Barum Czech Rally Zlin 2021

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?

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!

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

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

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

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.

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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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy8G...channel=FIAERC
Kopecky onboard SS11 and "funny"? comment at 3:50?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cstX...tinKozm%C3%ADk here is comaprision with Marczyk at same spot. And Huttunen a way late on a brake

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KKS

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

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You are right, but here he was REALLY fast!

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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?

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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.