- The LOTOS Rally Team crew tackle Barum Czech Rally Zlín as the 2017 FIA European Rally Championship leaders;
- Kajetanowicz and Baran recorded fourth fastest time on the Qualifying Stage;
- Almost 250 crews in different categories take part in the rally, including 37 R5 cars;
- Barum Czech Rally Zlín starts today at 16:00 CET.
Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Jarek Baran lead the 2017 FIA European Rally Championship standings, fighting for record-breaking achievement: third consecutive championship title! The LOTOS Rally Team crew begin their fight in round six of the season, Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Excellent pace in the first part of the campaign, in which they scored three podium finishes (including victory in Acropolis Rally), enables them to lead the overall championship standings.
Right before the start of real competition, the crews participated in shakedown runs and then fought on the Qualifying Stage. The gaps between rivals were marginal and rarely exceeded more than couple of tenths. Kajetan and Jarek recorded fourth fastest time on the Qualifying Stage, losing less than three and a half seconds to the winners, Alexey Lukyanuk and Alexey Arnautov (Russia, Ford Fiesta R5). Second position went to six-time rally winner Jan Kopecký, co-driven by Pavel Dresler (+0.512 seconds, Czech Republic, Skoda Fabia R5) and top three was completed by Václav Pech Junior, who has twenty Barum Czech Rally Zlín outings under his belt, co-driven by Petr Uhe (+3.097 seconds, Czech Republic, Ford Fiesta R5). It is worth noting that no less than 26 crews set times within less than 10 seconds!
The official starting ceremony takes place today at 16:00 CET and before that the competitors pick their road positions for tomorrow’s leg. Then, at 21:30, they will start the opening test – city stage in Zlín (9.51 kms). The crews are seeded in reverse order and it means that championship leaders Kajetanowicz and Baran will start last.
Kajetanowicz is the only driver who won special stages during every championship round held so far this season. Altogether he has 116 FIA ERC stage wins under his belt.
Kajetan Kajetanowicz:
– We compete with number one on our car so the challenge is for sure big and motivating. Our competition is very strong and furthermore the route is demanding – arguably this is the most difficult round in the calendar. The roads are unbelievably narrow, bumpy and fast – often dirty but there are also some very grippy sections. It is crucial to judge the surface changes properly. Other important things are bravery but also calculation at the same time: you have to anticipate the places where dirt could appear. The competition starts with a spectacular stage in city centre of Zlín. We tackle this test very late at night but there are always tens of thousands of rally fans and this for sure adds some “horsepower”. 🙂
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Jarek Baran are supported by strategic partner of LOTOS Rally Team – LOTOS Group – as well as CUBE.ITG, Delphi 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
The results of the Qualifying Stage ahead of the 2017 Barum Czech Rally Zlín:
1. Alexey Lukyanuk / Alexey Arnautov (Russia, Ford Fiesta R5) 2:43.336
2. Jan Kopecký / Pavel Dresler (Czech Republic, Skoda Fabia R5) +0.512 s
3. Václav Pech Junior / Petr Uhel (Czech Republic, Ford Fiesta R5) +3.097 s
4. Kajetan Kajetanowicz / Jarosław Baran (Poland, Ford Fiesta R5) +3.354 s
5. Tomáš Kostka / Ladislav Kučera (Czech Republic, Skoda Fabia R5) +3.415 s
6. José A. Suárez / Cándido Carrera (Spain, Peugeot 208 T16 R5) +3.927 s
7. Jan Černý / Petr Černohorský (Czech Republic, Skoda Fabia R5) +4.305 s
8. Martin Koči / Flilip Schovánek (Czech Rep./Slovakia, Skoda Fabia R5) +4.333 s
9. Bruno Magalhães / Hugo Magalhães (Portugal, Skoda Fabia R5) +4.581 s
10. Pavel Valoušek / Veronika Havelková (Czech Rep., Skoda Fabia R5) +4.792 s
Schedule of video coverage (all times are CET):
- 26.08, Eurosport 1 (at 22:00)
- 27.08, Eurosport 1 (at 02:30)
- 27.08, Eurosport 1 (at 22:00)
- 29.08, Eurosport 2 (at 05:00)
- 29.08, Eurosport 2 (at 09:30)
The 2017 FIA European Rally Championship standings after Rally Rzeszów (round 5 of 8):
1. Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Poland) 108 points
2. Bruno Magalhães (Portugal) 95 points
3. Marijan Griebel (Germany) 50 points
4. Alexey Lukyanuk (Russia) 46 points
5. Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) 45 points
6. Grzegorz Grzyb (Poland) 41 points
7. Bryan Bouffier (France) 41 points
8. José Maria López (Spain) 27 points
9. Alexandros Tsouloftas (Cyprus) 26 points
10. Panikos Polykarpou (Cyprus) 26 points
The 2017 Barum Czech Rally Zlín in numbers:
- 1st position of Kajetan and Jarek in the overall FIA ERC standings ahead of Barum Czech Rally Zlín;
- 6th round of the 2017 FIA European Rally Championship;
- 405 kms is the straight-line distance from Warsaw, capital city of Poland, to rally base in Zlín;
- 4th outing of Kajetanowicz in this event;
- 245 crews (including 151 in the European and Czech championships and 94 in historic rally) on entry list of this year’s event;
- 22.87 kms – the longest special stage of the rally, Troják;
- 108 points in five rounds run so far this season – the LOTOS Rally Team crew leads the standings;
- Six wins in Barum Czech Rally Zlín by its record holder Jan Kopecký: triple Czech Rally Champion and 2013 European Rally Champion;
- In 1983 Barum Czech Rally Zlín became a part of the European Rally Championship calendar for the first time;
- 47th edition of this event takes place this year;
- 1.2 seconds – the smallest gap between winner and runner-up in Barum Czech Rally Zlín, recorded in 2011.
- In 1971 Barum Czech Rally Zlín took place for the first time;
- 214.65 kilometres – combined length of 15 special stages;
- Around 40,000 rally fans gather in Zlín to watch the superspecial on the city streets;
- 19 Barum Czech Rally Zlín starts by the record holder Václav Pech Junior: double winner of this event and multiple Czech Rally Champion;
- 1 – starting number of the LOTOS Rally Team crew;
- 13 points – the advantage of Kajetanowicz over second placed driver: Bruno Magalhães from Portugal;
- Four Polish Rally Champions – Kajetanowicz, Bouffier, Habaj and Grzyb – will take part in the 2017 Barum Czech Rally Zlín;
- 116 – the number of stages won by Kajto in the FIA ERC so far;
- 37 crews entered for Barum Czech Rally Zlín in top R5 cars;
- 21 nationalities represented on the entry list, including eight crews from Poland;
- In their 21 previous FIA ERC outings Kajto and Jarek scored points.
Schedule of the 2017 Barum Czech Rally Zlín (all times are CET):
Friday 25 August:
07:30 – Free Practice
09:15 – Qualifying Stage (Žlutava, 4.55 kms)
14:30 – Press conference (Zlín, Rally Office)
15:30 – Selection of start positions (Zlín, Náměstí Míru)
16:00 – Starting ceremony (Zlín, Náměstí Míru)
21:30 – SSS 1 – Zlín (9.51 kms)
Saturday 26 August:
08:28 – Service A – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
09:46 – SS 2 – Biskupice 1 (8.85 kms)
10:54 – SS 3 – Semetín 1 (11.55 kms)
11:27 – SS 4 – Troják 1 (22.87 kms)
13:17 – Service B – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
14:35 – SS 5 – Březová 1 (11.47 kms)
15:33 – SS 6 – Biskupice 2 (8.85 kms)
16:41 – SS 7 – Semetín 2 (11.55 kms)
17:14 – SS 8 – Troják 2 (22.87 kms)
18:54 – Service C – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
20:12 – SS 9 – Březová 2 (11.47 kms)
21:05 – Flexi Service D – 45 mins (Otrokovice)
Length of special stages, Leg 1: 109.13 kms
Sunday 27 August:
07:55 – Service E – 15 mins (Otrokovice)
08:38 – SS 10 – Maják 1 (8.15 kms)
09:11 – SS 11 – Pindula 1 (17.32 kms)
10:24 – SS 12 – Košíky 1 (22.09 kms)
11:49 – Service F – 30 mins (Otrokovice)
12:47 – SS 13 – Maják 2 (8.15 kms)
13:20 – SS 14 – Pindula 2 (17.32 kms)
14:33 – SS 15 – Košíky 2 (22.09 kms)
15:21 – Service G – 10 mins (Otrokovice)
16:16 – Ceremonial Finish (Zlín, Náměstí Míru)
Length of special stages, Leg 2: 95.15 kms
Length of special stages, Barum Czech Rally Zlín: 204.25 kms
