Barum Czech Rally Zlin 2021

[PLuto]

First info regarding anniversary 50th edition of Barum Czech Rally Zlin is available - https://www.czechrally.com/en/26735n-preparations-of-the-anniversary-barum-rally-in-full-swing

[Mirek]

Timetable is out. 15 stages with 210 km. Some old roads return.
http://www.autosport.cz/zavody/soubor.php?f=23362

[Mirek]

German Opel Corsa e-Rally cup will be part of Barum rally however the crews won't drive the complete route.

[mknight]

German Opel Corsa e-Rally cup will be part of Barum rally however the crews won't drive the complete route.

For me the Opel Corsa electric looks like an example of how not to make an electric rally car.

I admit that I don't know all that much about it, but it seems it has no single advantage compared with the petrol (Adam) car. When it looses sound and gains weight, there needs to be something to make it worth watching. With electric the easiest thing is acceleration, which doesn't look any better.

[Mirek]

It's about money. The Corsa is clearly all about being a relatovely cheap electric car.

[Jarek Z]

Scandola confirmed:
https://www.fiaerc.com/scandola-eyes-erc-zlin-form-boost/

[Jarek Z]

Oscar Solberg confirmed:
https://www.fiaerc.com/zooming-to-zlin-solberg-learning-and-improving-in-erc-junior/

[mknight]

It's about money. The Corsa is clearly all about being a relatovely cheap electric car.

I doubt something like 10-20% more power would be much more expensive.

[Mirek]

I doubt something like 10-20% more power would be much more expensive.

If I am not mistaken those cars don't even have recuperation. With 20% more power they would need more batteries and they would be even heavier and brake even worse then they do and on top of that they would be more expensive.

Anyway the cars are a nice example how attractive an EV is, when it is made relatively cheap. Don't forget that majority of entry field of any rally event is made of even cheaper cars than this.

[Mirek]

Entry list for the historic event is released: http://www.autosport.cz/zavody/soubor.php?f=23548

[Tom K]

Huttunen will drive MRF Tyres' i20 R5 during Barum. Seems like cooperation with Breen ended.

[Jarek Z]

Miko Marczyk (Skoda Fabia Rally2) also confirmed his presence on Barum Rally.

[Andre Oliveira]

Huttunen will drive MRF Tyres' i20 R5 during Barum. Seems like cooperation with Breen ended.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E86R-YZXoAEqYUh?format=jpg&name=900x900

[Mirek]

Awesome entry list!
http://www.autosport.cz/zavody/soubor.php?f=23365

Plus the Opel e-rally cup:
http://www.autosport.cz/zavody/soubor.php?f=23816

[RS]

Shame no Gryazin but otherwise good. Imagine the battle will be between Kopecky and Lukyanuk once again. Will be tough for Mikelssen with a new co-driver and in a different language(?)

What happens with Pech? Will he run in a national field?

[rp]

Shame no Gryazin but otherwise good. Imagine the battle will be between Kopecky and Lukyanuk once again. Will be tough for Mikelssen with a new co-driver and in a different language(?)

What happens with Pech? Will he run in a national field?

No problem for Mikkelsen. Jonas Andersson is used to Norwegian driver...

Pech will drive national event with the Focus WRC

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Huttunen will drive MRF Tyres' i20 R5 during Barum. Seems like cooperation with Breen ended.

Could this be a sign Breen is being readied for a WRC seat on a full-time basis and Adamo doesnt require him to continue to prove himself as an Rally2 / MRF tester ?

[mknight]

Well it's a bit strange "mid" season that's for sure.

Could be that Hyundai didn't want Breen to drive new car if he is leaving...but Huttunen is also going to drive old car here and Breen tested the new car at start of the year. So that doesn't fit much either.

[rp]

Well it's a bit strange "mid" season that's for sure.

Could be that Hyundai didn't want Breen to drive new car if he is leaving...but Huttunen is also going to drive old car here and Breen tested the new car at start of the year. So that doesn't fit much either.

Maybe these are Adamo´s famous strange decisions...

[Mirek]

What happens with Pech? Will he run in a national field?

Look down. No.87. There are quite many interesting names welll hidden under high numbers, for example Václav Kopáček No.65, Marijan Griebel with No.70, Jaromír Tarabus No.76 or Jan Dohnal No.88 (he hasn't done Barum since years ago).

[Jarek Z]

There are quite many interesting names welll hidden under high numbers, for example Václav Kopáček No.65, Marijan Griebel with No.70, Jaromír Tarabus No.76 or Jan Dohnal No.88

or No. 38 Teemu Asunmaa or No. 82 Enrico Windisch and his Audi A1 Rally2 Kit :)

[Sulland]

No problem for Mikkelsen. Jonas Andersson is used to Norwegian driver...

And many norwegian notes are based on swedish ones. Same, same but ........

[Mirek]

Vlček will start with the new i20 N, therefore he will beat Athanassoulas as the first privateer.

[pantealex]

Vlček will start with the new i20 N, therefore he will beat Athanassoulas as the first privateer.

so Crugnola is not counted as privateer
https://www.ewrc-results.com/carinfo/156-hyundai-i20-n-rally2/?spz=137673&a=1#start

and Huttunen was using Vlcek´s car
https://www.ewrc-results.com/carinfo/156-hyundai-i20-n-rally2/?car=5581

[Mirek]

so Crugnola is not counted as privateer
https://www.ewrc-results.com/carinfo/156-hyundai-i20-n-rally2/?spz=137673&a=1#start

and Huttunen was using Vlcek´s car
https://www.ewrc-results.com/carinfo/156-hyundai-i20-n-rally2/?car=5581

I was just reacting to the statement of Athanassoulas without searching for more.

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9ZM3fFXMAA0Z3-?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9ZM3fGXsAI2m9T?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9ZM3fAXoA05Sli?format=jpg&name=medium

[Jarek Z]

Beautiful livery! Probably the most beautiful livery that any Hyundai has ever had.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Why does the SD have to be so early (7.30am) on Friday when SS1 doesn't start until 9.30pm that night ? That's a long day hanging around for the crews.

[br21]

Why does the SD have to be so early (7.30am) on Friday when SS1 doesn't start until 9.30pm that night ? That's a long day hanging around for the crews.

recce of 2 stages after QS

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9kJoavXoAMHoM8?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9kJoa0WQAEBSsg?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9kJoa2XsAY5p0e?format=jpg&name=medium

[Jarek Z]

More photos of the new Hyundai:
https://rallypl.com/fotgalerie/foto-testy-nowego-hyundai-i20-n-rally2-przed-rajdem-barum-2021-martin-vlcek-2/

[Andre Oliveira]

https://www.facebook.com/116516048387390/posts/4355235961182023/?d=n

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9lLy9yX0AcUHgy?format=jpg&name=large
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9lLy93XEA4aPnG?format=jpg&name=large
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9lLy9uX0Ac68Y3?format=jpg&name=large

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9n98-vXoAM-a5c?format=jpg&name=large

[Walach]

So it begins…
Huttunen late braking into chicane of hay bales, slight damage to the car. Llarena aswell, both on official test.

[Walach]

Lukyanuk crashed during his private test aswell, hit a tree straight to the front of the car. It is gonna be looong two days for his team.
Fingers crossed, hopefuly they will make it.

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9oMjkPX0AQZiDd?format=jpg&name=medium

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9oLtxhWQAYPgbW?format=jpg&name=large

[dimviii]

what a carnage!

[Tom K]

Rumors - Barum for Lukyanuk ended.

EDIT: Citroen Racing announced it officialy.

[Lead]

Rumors - Barum for Lukyanuk ended.

EDIT: Citroen Racing announced it officialy.

Wow.. that's really unfortunate.

[Jarek Z]

Lukyanuk was very lucky already during one of the previous rounds, when his team hardly managed to fix the car on time. This time luck was not on his side. But how many times can he count on his luck?

[Tom K]

I do not remember if he crashed before Liepaja or Rome, but for Poland Sainteloc brought second car between test and rally.

[mknight]

1. He crashed before Poland and the team got second car.

2. He crashed on Sunday in Liepaja. "Ate" concrete anti-cut that broke the radiator and was very lucky to make it to service which fortunately was right after the stage.

3. Rolled on Estonia PS and made it to finish with wheel(s) at funny angles

4. Crashed out in Rome

5. Crashed out before Barum

5/5 with incidents.



------

Sadly here it likely ruins the competition before the start.

Kopecky can likely just take the win cause Mikkelsen will drive "safely" for 2nd-3rd and just try to control Llarena.

The only hope is that rainy weather makes it hard for anyone to control anything.

[Co-driven]

Sadly here it likely ruins the competition before the start.

Kopecky can likely just take the win cause Mikkelsen will drive "safely" for 2nd-3rd and just try to control Llarena.

The only hope is that rainy weather makes it hard for anyone to control anything.

With the pace Mikkelsen showed in Rome, I don't think he could fight with Kopecky anyway...

[Mirek]

I do not remember if he crashed before Liepaja or Rome, but for Poland Sainteloc brought second car between test and rally.

No Saintéloc replacement car available due to all of them being on the way to Greece.


By the way guys, the organizers for the first time connected Semetín with the best part of Troják (SS Hošťálková) into an epic rollercoaster. Hopefully there will be some onboard for you.


I for myself for the first time in last fifteen years skip the rally. Somehow I'm loosing interest in our sport (which has a lot to do with a change in my life in which I left automotive and filled my head with other things than cars).

[RS]

Ohhh Alexey, not again :(

What a disappointment for this weekend’s fight.

[Mirek]

Also I don't know if it was mentioned here but the test of Lukyanuk was not part of the official test. It was his own private one held on a well known Barum stage which is not used this year. The official test was held on a stage which was last used in 2010.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

PET including Lukyanuk
https://youtu.be/g1qlidmw2TY

[Mirek]

Lukyanuk crashed on this road (first two minutes of this Ingram's onb from 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3Jrmg0iAZE I don't know exactly where.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

MRF & Breen
https://dirtfish.com/rally/erc/breens-erc-spell-with-mrf-could-be-over/

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Some rain showers likely - road position could be crucial.

Mikkelsen with first choice chooses first on the road - all the others followed behind in QS order.

[Jarek Z]

Old Czech hero and former works driver for Skoda and Ford, Roman Kresta is going to drive Skoda Fabia WRC on the superspecial stage:
https://www.fiaerc.com/legends-to-star-during-erc-barum-czech-rally-zlins-big-50/

[KKS]

Any livestreams will ve avalible for tonight stage in Zlin?

[Medved]

Try this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TRzvYAq0Aw

[Lead]

Why Solans not driving in Barum?

[skarderud]

Close between Kopecký and Mikkelsen.
Still dry? Seems little damp some places?

Sent fra min SM-G950F via Tapatalk

[Lead]

Great pace by Wagner.

[skarderud]

Huttunen is on MRF's?

Sent fra min SM-G950F via Tapatalk

[Jarek Z]

Huttunen is on MRF's?

Yes:
https://www.fiaerc.com/ready-in-red-huttunen-all-set-for-first-start-for-team-mrf-tyres-in-erc/

[Jarek Z]

Here's schedule of the live broadcasts from SS5, SS7, SS12 and SS15:
https://www.fiaerc.com/watch-on-tv/

[Jarek Z]

Czech young talent Stříteský crashed hard already on SS3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxkkxw_ixkU

The aftermath:

https://scontent.fktw4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/239692410_4601708473194726_4987156284808146842_n.j pg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=6FG1nKroLLsAX9fVS1d&_nc_ht=scontent.fktw4-1.fna&oh=5e1e3553cac53013307daf437b63de7a&oe=614E7F98

https://scontent.fktw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/240881695_4601708696528037_1823828205253743636_n.j pg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=b-GP2tkkdLgAX-uJRMw&_nc_ht=scontent.fktw1-1.fna&oh=5f7ab165c94d7a269e3a4f3b29f8d02d&oe=6150CD9E

[Lead]

Hard crash, I hope crew is Ok. It seems stage was stopped/cancelled also.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Good pace from Cais in the Fiesta mixing it among the hoard of Skoda's.

[RS]

Nice to have the insights of Gryazin on the live stage.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Another great stage by Cais who has closed the gap between the top 3.

[skarderud]

Has Kopecký some trouble? Nice drive from Cais!

Sent fra min SM-G950F via Tapatalk

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Nice to have the insights of Gryazin on the live stage.

Nice words from him about M-Sport but nothing sure about a 2022 drive.

[dimviii]

Cais 0,8 from Kopecky overall.
.Impressive till now,hope to keep it on road.

Huttunen accident at ss 7

[rp]

Huttunen and Pajari out. Barum is just too difficult for Finnish drivers. Only Rovanperä would be good enough, but has never competed there. Remember that he was able to beat Kopecky in Bohemia...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E94vtjkXIAUFoz4?format=jpg&name=medium

[Sulland]

What happened to Solberg?
Did he damage the car too much to continue at all?

[Medved]

Solberg hits a tree - https://www.facebook.com/FiaEuropeanRallyChampionship/videos/333626475174837/

[Sulland]

Slippery, but still ....

[RS]

Huttunen and Pajari out. Barum is just too difficult for Finnish drivers. Only Rovanperä would be good enough, but has never competed there. Remember that he was able to beat Kopecky in Bohemia...

Hanninen did it.

[RS]

Cais takes the overnight lead, amazing performance against Kopecky and Mikelssen and for me quite unexpected.

[KKS]

Lead change on a final crazy dark stage

[Mirek]

Kopecký onb SS3 (great!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xaq3WHLPNA
Mikkelsen onb SS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLaegIkdsos
Cais onb QS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHmIIj8Wc1k

Mediasport videos:
SD+QS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al46X3Bxk-c
SS1-3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fA0O_hp0oM
SS4-5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVvH6UEdZGo

[RS]

Good time by Mares on Pindula too.

If only Luky was here I think we would have a four way battle for the win.

[Mirek]

Great time by Torn as well!

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Awesome day for Cais in the Ford Fiesta Rally2. What a leap in progress he's made and now vs some of the best in Škoda's.

[Mirek]

Video SS6-9 including big crash of Huttunen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCt0mEEAXa0
Huttunen onb SS4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARLX3Wu7n5o
Mikklesen onb QS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xixdO9M9yCE
Crash Landa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=johTMauPtJ4

[Mirek]

Don't forget that the hardest stage of today (SS12/15) will be broadcasted live on youtube and facebook of ERC: https://www.youtube.com/user/FIAERC/videos

Májová is a stage made of some parts of Troják, including a fast forest road which wasn't used for over 10 years and it ends with the infamous superslippery Rajnochovice valey where countless crews crashed every time it was raining in the past (you may remember plenty of mad crashing videos from there).

[Lead]

Mikkelsen waving white flag against both Czechs.

[KKS]

Massive time for Cais at SS12.. oh

[Mirek]

Erik Cais now destroyed all with a mega time on SS12 :eek:

[Lead]

Cais flying out there this morning.

[tommeke_B]

Just amazing what Cais is doing, now 20s ahead of Kopecky and 42s ahead of that guy who was going to dominate all ERC rounds... If Cais brings it to the finish in one piece, it's the best publicity M-Sport has had so far, for their Fiesta Rally2.

[Mirek]

Griebel lost the lead in 2WD with broken driveshaft. Yesterday Franceschi got 3 minutes penalty and Tarabus changed wheel on Pindula. Really tough for the 2WD guys...

Pech out. Technical problems again.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Awesome performance so far by Cais vs the Skoda pair of Kopecky & Mikkelsen. Looks like a new rally star is born !

[WUff1]

Sorry for Wagner, great rally of him.

[dimviii]

another angle from Stritesky crash
https://twitter.com/ma_ipp/status/1431619611917758469

[KKS]

Awesome performance so far by Cais vs the Skoda pair of Kopecky & Mikkelsen. Looks like a new rally star is born !
Don't forget that he is a local. Even Kopecky didn't know stages like Cais

[tommeke_B]

Don't forget that he is a local. Even Kopecky didn't know stages like Cais

Sorry, but I have to disagree on this one. There's not a single road Kopecky hasn't driven yet. Some stages (Biskupice, Komarov, first section of Halenkovice, middle section of Majova) only returned this year and haven't been used since the S2000 era, when Kopecky was works driver... ;) Kopecky has driven Barum almost 20 times I think, and won it 9 times. He's "Mr. Barum" as much as Loix is "Mr. Ypres", and Loix also lives roughly 200km away from the Ypres stages by the way.

[RS]

Sorry, but I have to disagree on this one. There's not a single road Kopecky hasn't driven yet. Some stages (Biskupice, Komarov, first section of Halenkovice, middle section of Majova) only returned this year and haven't been used since the S2000 era, when Kopecky was works driver... ;) Kopecky has driven Barum almost 20 times I think, and won it 9 times. He's "Mr. Barum" as much as Loix is "Mr. Ypres", and Loix also lives roughly 200km away from the Ypres stages by the way.

Agree.. Cais has an advantage here vs. himself-on-other-rallies but not against Kopecky. Good to see a new generation of Czech drivers coming through.

[Jarek Z]

Live broadcast from the last stage starts in 2 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziiz_-fDfFk

[RS]

ERC just uploaded several more fantastic full stage onboards from Barum: https://m.youtube.com/user/FIAERC/videos

[Jarek Z]

It's a home rally for Cais, he knows the stages, one of them leads to his old school, but it doesn't make his performance less impressive. I keep my fingers crossed for him!

[RS]

Cais rolled it looks like :(

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Gutted for him. What way to lose it

[tommeke_B]

Such a shame to end the rally like this. Even Kopecky is visibly gutted with it.

[RS]

Kopecky seems sad for Cais too, he was beaten on speed.

[Andre Oliveira]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E99giZYWUAE79HM?format=jpg&name=large

[dimviii]

Cais crashed at last stage.Pitty,amazing pace.

[RallyFan13]

Also MSport lost the chance to Win an ERC event after 3 Years

[TheFlyingTuga]

Also MSport lost the chance to Win an ERC event after 3 Years

They won Gran Canaria last year!

[RS]

Also MSport lost the chance to Win an ERC event after 3 Years

Didn't Formaux win Canarias last year?

[RallyFan13]

You are correct guys I was thinking Luky was the Last back to 2018,Anyway Fiesta Showed very strong compare to Skoda big names such as Kopecky and Mikkelsen

[Walach]

Kopecky when posing for picture as a winner at the finish line:
“Salut to Erik”
Form is temporary; class is permanent

[Mirek]

Erik is a young guy who never experienced something like what was happening yesterday night and today in midday service. The hype and the pressure, the distraction. It's not easy to manage that and many others failed the same way before. The important thing is however that now he knows he can beat them. If he takes the right lesson from today he can be only stronger. He still has many years in front of him.

[Jarek Z]

I don't know if it was posted here, but here's what happened to Jari Huttunen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4BT-5nhRt8

[RS]

I wonder if Skoda might pay some attention to Cais after this performance.. after all they will need a strong younger Czech driver as Kopecky is in the twilight of his career now. Unless they are already set on Stritesky?

[Jarek Z]

Kopecky after SS9 (where he lost the lead to Cais): "I want to use my experience for this kind of conditions. I don't want risk. You must drive a bit crazy and take some risk for best time. But twenty years ago I would do the same."

He knew what he was talking about!

[RS]

It will be interesting to see the nature of Cais' accident, I can't imagine he was pushing too hard with a 20s lead.

[Jarek Z]

Lukyanuk drops from 1st to 4th position in ERC after this rally.

Provisional standings:
1. Mikkelsen 97
2. Marczyk 78
3. Llarena 76
4. Lukyanuk 67
Herczig 67

[KKS]

Sorry, but I have to disagree on this one. There's not a single road Kopecky hasn't driven yet. Some stages (Biskupice, Komarov, first section of Halenkovice, middle section of Majova) only returned this year and haven't been used since the S2000 era, when Kopecky was works driver... ;) Kopecky has driven Barum almost 20 times I think, and won it 9 times. He's "Mr. Barum" as much as Loix is "Mr. Ypres", and Loix also lives roughly 200km away from the Ypres stages by the way.
It's true, but I talk for another.. Cais fast but "fast Cais on Barum" more because his local stage knowledge and a local guy. On another national events he will be slower and at another tarmac rallys even more slower. So "new rally start" so far it's a bit optimistic

[KKS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy8GhqReEk0&ab_channel=FIAERC
Kopecky onboard SS11 and "funny"? comment at 3:50?

[KKS]

I don't know if it was posted here, but here's what happened to Jari Huttunen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4BT-5nhRt8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cstXsZ4ef8A&ab_channel=MartinKozm%C3%ADk here is comaprision with Marczyk at same spot. And Huttunen a way late on a brake

[RS]

It's true, but I talk for another.. Cais fast but "fast Cais on Barum" more because his local stage knowledge and a local guy. On another national events he will be slower and at another tarmac rallys even more slower. So "new rally start" so far it's a bit optimistic

You are right, but here he was REALLY fast!

[Mirek]

Crazy video from Passats de canto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsmrBJGfDbc

[mknight]

I wonder if Skoda might pay some attention to Cais after this performance.. after all they will need a strong younger Czech driver as Kopecky is in the twilight of his career now. Unless they are already set on Stritesky?

That's very good question. I guess they will wait until the end of the year anyway.

While he was certainly very impressive here, as other people pointed out he lives between the stages. (But Kopecky has also driven Barum zillion times.)
Another driver (Vlcek with new i20) said it today already that for him it's more impressive how Cais does on other rounds abroad. (For example the recent Polish one).

What imo is interesting is how Cais immediatelly started driving abroad and even though lots of his results were a bit "meh", it shows that it also helped him develop for home round.
Quite a difference to drivers like Cerny or Jakes who drive only same stages at home and expect to develop from there. Off course not everyone has that choice and budget for it.

So if anything Skoda should send Stritesky out as much as possible latest next year. For Cais if he is to aim higher he should focus on gravel. (So he doesn't end like Kopecky and Kresta before him, who never got good on gravel).

Loeb learned gravel first with WRC and same could be said about the approach with Fourmaux. But it's still early to say how Fourmaux turns out on gravel. So I'd call that rather an exception than a rule.

[RS]

Crazy video from Passats de canto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsmrBJGfDbc

Shit! Those fenceposts..

[Mirek]

Shit! Those fenceposts..

The crew is ok. Lucky though...

[Jarek Z]

What imo is interesting is how Cais immediatelly started driving abroad and even though lots of his results were a bit "meh", it shows that it also helped him develop for home round.
Quite a difference to drivers like Cerny or Jakes who drive only same stages at home and expect to develop from there. Off course not everyone has that choice and budget for it.


That's actually not true. Cerny started competing in ERC already in 2009 and spent many years on European stages:
https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/3733-jan-cerny/

[mknight]

That's actually not true. Cerny started competing in ERC already in 2009 and spent many years on European stages:
https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/3733-jan-cerny/

I stand corrected.
Only remember him the last few years.

So it's more like in his case it seemingly didn't help him that much.

[Jarek Z]

I stand corrected.
Only remember him the last few years.

So it's more like in his case it seemingly didn't help him that much.

Yes, he seemed to be on a good way, but suddenly his progress stopped.

[Walach]

That's very good question. I guess they will wait until the end of the year anyway.

While he was certainly very impressive here, as other people pointed out he lives between the stages. (But Kopecky has also driven Barum zillion times.)
Another driver (Vlcek with new i20) said it today already that for him it's more impressive how Cais does on other rounds abroad. (For example the recent Polish one).

What imo is interesting is how Cais immediatelly started driving abroad and even though lots of his results were a bit "meh", it shows that it also helped him develop for home round.
Quite a difference to drivers like Cerny or Jakes who drive only same stages at home and expect to develop from there. Off course not everyone has that choice and budget for it.

So if anything Skoda should send Stritesky out as much as possible latest next year. For Cais if he is to aim higher he should focus on gravel. (So he doesn't end like Kopecky and Kresta before him, who never got good on gravel).

Loeb learned gravel first with WRC and same could be said about the approach with Fourmaux. But it's still early to say how Fourmaux turns out on gravel. So I'd call that rather an exception than a rule.

For sure Cais is local driver, but other drivers have driven those stages many times in the past so I would not exactly play it down to this and only this.
He can be very fast abroad aswell, gravel for sure is bit meh sometimes, but he is making some progress every event he does. But sometimes it is hard to rate the results because very often those are rather smaller local events (not talking recent Rzeszow).
Cerny actually did some events abroad at the beginning of his career which helped him to develop, but unfortunately only to level that is not enough to challenge Kopecky and also Pech. Jakes didnt drive abroad since his hillclimb european title, and also never reached the top level.
Mares made huge progres in ERC with R2 and later R5 so he quickly reached and imo surpassed Jakes/Cerny and got closer to Kopecky and maybe on par with Pech last year; but it feels like it came too late in his development to challenge Kopecky.
Mr Orsak who is team principal of Cais team recently mentioned their target is world rally championship, they planned to start in Croatia and now focus on Catalunya. He also noted that this is the reason why the run Ford instead of Skoda, because the path to WRC is clearer with M-Sport.
He also mentioned how closely M-Sport is following Cais progress (yes please, put the young lad under even more pressure, why wont you boss)
With Stritesky, lets wait and see what will be the aftermath of his first big crash. Surely it would be the best to sit in the car asap, but it is hard to do when the only R5 your team has is destroyed. Maybe it is the best time for Škoda to give him one or two test days now they have a new car to develop.. ;)

[RS]

Newsfeed leg two including crash of Cais: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU5AZ1e_JK0

[mknight]

Well Skoda R5 has been the path to WRC for Lappi, Rovanpera and partly Solberg.
But yes with Fourmaux MSport kind of "skipped" the WRC2/ERC stage. I am still not sure that's a good idea though.

Risk with MSport is that the Rally2 Fiesta seems to lack on gravel (slippery gravel most), while being good on tarmac (interestingly especially slippery tarmac). Imo also partly the reason MSport "skipped" the gravel part with Fourmaux.

Another thing is that "everyone" in CZ drives Fabia, so might be easier to get sponsors for something else.

[Mirek]

Another thing is that "everyone" in CZ drives Fabia, so might be easier to get sponsors for something else.

Cais's team led by his father is not oriented on domestic scene (btw before starting rallying Erik was doing MTB downhill World Cup). They are not interested in it and the same goes about their partners, hence why for example Cais was the first Czech driver ever sponsored by Yacco which AFAIK doesn't even have Czech dealership.

[mknight]

Newsfeed leg two including crash of Cais: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU5AZ1e_JK0

A bit similar to some of his earlier small moments/corners that I saw, understreering on entry.

Kopecky has a theory that he had harder tires and Cais softer, but start of the stage was dry, so Cais might have felt he needed to push "more" on the wet part.

[Mirek]

Night Pindula by Llarena. My Spanish is horrible but I think I heard the co-driver saying "Puente Gryazin" before the place where Gryazin crashed in 2019 (it's at 7:56).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iv3UJO-8Dw

[Mirek]

A bit similar to some of his earlier small moments/corners that I saw, understreering on entry.

Kopecky has a theory that he had harder tires and Cais softer, but start of the stage was dry, so Cais might have felt he needed to push "more" on the wet part.

Cais had hard tyres on the rear axle on the last stage.

[mknight]

Cais had hard tyres on the rear axle on the last stage.

Kopecky says Cais had crossed tires:

https://youtu.be/9eFnGVUxQOo

[mknight]

(it's a few secs back in the vid)

[marcosg]

https://youtu.be/_818p3SL5Ds

Cais crash

Seems he was driving safe but made small mistake

Heartbraking the reaction of both inside the car...

Enviado do meu SM-G985F através do Tapatalk

[Mirek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy8GhqReEk0&ab_channel=FIAERC
Kopecky onboard SS11 and "funny"? comment at 3:50?

"Fuck, it doesn't turn, dude!" :)

[TheFlyingTuga]

Night Pindula by Llarena. My Spanish is horrible but I think I heard the co-driver saying "Puente Gryazin" before the place where Gryazin crashed in 2019 (it's at 7:56).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iv3UJO-8Dw

Yup!

Sara said "Attention Gryazin Bridge, don't cut"

[Jarek Z]

Erik Cais got a fine of 5000 E for his behaviour after the accident on SS15:
https://storage.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/sportity-storage/o/17a412e0-f0ee-451d-9cc0-eb23da2f03da%2Faf263df4-ca52-4202-86ee-49f4963c5f62_Doc.%20No.%202.14%20STW%20Decision%20 No%2011.pdf?generation=1630262249724038&alt=media

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Awesome performance so far by Cais vs the Skoda pair of Kopecky & Mikkelsen. Looks like a new rally star is born !

And the ERC agrees ! ;)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9-imQuWUAc7fKo?format=jpg&name=medium

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Mr Orsak who is team principal of Cais team recently mentioned their target is world rally championship, they planned to start in Croatia and now focus on Catalunya. He also noted that this is the reason why the run Ford instead of Skoda, because the path to WRC is clearer with M-Sport.
He also mentioned how closely M-Sport is following Cais progress

Interesting. I wish a few more thought like this for their future and helped M-Sport's Rally2 sales. Hopefully the Rally3 car will be good for them in this way though.

[Walach]

Cais already testing the other Fiesta from his team around Biskupice airfield (SS 11/14 yesterday).
Not wasting time, aren’t they?

[er88]

Was so impressed with Cais. Brilliant speed which surpised me and it was heartbreaking the way it ended. Crew were absolutely distraught, but hopefully they can use this experience to kick on now.

Kopecky, lacked a bit of pace but was also using his head in the tricky conditions. Knew he was beaten on speed but rallies aren't solely won with speed - as Cais showed on the last stage.

Mikkelsen...., feel like I say this after nearly every rally of his this season, but again unimpressive.

[mknight]

Mikkelsen was 0.2s behind lead after first loop and ahead of Cais.

Then on the more muddy second loop drove safely and ended 2nd ( would have been 3rd). Getting a decent lead in ERC.
Which is exactly what I predicted in this very thread after Lukyanuk crashed out beforehand.

Again this feels similar to Estonia, "everyone" predicts he will do bad. Then he does much better (here that means actually fighting with Kopecky) and the same guys that predicted he will do much worse call it a disappointment.

Btw. last time a non-Czech driver won Barum is Hanninen in 2012. Lukyanuk didn't manage in multiple tries, Sordo ended 3rd in 2018.

[Lead]

Mikkelsen...., feel like I say this after nearly every rally of his this season, but again unimpressive.
Outside his early season comments about "dominating" every rally he enters (now everyone just loves to rub that statement in his face at every moment possible), overall he did a clever, smart rally. On the first day he was on the same pace as local drivers Cais and Kopecky. Thats actually not bad considering it was 10 years ago since he drove in Barum. As Cais and Kopecky battle heated up (Pindula night stage), it seemed he simply backed off realizing the risk is just too high to end crashing out when his main title contender is taking 0 points out of the weekend. So thats just that.

About Mikkelsen's early season comments - it simply shows how important is to re-think twice what you are about to say in social media and how other people will interpret this. I dont think he meant to sound arrogant (or is arrogant personality itself), but thats how it sounded to most people and now everyone just loves to highlight it in a negative way.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Mikkelsen thinks he is dominating ...

Andreas Mikkelsen @AMikkelsenRally
P2 Second place (Barum) and now LEADING both the World Rally Championship 2 and the European Rally Championship !

[Lead]

Mikkelsen thinks he is dominating ...

Andreas Mikkelsen @AMikkelsenRally
P2 Second place (Barum) and now LEADING both the World Rally Championship 2 and the European Rally Championship !

Thats your interpretation of what he thinks. I see that tweet has nothing to do with domination. He is leading both championships and that is a fact.

[tommeke_B]

Mikkelsen's big mouth has set the expectations too high for himself. This is a quote from an interview with Dirtfish at the start of the season:

And I have one aim next year, and that is to dominate completely every rally that I’m doing. That means win every ERC round, win every WRC2 round. That’s my sole focus next year, to be the fastest R5 car in every rally.

So far in WRC2 he has 2 wins (one where you can say he was dominating, Monte Carlo) on 5 events. In ERC he has 0 wins out of 4 events. He's not doing bad, but he's nowhere near what he said he wanted to do, despite being in the best position of all drivers competing in the same class.

[Mirek]

Kopecky says Cais had crossed tires:

https://youtu.be/9eFnGVUxQOo

I stand corrected.

[Mirek]

Cais already testing the other Fiesta from his team around Biskupice airfield (SS 11/14 yesterday).
Not wasting time, aren’t they?

I'm pretty sure, that's for psychological reasons ;)

[Mirek]

Onboard of Kopecký from the last stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9soRkVsDE

[Mirek]

Plenty of big moments or wild passes in every video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxq-ipFKJXU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg5IhwnQmVo

Plus some good news. Dominik Stříteský was released from hospital where he was due to concussion.

[Lead]

Mikkelsen's video blog about Barum rally is out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWq7s-ZiyLY

[Jarek Z]

Guys, this is electric Corsa. Do you agree with the opinion of the spectator about this car? :D

https://scontent.fktw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/241097524_209102271198870_4354794984955121571_n.jp g?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=XPXJP7RSPTkAX_xRKbB&_nc_ht=scontent.fktw1-1.fna&oh=0ff10bda99c6fd9646f1be5c58dc4bf9&oe=6133C29D

[Mirek]

The crowds on the city stage were booing on the electric cars.

One video for dimviii: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwiWHsYs14Y

Pech retired because of cracked engine crankshaft. Rather unusual technical problem.

[dimviii]

The crowds on the city stage were booing on the electric cars.

One video for dimviii: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwiWHsYs14Y

Pech retired because of cracked engine crankshaft. Rather unusual technical problem.

amazing video! But NOT even a hairpin?

[er88]

Mikkelsen's big mouth has set the expectations too high for himself. This is a quote from an interview with Dirtfish at the start of the season:


So far in WRC2 he has 2 wins (one where you can say he was dominating, Monte Carlo) on 5 events. In ERC he has 0 wins out of 4 events. He's not doing bad, but he's nowhere near what he said he wanted to do, despite being in the best position of all drivers competing in the same class.Exactly. I wasn't saying he had a bad event or the like, just that I'm not that impressed considering the standard expected. And I've had that feeling most of the year.

Mikkelsen's comments at the start of the year could be purely construed as arrogant, but imo it's also just a reflection on what he felt he needed to do this year - to get back to a fully paid manufacturer drive. Winning the ERC or WRC2 in this manner isn't going to hugely impress anyone - especially for a driver who has already had 4/5yrs in championship winning teams. It was the same with Ostberg last year. Show you're much better in terms of speed AND consistency against all the R5 drivers, and he probably would have already been signed up.

Look at Lappi, dominated in Artic and cruised to a win in a Portugal and now looks locked into Toyota next year.

No point trying to gloss over Mikkelsen's season or change the goalposts, because he was the one who made them.

Still really hope we see him getting a full season at Msport over Greensmith though. And if that's still a possibility in Malcolm's eyes, then get Mikkelsen in that Puma now to take over testing from Matt Wilson......

[PLuto]

Huttunen and Pajari out. Barum is just too difficult for Finnish drivers. Only Rovanperä would be good enough, but has never competed there. Remember that he was able to beat Kopecky in Bohemia...

There were good finish drivers who were able to fight for win here. And two of them also won - Mikael Sundström and Juho Hänninen.

[PLuto]

Daniel Polasek is learning his codriver how to do finswimming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcvUgD3-l9c

[PLuto]

Look at Lappi, dominated in Artic and cruised to a win in a Portugal and now looks locked into Toyota next year.

He is not locked there because of results in Arctic and Portugal...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Still really hope we see him getting a full season at Msport over Greensmith though. And if that's still a possibility in Malcolm's eyes, then get Mikkelsen in that Puma now to take over testing from Matt Wilson......

It's not either / or - if Greensmith pays then he drives and he isnt taking anyone's 'seat'.

Fourmaux also has Red Bull support to aid his drive.

Mikkelsen isnt impressing enough to get a paid drive.... Breen is.

[PLuto]

Mikkelsen isnt impressing enough to get a paid drive.... Breen is.

Really Breen is? Ok, he did great job on fast Estonia and Ypres which he knows from the past. But both are events which suits him.

[Mirek]

Really Breen is? Ok, he did great job on fast Estonia and Ypres which he knows from the past. But both are events which suits him.

4 starts, 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 8th. Excellent for a part-time driver.

[er88]

Really Breen is? Ok, he did great job on fast Estonia and Ypres which he knows from the past. But both are events which suits him.I agree with Mirek, and you also have to consider who is actually more attractive right now to Msport (or Hyundai for the 3rd car) than Breen? Nobody.

[Mirek]

M-Sport just released full stage onboard of Erik Cais from the hellride over the night Pindula! Especially the last part on dry is pure rally porn :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi_LmkEQ4Z4

[Lead]

M-Sport just released full stage onboard of Erik Cais from the hellride over the night Pindula! Especially the last part on dry is pure rally porn :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi_LmkEQ4Z4

Insane stuff! Dark, slippery full attack mode on!