Czech champion Kopecký to start Jännerrallye first

Jan Kopecký and co-driver Pavel Dresler will be the first of 54 crews to tackle the opening stages of the International Jännerrallye, round one of the new-look FIA European Rally Championship.

The ŠKODA Motorsport pair will leave the service park in Trier at 07:30hrs local time on Friday and will be followed two minutes later by Bryan Bouffier and Olivier Fournier in an SC Ateneo-entered Peugeot 207 Super 2000.

François Delecour goes third for Kronos Racing with Raimund Baumschlager the leading Austrian driver fourth on the road.

Beppo Harrach (Mitsubishi Lancer) is the leading ERC Production Car Cup contender in seventh with class rival Kajetan Kajetanowicz 12th on the road in his Subaru Impreza.

Hannes Danzinger (Renault Clio) is the top ERC 2WD Championship contender in 38th position, one place ahead of Bulgarian Citroën driver Anton Titov. Eurosol Honda driver Zoltán Bessenyey goes 41st.

There are a handful of notable non-starters including Jean-Michel Raoux and Hermann Gassner Sr.