The 51st Rallye Český Krumlov started this afternoon. The “sharp” programme of the South Bohemian competition started in the CB Auto Rallye Arena at the České Budějovice Exhibition Centre with historic cars, starting within the XVI. Rallye Legends Show. This year’s Rallye Český Krumlov is again included in the FIA European Rally Trophy and the Czech Rally Championship. The race cars from the past years started in the Autoklub Czech Rally Championship of historic cars. New this year is the Autoklub Rally Challenge, which is open to vehicles with valid FIA homologation modified according to national regulations or vehicles with national homologation or with homologation more than eight years expired.
After passing the spectator Super Stage at the Exhibition Grounds in České Budějovice, where Filip Mareš was the fastest, the competing crews headed to Jelení zahrada, located under the Český Krumlov castle. There was a starting ramp waiting for them, followed by a passage through the historic centre of Český Krumlov, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The racing cars, although moving at a leisurely pace, were an interesting diversion not only for visitors and tourists of this beautiful South Bohemian town. A passage control was situated directly on Svornost’ Square. In the Deer Garden, many riders or co-drivers were studying the weather radars on their mobile phones, as the sky had turned ugly.
The opening stage of the 51st Rallye Český Krumlov included a total of 64 measured kilometres, which took place on three classic sections and on the circuit Super SS in České Budějovice. Rožmitál had to be shortened by more than five kilometres compared to the previous year due to a damaged bridge. However, even this shortening did not detract from the sporting value of the timed test and the competitors enjoyed a number of challenging corners and horizons. The second timed test was the Citajl, which was run in identical form to last year. The last section was the legendary Jan. It was changed right after the start at the spectator place in Blansko. The competition specials went around the whole island on the village square, giving the spectators the opportunity to see four sharp turns with the subsequent departure from one place. All Friday’s stages were completed twice by the crews.
Jan Kopecký recorded the fastest time on the first pass of Rožmitál and indicated that he is serious about defending his victory this year. The partial victory put him at the head of the race. Dominik Stříteský set the second fastest time, with Adam Březík coming in third. The fastest trio on the second stage piloted Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Rožmitál marked a stop for local Jiri Sojka, who presented the exotic Ford Puma Kit Car for the first time. He was stopped by a gearbox failure. Miroslav Čabaj and Josef Mandaus suffered punctures, David Tomek had problems with the semi-axle of his Fabia Rally2 Evo.
The nine-kilometre Citajl stage sat Václav Pech in his Ford Focus WRC. However, the Pilsen driver did not make the time check in time before this timed section, for which he received a penalty of ten seconds. The penalty meant a drop to fifth place in the standings. The second place went to Filip Mareš, who presented the new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 at the 51st Rallye Český Krumlov. His fast time at Citajl moved him up one place in the standings. Erik Cais, who is competing in Český Krumlov for the first time, set the third fastest time on Citajl. Adam Březík suffered problems with the gear shift of his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, which led to a drop in the results list. David Tomek was in a similar situation, with continued problems with the semi-axle of his Fabia Rally2 Evo. Michal Kraml retired after this stage due to a technical brake failure.
The longest stage today was the spectator favourite Ján. Václav Pech was again the fastest to fly almost fourteen kilometres. Jan Kopecký “got” only half a second, Dominik Stříteský another second, but he moved up to silver in the standings. He pushed Filip Mareš behind him, who set the seventh fastest time on Jan. David Tomek was still troubled by problems with his semi-axle. Problems with the Alfa Romeo’s gear shift slowed down Jakub Fridrich, who finished the test with a significant time loss.
Filip Mareš didn’t care about the risk of losing more than gaining on the special stage between the curbs and won the repeated passage of the Super SS in the CB Auto Rallye Arena at the exhibition grounds in České Budějovice. Dominik Stříteský finished second and Adam Březík third. The fifth fastest time was set by Jan Kopecký, the current leader, but it did not threaten his lead. The category of cars with one driven axle was led by Ján Kundlák with Opel Corsa Rally4. He was followed by René Dohnal in a French Peugeot 208 Rally4 and Filip Ocelka in the same car.
After a half-hour service stop with their mechanics, the crews set off to meet the repeats of Friday’s classic stages. The fast approaching night was to make the (already difficult) conditions on the Český Krumlov rally stages more difficult.
Erik Cais, who is taking part in the Rallye Český Krumlov for the first time in his life, made the fastest second pass through the Rožmitál stage. He was followed by Dominik Stříteský and Adam Březík. Nothing changed in the standings. Karel Trněný withdrew from the competition due to a technical fault (semi-axle).
The drama took place before the start of the repeated passage through the Citajl stage. David Tomek’s Fabia Rally2 Evo was engulfed by fire. Apparently with the help of arriving crews, the fire was extinguished. The fastest driver in Citajl was Dominik Stříteský, who made his presence known during last year’s Rallye Český Krumlov with a “colostre roof” situation on the “U Zikeše” jump. With his fastest time he caught up with the leader Jan Kopecký and after seven special stages they had the same time! The second fastest time was set by Erik Cais and he moved up to the bronze position. Filip Mareš was pushed back to the bronze position.
Erik Cais also won the last stage on Friday, which was a repeat passage through Ján. Filip Mareš was second fastest in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Dominik Stříteský, although he set the third fastest time, won the opening stage of the 51st Rallye Český Krumlov by 0.8 seconds. Jan Kopecký and Jan Hloušek finished Friday’s stage in second place. Erik Cais, navigated by Petr Těšínský, made his debut in Krumlov with an excellent third place in the stage. Filip Mareš finished the stage in fourth place, Václav Pech in fifth. After problems with shifting, Adam Březík is also moving up. Sixth place is a good starting position for Saturday’s stage. The top five drivers are stacked within less than fifteen seconds.
51st Rallye Český Krumlov after the first leg:
1. Stříteský / Hovorka – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 – 35:29,0
2. Kopecký / Hloušek – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +0,8
3. Cais / Těšínský – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +4,7
4. Mareš / Bucha – Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +9,3
5. Pech / Uhel – Ford Focus WRC +14,8
6. Březík / Krajča – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +1:41,8
7. von Thurn und Taxis / Hain – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +1:43.7
8. Jirásek / Machů – Škoda Fabia R5 +1:47,3
9. Enge / Engová – Toyota Yaris GR Rally2 +2:27,0
10. Cvrček / Prokorát – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +2:37,2
In the category of historic vehicles, Vlastimil Neumann with his powerful Mitsubishi Lancer EVO III four-wheeler was in the lead after the fifth stage with almost a minute’s lead. Libor Kotrmon’s Ford Escort RS Cosworth was in second place. The bronze place was taken by the representative of the local ČK motorsport, the legend of Czech rally – Jindřich Štolfa with another Ford Escort. His Escort, however, has no turbo and is driven by only one (rear) axle. Jindřich Štolfa had to be on his guard, because nine seconds behind him was another strong four-wheeler, the Subaru Impreza 555 of the Jureček brothers. After the second stage Jiří Petrášek had to retire in his Opel Ascona B.
In the Autoclub MČR Historic Rally, Friday’s stage had a clear favourite. Vlastimil Neumann, navigated by Martin Hlavatý, was the fastest on all eight stages. The Mitsubishi Lancer EVO III, with which the pair are racing, gradually built up a lead of two minutes and 14.5 seconds at the front of the race. The second place after the opening stage of the 51st Rallye Český Krumlov belonged to Libor Kotrmon, whose schedule is read by Veronika Teplá. The third place belonged to Jindřich Štolf, who starts with Zdeněk Hawl in a Ford Escort RS 1600. They lost two minutes and 44.4 seconds to the winning Neumann.
51st Rallye Český Krumlov – historic cars after the first leg:
1. Neumann / Hlavatý – Mitsubishi Lancer EVO III – 41:02,2
2. Kotrmon / Teplá – Ford Escort RS Cosworth +2:14,5
3. Štolfa / Hawel – Ford Escort RS 1600 +2:44,4
4. Knížek / Šlegl – BMW 318 iS +3:25,3
5. Jurečka / Jurečka – Subaru Impreza 555 +3:23,8
6. Hráček / Hretík – Lada VFTS +3:53,9
7. Janota / Novák – Opel Ascona 400 +3:59,3
8. Hejhal / Hejhal – Škoda 130 LR +5:21,3
9. Mihulka / Soumar – Ford Escort RS 2000 +5:56,6
10. Řepa / Votava – Škoda 130 LR +6:19,6
In the Organizer’s Cup there is a battle between Austrian pairs. Michael Franz and Sabrina Knödlseder are the fastest after Friday’s stage, starting in a Volkswagen Golf III Kit Car. Only 5.8 seconds behind are Lukas Dirnberger and Lukas Martinelli in a Ford Fiesta ST.
At the finish line of Friday’s stage are also the participants starting in the XVI. Rallye Legend Show.