Kopecký won’t count on Tarmac pedigree

Jan Kopecký fears his reputation as an asphalt specialist won’t be enough to guarantee him his first victory of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season.

The factory Škoda Motorsport driver from Czech Republic starts Rally Islas Canarias as one of the pre-event favourites for victory based on his Tarmac pedigree, which includes winning last year’s Rally Principe de Asturias, the last IRC event to take place on Spanish soil.

“We will see for the result because there are lots of drivers who can be very fast,” said Kopecký. “I hope I can be the fastest but it won’t be easy to get a good result. It’s a hard rally.”

Kopecký was second fastest during pre-event shakedown this morning, one-tenth of a second faster than team-mate Juho Hänninen. The Finn has been struck down by a cold but insists he will be fighting fit when the rally gets underway on Friday morning.

“There’s no problem with me, only the rally will be difficult,” said Hänninen. “But at least the roads will be clean because there is no corner cutting like on other Tarmac rallies.”