Mareš makes ERC 2024 his number one target

The Czech star, a multiple podium finisher in the ERC and a former Junior ERC champion at Rally2 level, placed seventh in the final 2023 standings for the ACCR Entry Engineering team.

He’s now pushing flat out to ensure he has the backing needed to improve on that placing next season with a step up to the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 another objective.

“To be honest, being back in the ERC is my only goal at the moment,” said the 32-year-old.  “I’m working really hard to secure the budget to keep this programme going next season. It’s a very competitive field and it’s really nice to be part of the ERC family. Hopefully we can take our experiences from this season to the next one and improve. I hope we can have the new car because it seems the new cars are getting faster and faster, for sure it would be nice.”

Mareš came close to completing his 2023 ERC campaign with the fastest time on Rally Hungary’s Power Stage earlier this month. However, a late charge from event winner Mads Østberg denied him top spot by 1.1sec.

“I really tried to do my best in this stage but for sure Mads is a proper class of rally driver and he also knows the stage better than me because he did this rally many times,” Mareš said. “I did my best and we were close but losing belongs to this sport and it’s like that. At least it keeps me motivated.”

Mareš and co-driver Radovan Bucha are planning to contest the Int. ADMV Lausitz Rallye from November 10-11, the deciding round of the 2023 FIA European Rally Trophy.