- Competition in the 2016 FIA ERC enters its decisive phase – Barum Czech Rally Zlin (26-28 August) is the next challenge for Kajetanowicz and Baran;
- 230 kilometres of fight on fifteen narrow, bumpy and rough Czech stages, where the local drivers always set a blistering pace;
- 132 crews representing 20 countries and over 200 thousand passionate fans – the strongest field in the FIA ERC and extreme popularity of Barum Czech Rally Zlin;
- 160 points in six rallies – LOTOS Rally Team comfortably leads Drivers and Teams overall standings;
- Three points from the championship – Kajetanowicz and Baran can defend their title with two rounds to go.
The most important event in Czech motorsport, one of the most difficult Tarmac roads in Europe which for many years have attracted lots of crews and hundreds of thousands of passionate fans. This is Barum Czech Rally Zlin, in which the FIA European Rally Championship and Czech Rally Championship contenders will take part on the last weekend of August. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Jarek Baran, reigning European Rally Champions and current championship leaders, will take the fight in their Ford Fiesta R5 with number 1. This year’s “Barumka” marks third outing for Kajetan in this event. Last year the Polish crew scored an excellent third place here, losing out only against multiple Czech rally champions and record-holders of this event. Kajetanowicz and Baran achieved this success with praiseworthy spirit of fair play. On the second special stage the LOTOS Rally Team crew noticed that their French rivals, Robert Consani and Manzo Benoit, had suffered a horrific crash. The Poles stopped to check whether their fellow competitors needed help. This attitude of Kajetan and Jarek earned them Fair Play award from the Polish Olympic Committee.
The LOTOS Rally Team crew will fight for victory in the Czech FIA ERC counter against unusually strong pack of fast and consistent competitors. Among them there are factory Skoda driver Jan Kopecky (four-time Barum Czech Rally Zlin winner, 2013 FIA European Rally Champion and three-time Czech Rally Champion), Bryan Bouffier (runner-up in the 2013 FIA European Rally Championship and three-time Polish Rally Champion), second-placed FIA ERC driver Alexey Lukyanuk, another Czech Rally Champion Pavel Valousek and reigning Polish Rally Champion Łukasz Habaj. Impressive entry list for the Czech event consists of no less than 132 crews, including 87 which will fight for points in the FIA ERC standings.
Barum Czech Rally Zlin is famous not only for the strong field but also for extremely difficult special stages which run along Tarmac roads in southern Moravia. Rough, bumpy stages with changeable rhythm present an enormous challenge. On top of that, this year 40% of the route has been changed compared to last season but the most famous stages of “Barumka” remain in the itinerary. Just like every other FIA ERC round, Barum Czech Rally Zlin starts with the Qualifying Stage. This test, almost 5 kilometres long, takes place on Friday and starts at 9:15 CET. The fight for victory in the Czech round of the championship begins on 26 August with a spectacular superspecial stage run in the evening on the streets of Zlin. This test attracts around 40 thousand fans every year. On Saturday the competitors have to maintain the highest level of focus and commitment for 14 hours – the opening leg of the rally is the longest one. This day the crews tackle eight stages, totalling almost 120 competitive kilometres – including the longest Kosiky stage (22.22 kms) and famous Semetin, run right before the sunset (11.51 kms). The final day consists of six tests divided into two loops, with classic “Barumka” stages Pindula (18.42 kms) and Majak (13.25), as well as Kasava (19.42 kms) which returns to the schedule after 25 years. The unofficial results of round 8 of the 2016 FIA ERC will be published on Sunday at around 15:25 CET. The finishing ceremony of the 46th Barum Czech Rally Zlin starts one hour later.
This year Kajetan arrives in Czech Republic right after his victory and Rally Rzeszów, comfortably in the lead of the 2016 FIA European Rally Championship. Kajto scored 160 points in six outing this season, enjoying 76-points advantage over second-placed Alexey Lukyanuk. Ralfs Sirmacis, who occupies third position in the standings, trails the Polish driver by 81 points. Only the best seven results count for the final championship tally, so Kajetanowicz can clinch his second successive title this weekend. In order to achieve this, Kajto needs to score at least three points more than Alexey Lukyanuk in Barum Czech Rally Zlin and at the same time cannot lose more than two points to Ralfs Sirmacis.
Kajetan Kajetanowicz My partners and associates give me this chance to fight at the highest level. I am grateful for that and this is why I always strive to give my best effort: before every season, during every training session, during every event and every rally. Rallying is my life and I enjoy each day which presents a new task. The LOTOS Rally Team crew faces another challenge: round 8 of the 2016 FIA European Rally Championship. It is very difficult to win Barum Czech Rally Zlin and that’s why so many drivers want to achieve this just as much as I do. Faith of our team and fans confirm my belief that together we achieve incredible things. We will enjoy every piece of – worn out in many places – Tarmac around Zlin and try to deserve satisfaction with our work.
Barum Czech Rally Zlin in numbers:
- 1st place of Kajetanowicz and Baran in the FIA ERC standings before Barum Czech Rally Zlin;
- 8th of the 2016 FIA European Rally Championship;
- 405 kms is the straight-line distance from Warsaw, capital city of Poland, to rally base in Zlin;
- 3rd outing of Kajetanowicz in this event;
- 132 crews from 20 countries entered for 46th edition of this event. This is the strongest field in the 2016 FIA ERC season;
- 7 crews from Poland take part in the Czech FIA ERC counter;
- 3 European Rally Champions (Kopecky, Rossetti and Kajetanowicz) and 2 runners-up (Bouffier, Tlustak) on the entry list;
- 22.22 kms – the longest special stage of the rally – Kosiky;
- 160 points in six rallies – the LOTOS Rally Team crew comfortably leads in the 2016 FIA ERC standings;
- Four victories in Barum Czech Rally Zlin by the record-holder Jan Kopecky – three-time Czech Rally Champion and 2013 European Rally Champion;
- In 1983 Barum Czech Rally Zlin for the first time was a round of the European Rally Championship;
- 46th edition of the most important event in Czech motorsport;
- 294 journalists from 20 countries were accredited for the last year’s edition of Czech classic;
- In 2011 the smallest gap separated the winner from the runner-up: just 1.2 second;
- The first edition of Barum Czech Rally Zlin took place in 1971;
- 229.94 kilometres – combined length of 15 special stages;
- Around 40 thousand fans watch the opening superspecial stage on the streets of Zlin;
- 18 outings in this event for double winner and multiple Czech Rally Champion Vaclav Pech Junior;
- 1 – starting number of the LOTOS Rally Team crew in this event;
- 3rd place scored by Kajetanowicz and Baran in last year’s edition of Barum Czech Rally Zlin;
- 40% of the route has been changed this year compared to 2015;
- 76 points – the advantage of Kajetanowicz over second placed driver – Russia’s Alexey Lukyanuk;
- Podium places for Kajetanowicz and Baran in 5 out of 6 FIA ERC outings this season;
- 14 hours – the length of Saturday leg, the longest of Barum Czech Rally Zlin;
- 12 out of 15 stages in last year’s rally Kajetanowicz and Baran finished in top three;
- 29 out of 82 stages (35%) – the amount of stage wins for Kajto and Jarek in their six FIA ERC outings this year, this is the best ratio among all competitors;
- 1st place of LOTOS Rally Team in championship standings, ahead of round eight the Polish team enjoys healthy advantage of 58 points;
- 64 out of 82 stages (78%) of the 2016 FIA ERC finished in top three by the LOTOS Rally Team crew;
- 26 points scored by Kajto and Jarek last year in the Czech rally;
- 3 Polish Rally Champions – Kajetanowicz, Bouffier and Habaj – take part in Barum Czech Rally Zlin 2016.
Schedule of Barum Czech Rally Zlin – round 8 of the 2016 FIA ERC (all times are CET):
Friday 26 August (1 special stage; 9,30 kms):
07:30 – Free Practice
09:15 – Qualifying Stage (Pohorelice, 4,71 km)
15:30 – Start Order Selection (Zlin)
16:00 – Ceremonial Start (Zlin)
21:00 – OS 1 – Zlin (9,3 km)
Saturday 27 August (8 special stages; 118,44 kms):
07:28 – Service A – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
08:46 – OS 2 – Brezova (11,74 km)
10:14 – OS 3 – Kosiky (22,22 km)
11:29 – Service B – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
13:02 – OS 4 – Hostalkova (13,75 km)
13:35 – OS 5 – Semetin (11,51 km)
15:03 – OS 6 – Brezova (11,74 km)
16:23 – Service C – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
17:31 – OS 7 – Kosiky (22,22 km)
19:09 – OS 8 – Hostalkova (13,75 km)
19:42 – OS 9 – Semetin (11,51 km)
20:55 – Service D – 45 mins (Otrokovice)
Sunday 28 August (6 special stages; 102,20 kms):
07:55 – Service E – 15 mins (Otrokovice)
09:08 – OS 10 – Kasava (19,42 km)
09:56 – OS 11 – Pindula (18,43 km)
10:39 – OS 12 – Majak (13,25 km)
11:49 – Service F – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
13:17 – OS 13 – Kasava (19,42 km)
14:05 – OS 14 – Pindula (18,43 km)
14:48 – OS 15 – Majak (13,25 km)
15:21 – Service G – 10 mins (Otrokovice)
16:25 – Ceremonial Finish – Zlin
The 2016 FIA ERC standings ahead of Barum Rally:
1. Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Poland) 160 points
2. Alexey Lukyanuk (Russia) 84 points
3. Ralfs Sirmacis (Latvia) 79 points
4. Craig Breen (Ireland) 38 points
5. Freddy Loix (Belgium) 38 points
6. Raul Jeets (Estonia) 38 points
7. Jarosław Kołtun (Poland) 38 points
8. Ricardo Moura (Portugal) 37 points
9. Bryan Bouffier (France) 37 points
10. Wojciech Chuchała (Poland) 34 points
The 2016 FIA ERC Teams standings ahead of Rally Rzeszów:
1. LOTOS Rally Team 126 points
2. C-Rally 68 points
3. Sports Racing Technologies 66 points
4. Tiger Energy Drink Rally Team 46 points
5. Tlustak Racing 46 points
6. Botka Rally Team 37 points
7. T&T Czech National Team 30 points
8. Peugeot Belgium Luxembourg 25 points
9. Lacaris Foundation Team Greece 18 points
10. Gemini Clinic Rally Team 18 points
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Jarek Baran are supported by strategic partner of LOTOS Rally Team – LOTOS Group – as well as CUBE.ITG and Driving Experience. More info about Kajetan Kajetanowicz and the team available at: www.lotosrallyteam.pl, www.kajto.pl, www.facebook.com/EmocjeDoPelna, www.facebook.com/KajetanKajetanowicz and www.twitter.com/Kajto_pl
