Who will beat Jan Kopecky at the Barum Rally?

Organized in summer during the holidays, the Barum is always an experience eagerly awaited by the main players in the European Championship. Marking the start of the 2^e part of the season, this meeting is appreciated for the atmosphere which reigns during the week in Zlin and its region, but it is also feared, because it is one of the most complicated rounds on the calendar. In addition to being very fast, the special stages take place on roads which offer little grip and which are often very bumpy. The weather is also a factor that can play an important role. In the event of rain, the road turns into an ice rink and it is not uncommon for this round to be the scene of numerous accidents.

Given all these particularities, it is not surprising to see that local drivers monopolize victories year after year. You have to go back to 2012 and Juho Hänninen to find success from a foreigner. The name that has come up the most in the list for 15 years is that of Jan Kopecky. This has won the last 8 editions which have taken place. Undefeated since 2015, the Skoda legend is necessarily one of the favorites. At 42, the one who knows the slightest pitfalls of the course and the stones hidden by their first names, only competes in a few races per year. The multi national champion (10 titles) has not yet won any rally this season and he is increasingly challenged by young people when he performs. What will happen at Barum? Can his experience allow him to compensate for his logical drop in performance? Several of his compatriots are present to try to send him into retirement.

Who by Filip Mares (Toyota Yaris), Erik Cais (Skoda Fabia), Dominik Stritesky (Skoda Fabia), Adam Brezik (Skoda Fabia) or Vaclav Pech (Skoda Fabia) will manage to bring down the king of the place? If this were to happen or if Kopecky wins, theERC would know his 6^e different winner in as many rounds. The locals seem to have the advantage, but they will have to be wary of a group of competitors playing for the championship with at the forefront the two main favorites for the title: Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 Rally2) and Mathieu Franceschi (Skoda Fabia RS).

With 3 races remaining, the Frenchman and the New Zealander are separated by 7 points in favor of the latter. Having discovered Barum in 2023, neither of them had shone there. Paddon had torn off a wheel and Franceschi had placed 10^e after a weekend dedicated to learning. Will they be able to capitalize on this first approach? Will the Kiwi make the difference to get a 2^e title or will the Varois succeed in further reducing the gap?

In the absence of Mads Ostberg still convalescing after his Rome outing, their match will be refereed by the Skoda Fabia RS of Simone Tempestini who is on the rise, Efren Llarena with renewed confidence or Mikolaj Marczyk and Simon Wagner. The cutting of this 53^e edition is very classic with 15 ES representing 193,59 km timed. The shakedown and qualifying stage will take place on Friday morning before the famous superspecial in Zlin in the evening.

ALSO READ > Østberg withdraws from Barum and is offside for the title