Jan Kopecký won the night show in the streets of Zlín

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27. 8. 2022 - Roman Ordelt

The 51st Barum Czech Rally Zlín 2022 traditionally started with the spectator-attracting Super Special Stage in the streets of the regional city of Zlín. On the 9.57-kilometre-long track, the nine-time winner of the Zlín rally and the winner of the last six editions of the Barum rally, Czech driver Jan Kopecký, with the co-driver Jan Hloušek in a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo in the colours of the Agrotec Škoda Rally Team, set the fastest time. The second place was taken by the Austrian crew of Simon Wagner, Gerald Winter (Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) in the colours of Eurosol RTH, the third place went to Václav Pech, Petr Uhel from the Czech Republic (Ford Focus WRC) from EuroOil Team with a gap of 3.5 seconds, however, they are driving within the national championship only.

In addition to Kopecký and Pech, the Czech drivers who made it into the top ten were fourth Filip Mareš (Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), fifth Adam Březík, sixth Dominik Stříteský (both Škoda Fabia R5) and ninth Erik Cais, who was slowed down by the pop-off valve opening on his Ford Fiesta Rally2. This year's European champion Efrén Llarena from Spain was seventh, and Alberto Battistolli from Italy (both Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) also made it into the Top 10.

Among the 2WD category, the fastest time was set by the experienced Czech driver Jaromír Tarabus (Peugeot 208 Rally4), while among the registered European drivers, Andrea Mabellini from Italy (Renault Clio Rally4) was the fastest. A total of 104 crews from 21 countries started this year's edition of Barum rally with 68 competitors in the European Rally Championship series.

Standings after the 1st SS (Super SS Zlín, length 9.57 km)
1. Kopecký, Hloušek (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2) 7:07,1 min
2. S. Wagner, Winter (AUT, Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 1,4 s
3. Pech, Uhel (CZE, Ford Focus WRC) + 3,5 s
4. Mareš, Bucha (CZE, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 5,6 s
5. A. Březík, Krajča (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 6,1 s
6. Stříteský, Hovorka (CZE, Škoda Fabia R5) + 7,8 s
7. Llarena, Fernandez (ESP, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 9,9 s
8. Csomós, Nagy (HUN, Škoda Fabia R5) + 10,4 s
9. Cais, Těšínský (CZE, Ford Fiesta Rally2) + 11,9 s
10. Battistolli, Scatollin (ITA, Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) + 12,0 s
16. Guigou, Bronner (FRA, Alpine A110 RGT), 1st in RGT cat. + 15,3 s
26. Tarabus, Trunkát (CZE, Peugeot 208 Rally4), 1st in 2WD cat. + 41,8 s
27. Mabellini, Lenzi (ITA, Renault Clio Rally4), 1st in ERC4J cat. + 42,4 s
38. Widlak, Dymurski (POL, Ford Fiesta Rally3), 1st in ERC3 cat. + 57,9 s