Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Barum rally is just around the corner, starting on Friday!

23. 8. 2022 - Roman ORDELT, Jakub KUDLÁČ

The preparation period is coming to an end, now it's time for action! The 51st Barum Czech Rally Zlín, the penultimate round of the eight-part European Rally Championship (ERC) and the sixth part of the Czech Rally Championship (MCR), will start on Friday 26 August.

"The warm-up for the Barum rally will be the official stage in Halenkovice on Wednesday, the technical acceptance on Thursday and the shakedown in Žlutava on Friday. At 3:30 p.m., the best fifteen will choose their starting positions and everything will officially start with a ceremonial start on Zlín's Náměstí Míru Square," said Ing. Jan Regner, who this year will be heading the Barum rally for the first time as Clerk of the Course.

Among other new things, this year's competition will be run under a new promoter, WRC Promoter GmbH, based in Munich, Germany. "We are communicating a lot with them, we are working out all kinds of details. It's very demanding. Because of the broadcast, there has to be a one-hour break between the start of the stages, so on Saturday we took out one stage and extended the others to keep the same kilometres," said Regner, adding that this is not the only new feature. "There will also be a change on the final SS Pindula. The final rally stage is sometimes just run to finish, not very decisive for the overall standings, but this year it will have a big Power Stage aspect to get bonus points. And so the drivers have to perform their best there as well," smiled Regner at the press conference at the Continental Barum s.r.o. headquarters.

This company has been the main partner of the Zlín company since the first year in 1971. "The Barum brand has been associated with the rally since its beginning. We have been a proud partner for 51 years, always with the same Barum brand. We are pleased that Barum tyres are still among the most popular tyres, which generations of drivers could have actually enjoyed. And even though we're celebrating the brand's incredible 75th anniversary next year, we're working to ensure our products are at the top of innovation and technology. Simply quality you can rely on. It would be great if Barum Czech Rally Zlín became synonymous with an event where families and young people would come to Zlín and its surroundings at the end of the holiday season to spend a weekend together, enjoying it with friends with an interesting motoring programme," said Ing. Pavol Červenák, Managing Director and Director of Marketing and Sales at Continental Barum s.r.o.

The question remains who among the drivers will have a triumphal weekend. Six times in a row Jan Kopecký was the winner. "Honza is a big-hearted driver and he deserves the win as much as many others who give a lot. Anyway, as my dad says, everyone who finishes the rally is a winner. Crossing the finish line is an award itself," said Jan Regner, who also has a clear answer to why foreign drivers do not win at the Zlín event. "I guess Honza is so fast (laughs). Let's see this year, maybe one of the foreigners will make him angry," said the Clerk of the Course of Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

More information availble at www.czechrally.com and don'tforeget ot follow Barum rally on the official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.

In Zlín 23 August 2022

Roman ORDELT, Jakub KUDLÁČ
Press Centre
Barum Czech Rally Zlín