Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Adam Březík looks for another European challenge besides Barumka

25. 7. 2024 - Vojtěch GARGULÁK

Last season, he closely missed the podium at BARUM CZECH RALLY ZLÍN and started to get into the top ranks in the other Czech championship events. This year, despite the strong competition, Zlín driver Adam Březík regularly ranks among the candidates for overall victories, as he recently celebrated his first victory in the Czech Rally Championship during the recent Hustopeče Rally. Now he will face a double challenge of competing against European competition as well.

The crew of the Samohýl Škoda Team started the new season with new competition equipment, namely the latest Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The progress of the season so far has been like on a roller coaster for Březík and co-driver Ondřej Krajča. They started with the sprint Valašská rally, where they were excluded from the fight for the podium by a penalty for hitting a speed bump, but in the home sprint at Kopná they avoided the trouble and won easily.

In Český Krumlov, after technical problems on the fourth stage, Březík finished the pursuit run sixth, but the subsequent Hustopeče Rally was one of the highlights of the 28-year-old driver's career so far. He managed to survive the nerve-jarring battle for the victory with Jan Kopecký and celebrated his first ever triumph in the Czech championship. The recent Rally Bohemia was finished in fifth place due to a puncture.

"There were definitely moments that we did well, but there were also a lot of moments where we didn't and those we need to improve. So I have mixed feelings about the season so far. Compared to previous years, however, satisfaction is definitely prevailing, the new technique is working well and we can look forward to what's ahead of us," says Březík about the first half of the season.

He is now focusing on the highlight of the season, which is home Barum rally, racing there for the seventh time. Last year, he used his knowledge of the local roads against the European competitors, crossing the finish line as fifth. "We were able to keep up with the European top, missing out on the podium in the European Championship by just a whisker. That was a bit disappointing, but it's still a great result and a huge leap forward for us. We are at home here, Barum rally is the highlight of the season for us every year. It's just the best it can be, we always look forward to it. I don't think I'll miss any event as long as I'm racing," smiles the young driver.

And how is he and his team preparing for the domestic competition? "The preparations are similar to every year. After all, it is a domestic competition, we know the stages and more or less know what to expect from them. So it is more necessary to prepare mentally, so that you can settle it in your head, and especially not to underestimate the preparation of the car. The whole car will be overhauled, we will take a close look at everything that could take us out of the game during the rally and then we can only hope that it will turn out well," says Březík, who is just facing another battle with the European rally leaders even before the Zlín rally.
At the end of July, he is competing in the Italian Rally di Roma Capitale, which is also included in the European Championship. "It's going to be similar to Barum rally. Just as we, locals, usually beat the others here, it will be the same there, so we are not entering there with high ambitions for a great result. It's more about gaining experience. A couple of years ago I just thought I wanted to race there and this year, thanks to the support of our partners, I did it. We are going there to have fun, to gain experience and to have a nice race on tracks that are not so familiar to us. If we are between tenth and fifteenth place, we will be satisfied," nods Březík.

And what are the team's plans for the rest of the season? "After Barum rally we will definitely run Pačejov, then a sprint in Vsetín, and that's probably it for the Czech Republic this year. Maybe we will show up abroad, but it's still just in a discussion," concludes Adam Březík.

More information available at www.czechrally.com and don't forget to follow the Barum rally on the official Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts as well as the other press information.

Zlín, 23th July 2024

Vojtěch GARGULÁK
Press Office
Barum Czech Rally Zlín