After SS1: Hänninen fastest on opening stage

Juho Hänninen leads Barum Czech Rally Zlín after winning the opening stage, SSS Zlín, a 9.36-kilometre three-lap charge around the host city’s central area.

Watched by 30,000 fans and held in ambient temperatures of 24 degrees centigrade, Hänninen, in a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, was 0.5s faster than Andreas Mikkelsen in a ŠKODA UK Motorsport.

“It was okay at the start and got better and better with no problems,” said Hänninen the defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion.

Mikkelsen said: “I expected the time not to be the best because we had a longer gear ratio than the others.”

Local hero Jan Kopecký was third fastest in his factory Fabia. He said: “There were a couple of places where I could have pushed more but that would have been stupid.”

Guy Wilks was the leading Peugeot driver in fifth position with Thierry Neuville sixth and Bryan Bouffier seventh in their similar 207 S2000s.

Luca Betti, whose mechanics worked tirelessly to repair his damaged 207 following his crash in shakedown, said: “I’m just happy to be here. The car is okay but the seat is a bit loose. It’s not easy.”

The event resumes on Saturday morning with the 8.89-kilometre Biskupice stage, which gets underway at 09:38hrs local time.

Overall positions after SS1: