Joy for IRC winner Kopecký in Czech Republic...

Joy for IRC winner Kopecký in Czech Republic...

Jan Kopecký, runner-up in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge for the last three seasons, has made it three wins in a row in the Czech national championship following a dominant victory on Rally Šumava at the weekend.

Driving a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, the 30-year-old Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés winner, was fastest on 14 of the 15 special stages to claim the top step of the podium ahead of Roman Kresta in a similar Fabia S2000.

“We have made perfect use of our thorough preparation for the rally, and we are celebrating a premiere victory in Šumava,” said the Czech ace. “We can be satisfied with our performance, three rallies and three victories – what else could we wish for. Racing in front of Czech audience is always an emotional matter for us.”

...as former IRC champion Hanninen impresses in Italy

While Jan Kopecký was impressing in his native Czech Republic, ŠKODA Motorsport team-mate Juho Hänninen was in action in Italy where a fourth-place finish on Rally 1000 Miglia moved him to the top of the FIA European Rally Championship standings.

Hänninen, who won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2010 and triumphed on the last IRC round, the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally, had been in contention for a podium placing on the second event of the European series when a mistake cost him more than one minute in time and a shot at a top-three finish. Nevertheless, the Finn is four points ahead of closest rival Giandomencio Basso in the drivers’ classification.

Afterwards he said: “The home drivers showed their high quality; in Italy it was never easy but I don’t want to make excuses. We had a good test before the rally, and the race itself started off very well. We lost the podium due to a one big moment in the second leg, and although we were fighting on the loss could not be made up for. We feel very sorry about that.”