Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Fifteen-time World Champion Agostini at the start of the Bugatti Grand Prix!

8. 8. 2024 - Roman Ordelt

A world star and a great figure of motorsport will appear at the twelfth season of the BUGATTI GRAND PRIX 2024 (Friday, August 16), a part of the Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Fifteen-time world champion in motorcycle road racing Giacomo Agostini will arrive to the Czech Republic. The shiny bodies of historic racing cars from the 1920s and 1930s with the Italian motorcycle legend behind the wheel will make their traditional show at the Super Special Stage in the centre of the regional city. Before that, motoring enthusiasts can admire them displayed in front of the Zlín Castle in Svoboda Park. Fans should also visit nearby Kroměříž during the weekend, where an exhibition of Mercedes-Benz cars will begin on Saturday as well as a discussion and autograph session with Agostini

This annual event under the baton of Ladislav Samohýl's organizing team belongs inseparably to Barum rally and will create another new and beautiful story during this year's event. The headliner of this year's 12th season will be Giacomo Agostini, the most successful motorcycle racer in history, who managed to win fifteen world championship titles. The 82-year-old vital champion will be driving the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza. "We are very happy to have been able to get this legend and great motorsport celebrity on board. His participation was arranged by people who know Giacomo very well and have a very friendly relationship. He has won fifteen world championship titles, a number that will never be beaten in any motorsport discipline. He will be available to numerous fans at a debate and autograph session during Saturday morning," said Ladislav Samohýl, the main organiser of the event, organised by Samohýl Motor Veterán in cooperation with Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

The organizers have added even more to the program for this year's Friday evening show at the super special stage. There will be two races, with the first one for cars dating up to 1945 (PREWAR), and the second one for cars dating from 1946 to 1965 (POSTWAR). "Both races will be run over two or three laps, and it is of course a regularity race. The crew that runs with the least time between their laps will win. In the Prewar category, the entry list is filled with thirty cars and vintage enthusiasts can look forward to some truly beautiful gems. We have over ten cars entered in the Postwar category," said Radek Šrubař, Bugatti Grand Prix Secretary.

Bugattis and historic cars will be displayed at the public exhibition by the Zlín Castle from 12 to 16.30 p.m., the first rides are scheduled from 5 p.m., the second ones start at about 5:50 p.m. Both runs are part of the regularity race. The start will again be based on the famous Le Mans race. And what gems will be cruising the city circuit in Zlín? The Prewar category will mainly feature Bugatti cars of various types, including the 13, 35, 46 and 57. There will also be Hillman cars (1927), BMW 327 Sport Cabriolet (1939), Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 driven by Agostini (1931), Alvis 12/70 Special (1939), Aero 750 (1932), Daimler DB15 (1935), Fraser Nash Sisley (1933), Zbrojovka Brno Z4 (1934), MG-KN Kompressor (1935), Mercedes-Benz 170 Roadster (1934), MG-TA Sport (1934), Triumph Gloria Supercharge (1936), Walter 6B (1930), Wolseley Hornet (1932), etc. Like every year, the famous Czech personalities will appear behind the wheel of the racing cars, such as the renowned Czech cardiac surgeon and renowned doctor Jan Pirk in the Bugatti 13 (1911). In the Postwar category we can find, for example, Jaguar C-Type (1951), Jaguar E-Type (1962), Triumph TR3 A (1958), Aero Minor Sport (1949), Porsche 356 (1961) and MGA (1955).

After last year's very successful premiere, the Zlín organizers continue their cooperation with the Kroměříž Exhibition Centre. All the racing participants will move to the town nicknamed Haná Athens just on Friday evening, where the results will be announced and prizes will be awarded in the Na Rynku restaurant.

On Saturday 17 August, from 9 am to 5 pm, historic Bugatti Grand Prix vehicles will be on display for the public at the local exhibition centre under the title Treasures at the Exhibition Centre, while an exhibition of Mercedes-Benz cars will also be launched. The main contributor to the exhibition is vintage car collector Ladislav Samohýl, who will provide more than two dozen cars for the event. There will be a rare unique Benz Parsifal from 1902 and other real gems such as MB 300 SL Gullwing (1957), Benz GP 12/120 (1908), MB Nürburg 500 (1932), MB 300 Adenauer (r1954), MB 380 (1933), MB 500 SL (1989). However, the latest Mercedes-Benz cars from the company Samohýl MB a.s. (MB SLS Coupé Black Series, MB E400, etc.) will not be missing either. The exhibition in Kroměříž will last until Sunday, 25 August. A period fashion show and attractions for children are prepared for the visitors and the Melody Makers orchestra will perform live. The highlight of the morning will be the aforementioned talk and autograph session of the most successful racer of the motorcycle road racing championship, Giacomo Agostini, from 10 am. "Shortly after the entrance, a part of the exhibition called The Prehistory of Motorcycling, is prepared for visitors. For example, a wooden motorcycle from 1884 will be on display. We will look into the history of how the bicycle, the self-propelled car, was actually created and recall names that are no longer familiar to the public. The cooperation with the director of the exhibition centre, Pavel Konečný, is excellent. There are perfect premises with top-notch facilities. We expect thousands of visitors whom we can offer a quality programme and entertainment," said Ladislav Samohýl.

Timetable of the XIIth season of the BUGATTI GRAND PRIX ZLÍN 2024

Friday, August 16
12 pm - 4:30 pm exhibition of historical vehicles for public in front of the Zlín Castle
12 pm - 3 pm administrative and technical acceptance (Svoboda Park by Zlín Castle)
5 pm start of Bugatti GP Zlín, 1st run, start Gahurova street (3 laps)
5:50 pm start Bugatti GP Zlín, 2nd run, start Gahurova street (3 laps)
9 pm announcement of Bugatti GP Zlín (Kroměříž Exhibition Centre, Na Rynku restaurant)

Saturday, August 17
9 am - 5 pm Treasures at the exhibition centre - exhibition of Bugatti cars and other historic cars at the Kroměříž Exhibition Centre along with an exhibition of Medcedes-Benz cars
10 am Talk and autograph session of Giacomo Agostini

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, 7th August 2024

Roman ORDELT
Press Relations Officer
Barum Czech Rally Zlín