With five wins, a second and a third place from their seven ERC starts so far this year, ŠKODA works driver Jan Kopecký and his co-driver Pavel Dresler have set their sights on more points at this weekend’s 40th Rally Croatia in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC). The asphalt rally, which takes place around the coastal town of Poreč from 26th to 28th September, could see the two Czech drivers clinch this year’s ERC title with races to spare.
“After the rally in Poland, which was held in very difficult conditions with rain and mud, we are looking forward to the asphalt roads in Croatia. We want to score the points needed to win the championship,” said Kopecký. “As such, our strategy will be to drive quickly, but without taking any unnecessary risks.”
ŠKODA works driver Kopecký, who has earned himself the nickname “Mister Reliable” has finished on the podium at all seven of his ERC starts in the ŠKODA Fabia S2000. The remarkable list of successes in 2013 includes five overall victories for Kopecký/Dresler in Austria, on the Canary Islands, in the Azores, in Romania and in front of their home crowd at the Barum Rally Zlín. They also finished runner-up in Corsica and third at the most recent event in Poland.
The Rally Croatia poses a real challenge for Kopecký and Dresler: the 40th anniversary of the event features 239.12 kilometres over 14 special stages on asphalt that is well-known for being slippery. The rally headquarters for the weekend is the picturesque holiday location of Poreč on the Adriatic coast. The Rally Croatia has proven to be a happy stomping ground for ŠKODA: Finn and ŠKODA works driver at the time Juho Hänninen won there last year en route to the ERC title.