Kruuda hopes for better luck on Zlín return

Karl Kruuda will be hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself when he contests Barum Czech Rally Zlín for a second time this week.

Kruuda, who at 18 is one of the youngest drivers regularly competing in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, was two stages into the asphalt event last season when he crashed into a spinning car running ahead of him on the road.

“It was a fifth-gear corner and there was this car spinning in front of me and I crashed into this car,” said Kruuda, who is co-driven in a ME3 Rally Team ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 by Martin Jarveoja. “I hope that does not happen again but we will have to see what the result can be.”

Kruuda, from Estonian, has contested two rounds of the IRC so far this season with a best result of fifth on June’s GEKO Ypres Rally in Belgium. He is joint 11th in the drivers’ standings.