Leader Kopecký to run first on final day

Jan Kopecký will run at the front of the filed on the final day of Barum Czech Rally Zlín, round seven of the 11-event Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The rally leader will be followed through Sunday’s six stages by ŠKODA Motorsport team-mates Juho Hänninen and Freddy Loix, who will run in two-minute intervals.

Peugeot France driver Bryan Bouffier is fourth on the road with Team Peugeot Belgium Luxembourg’s Thierry Neuville fifth. Craig Breen is the leading M-Sport Ford driver in eighth, while PG Andersson is the lead PROTON pilot on the running order in 10th.

Heavy overnight rain lashed chunks of the rally route although rising ambient temperatures are expected to dry many of the roads that make up the competitive action. However, there are some reports of damp sections under tree cover. To counter this, many drivers are expected to use soft compound tyres for the opening loop of stages.

Top 10 starting positions for day two

1 Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
2 Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
3 Freddy Loix/Frédéric Miclotte (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
4 Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri (Peugeot 207 S2000)
5 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (Peugeot 207 S2000)
6 Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
7 Toni Gardemeister/Tapio Suominen (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
8 Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000)
9 Roman Kresta/Petr Gross (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
10 PG Andersson/Emil Axelsson (PROTON Satria Neo S2000)