Czech rally news

So far it's been very unfortunate event with way too many crashes and technical problems and a sort of sporting tragedy for Dohnal whose great Focus WRC just burned completely :(

Pech's problem was burned-through piston on shakedown. Jirovec tried to arrange a last minute swap so that Pech would drive the Porsche with Jirovec's co-driver but it was not possible to manage it in time.

Kopáček had quite a big crash. They are ok but who knows if thry can continue in the season...

Yesterday not a single of six stages was run by the late crews. All were canceled due to accidents!!! Today already another one due to Dohnal's fire...

https://twitter.com/eWRCresults/stat...24733197856768

ok, a bit late but final results... even though there were many said accidents etc. there was a great battle behind Kopecký which lasted till the end.

1. Kopecký (Fabia R5) 1:21:18,5 (20th CZ win in a row)
2. Koči (Fabia R5) +1:07,6 (20 sec pen.)
3. Černý (Fiesta R5) +1:19,1 (5 sec pen.)
4. Mareš (Fabia R5) +1:28,3 (5 sec pen.)
5. Grzyb (Fabia R5) +1:55,6
6. Tarabus (Fabia R5) +3:13,0 (lost 1,5 minutes with a spectacular off on SS7 - video: https://youtu.be/pbL4DxCncag?t=87 )
7. Pospíšilík (Fabia R5) +3:13,2
8. Trojan (Fabia R5) +3:21,5 (5 sec pen.)
9. Gavlák (Fabia R5) +4:08,6
10. Růžička (Fiesta R5) +5:05,0

23 years old Talaš won 2WD (208 R2). 18 years old Cais was the fastest man of the second leg (208 R2) but he retired early in the first leg with technical problems.

News from Kopáček... both the driver and his co-driver suffered brain concussion and the driver has two broke ribs on top. The crew will for sure miss Rally Bohemia. Hopefully they will be back for Barum.

About Dohnal... this photo says more than thousand words :(
http://www.petrmilfait.com/wp-content/uploads/44-14.jpg

I'm so sad for Donhal.....

Spectacular JNK video from Hustopeče: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClIJRX2xS8Y

Great stages and speed there!

Already many foreign crews entered to Rally Bohemia and it's not yet closed... we are waiting for Lukyanuk for example.

R5: Veiby (NOR), Nordgren (FIN), Baumschlager (AUT), Szeja (POL), Kiss (HUN)
R2: Simon Wagner, Julian Wagner (both AUT)
Other: Madsen (DEN, Swift Maxi 2000)

Entry list for Bohemia without Lukyanuk: http://www.rallybohemia.cz/2018/cs/D...ch-posadek-MCR

Has there been any talk about Dohnal's future plans?

Not yet. He has actually one more Focus but due to our rules it may not be possible to use it. WRC cars are allowed in our championship only if they were registered in CZ before end of 2014 and I don't know when he registered the second one. I think it was later. In that case he could use it only for sprint and show events.

Also that second Focus is not in same super condition, like was the first one. This second one was bought primary for spare parts...

Rally Bohemia starts tomorrow morning. Live results here: https://rally-base.com/2018/rally-bohemia-2018/

Had a quick visit to Rally Bohemia stages today. It was all dry and sunny (not hot). For some reason Veiby and especially Nordgren have been totally lost. Baumschlager has been slow as well (it looks like he may have a problem to return into a good racing shape after his injury). After SS6 Veiby 6th, Nordgren 10th and Baumschlager 11th.

Baumschlager is there just for a 'Sunday drive' and to finish the event. Austrian Kronen Zeitung told in an interview that he still cannot run or drive a mountainbike without pain, so there is absolutely no need to risk anything at the moment. Be sure when there is time for real competition and the speed is needed, he will be right back.

Although Kopecky won all steges until this moment (7x), his lead is not ''astronomical''....

Does this link work for You? https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/sport/zive-vysilani/

I'm afraid it may be Czech IP only...

It's SSS8+9 live.

It's a bit strange system. 2 crews start at same time but one of them drives SS8 and the other SS9. After some time they switch their tracks.

Did Pech get a more up to date engine when his one broke? Much more impressive here.

Veiby and Nordgren very disappointing. Are Bohemia stages more difficult for foreign crews than other Czech rallies?

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Originally Posted by RS

Did Pech get a more up to date engine when his one broke? Much more impressive here.

Veiby and Nordgren very disappointing. Are Bohemia stages more difficult for foreign crews than other Czech rallies?

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I think they’re not more difficult than Cesky Krumlov or Barum, from watching onboards. But there are quite a lot of show-stages which are quite technical I think. They require efficient driving and that’s often what the Nordic drivers need to train on. Also after seeing Veiby last week this doesn’t surpsise me. For Nordgren I’m still wondering why they chose him and not Huttunen for example.

Weird thing is Nordgren was very good on the other Czech Rally he did this year.

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Originally Posted by RS

Veiby and Nordgren very disappointing. Are Bohemia stages more difficult for foreign crews than other Czech rallies?

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I wouldn't say so. I was spectating Bohemia a few years ago and in my opinion those are typical stages in Czech and in central Europe in general. It's a very nice event, by the way.

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

For Nordgren I’m still wondering why they chose him and not Huttunen for example.

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I see at least two reasons:
1) Huttunen is a member of Hyundai team
2) He is probably even worse than Nordgren

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Originally Posted by Jarek Z

I see at least two reasons:
1) Huttunen is a member of Hyundai team
2) He is probably even worse than Nordgren

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Last year Huttunen was driving a Fabia in Finland and won wrc2 by a margin. Nordgren was driving the same car there... ;) I think you should also remember Huttunen is driving a i20 R5 now. Can you name anyone who did well with that car on gravel?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

Last year Huttunen was driving a Fabia in Finland and won wrc2 by a margin. Nordgren was driving the same car there... ;) I think you should also remember Huttunen is driving a i20 R5 now. Can you name anyone who did well with that car on gravel?

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Yeah Huttunen drove Fabia in Finland and won against quite a weak WRC2 lineup which included Nordgren so saying that Nordgren is better than Huttunen is also wrong. Pretty sure there is some wins with I20 in gravel aswell so interesting see how Huttunen will do in Finland this year.

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Originally Posted by Essaj

Pretty sure there is some wins with I20 in gravel aswell so interesting see how Huttunen will do in Finland this year.

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Are you really so sure? I'm afraid that Spanish tarmac championship and French tarmac championship are the only ones where Hyundai R5 wins...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

Can you name anyone who did well with that car on gravel?

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Not off the top of my head :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jarek Z

I wouldn't say so. I was spectating Bohemia a few years ago and in my opinion those are typical stages in Czech and in central Europe in general. It's a very nice event, by the way.

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There is very little left in Rally Bohemia from those days unfortunately. Basically today's long stage Radostín is the only one of the best long stagest left in the rally (in the past it used to be called Sychrov). Now it's also one of the hardest event to spectate in CZ. Very long liasons, few access roads and often no overview from wherever You can place Yourself.

Bohemia is different than other events. Veiby drove Valašská rally which was very very dirty and very cold. The event was not about having good lines, big balls play bigger role there than on Bohemia. Nordgren drove Šumava which is faster rally than Bohemia, the stages are rougher, bumpier, with many crests and one of them was half-gravel (the one he won). Bohemia today was very technical event and some of the stages required very precise lines (SS Ještěd mainly). The hardest and longest stage Radostín is one of the hardest stages in CZ and I think that locals benefitted hugely from the past experience. Anyway when some real hobby drivers are faster than works crews it's wrong. We'll see tomorrow because the stages are very different. Veeery fast in fact.

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Originally Posted by Jarek Z

Not off the top of my head :)

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From what I could see in Ypres with Neuville and Cronin the Hyundai is far from Fabia level. Mainly in the suspension.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jarek Z

Are you really so sure? I'm afraid that Spanish tarmac championship and French tarmac championship are the only ones where Hyundai R5 wins...

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Atleast Armindo Araújo has won in Portugal :) but yeah we're getting off topic.

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Originally Posted by Essaj

Atleast Armindo Araújo has won in Portugal :) but yeah we're getting off topic.

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Araujo in Portugal, Turan in Hungary and Dominguez in Paraguay

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Originally Posted by Mirek

There is very little left in Rally Bohemia from those days unfortunately. Basically today's long stage Radostín is the only one of the best long stagest left in the rally (in the past it used to be called Sychrov). Now it's also one of the hardest event to spectate in CZ. Very long liasons, few access roads and often no overview from wherever You can place Yourself.

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I was spectating Bohemia in 2003 and 2010 and liked both editions very much. I didn't know the event has changed so much since then.

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Originally Posted by focus206

Araujo in Portugal, Turan in Hungary and Dominguez in Paraguay

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Nucita won Targa Florio (CIR).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jarek Z

I was spectating Bohemia in 2003 and 2010 and liked both editions very much. I didn't know the event has changed so much since then.

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From 2010 timetable...

SSS1 - now again in the rally but modified (as SSS8, SSS9)
SS2/5 - out
SS3/6 - out
SS4/7 - out
SS8/10 - in the rally as half circuit SS11/14
SS9 - city stage still in
SS11/14 - still in but shortened to 5 km (SS2/5)
SS12/15 - out
SS13/16 - still in but in different shorter variant (SS3/6)

If somebody is interested here is a tribute video for the burned Dohnal's Focus WRC from the archive of cameraman Aleš Trhlík including some archive footage when it was still driven by Jari-Matti Latvala in Stobart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6zpVBBl7O8

After SS11 there is 6 seconds between 3rd and 6th place. Intense battle ongoing between Černý, Mareš, Veiby and Štajf.

Very crazy final of the rally between the 3rd and 6th place. Several mistakes in the last stages and changing of positions on every stage till the end. Kopecký used his lead to show some donuts on the last city stage. First run through the city stage was canceled because one of the zero cars broke the oil sump and the oil was everywhere...

Final results:

1. Kopecký (Fabia R5) 1:28:12,3
2. Pech (Fiesta R5) +37,6
3. Veiby (Fabia R5) +1:18,3
4. Štajf (Fabia R5) +1:26,2
5. Mareš (Fabia R5) +1:26,3
6. Černý (Fiesta R5) +1:36,7
7. Odložilík (Fiesta R5) +2:11,8
8. Vojtěch (Fabia R5) +2:23,1
9. Nordgren (Fabia R5) +2:23,1
10. Szeja (Fiesta R5) +2:56,5 (5 sec pen.)
11. Baumschlager (Fabia R5) +3:18,8

Scratches: Kopecký 11, Pech 1, Vojtěch 1, Veiby 1

Very intense battle also in 2WD:

1. Wagner J. (208 R2) 1:37:44,2
2. Talaš (208 R2) +13,6 (5 sec pen.)
3. Wagner S. (208 R2) +27,5 (5 sec pen.)
4. Madsen (Swift Maxi 2000 Evo) +50,5
5. Dohnal (208 R2) +57,5

Cais and Kamenec also set some very good times but they lost a lot of time with some problems before (Cais with stalled engine and a early TC check, about Kamenec I don't know, maybe puncture). Scratches: Madsen 9, Wagner J. 3, Cais 1, Talaš 1

Who is officially 8th and 9th, and how is it decided? Looks like timing may have to go up to 0,01s soon.

Vojtěch is 8th and Nordgren 9th. Here such situation is decided by the results of the first stage. Not bad result for a long retired guy who drives only one rally per year (plus Rally Legend San Marino) and who drove R5 for the first time ever.

A small correction. It was broken driveshaft what cost Černý the drop from 3rd to 6th place on the last city stage.

Some of the first onboards

Pech SS6 Radostín 2 (by far the hardest stage of the rally where Veiby or Nordgren lost far majority of the time): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPcWDZWxVI8
Kopecký SS4 Ještěd 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xot7bMVY_L0
Pech SS13 Lobeč 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4mECKNeA_g
Jakeš SS5 Chloudov 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJWM24eTJ-Y

^^ Kopecky driving very aggressive these days.

Some footage (looks sped up to me but still nice driving): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h2tsRDYLbto