikkelsen, Andersson (NOR/SWE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) 2:34,711 min
2. Cais, Žáková (CZE, Ford Fiesta R5 MkII) + 00,524 s
3. Kopecký, Hloušek (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 00,530 s
4. Marczyk, Gospodarczyk (POL, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 00,537 s
5. Huttunen, Lukka (FIN, Hyundai i20 R5) + 00,955 s
6. Mareš, Bucha (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 01,499 s
7. Wagner, Winter (AUT, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 01,810 s
8. Bonato, Bolloud (FRA, Citroën C3 Rally2) + 02,228 s
9. Kostka, Kučera (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 02,551 s
10. Jakeš, Machů (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 02,712 s