ERC
Super Simone takes Zlín ERC Qualifying Stage honours
Simone Tempestini has won the Barum Czech Rally Zlín Qualifying Stage to kick off a big weekend in the FIA European Rally Championship for Team MRF Tyres.
Backed by the Indian tyre manufacturer, Team MRF Tyres is celebrating 50 ERC starts during round five of the season, making driver Tempestini’s performance alongside co-driver Francesca Maior even more significant.
Competing in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, multiple Romanian champion Tempestini charged through the 6.35-kilometre Žlutava Qualifying Stage in a table-topping time of 3min 55.0sec to line up first on the road through Saturday’s six hugely demanding stages.
Jakub Matulka
© ERC
He headed Michelin-supplied Jakub Matulka (3min 55.152sec) with Hankook-equipped Filip Mareš third quickest (3min 55.1sec), despite reporting a “huge slide” nearing the stage finish.
Pirelli-shod Lancia Corse HF driver Andrea Mabellini made it four official ERC tyre suppliers in the top four in 3min 55.263sec as Adam Březík rounded out the top five ahead of 2013 ERC champion and 12-time Barum Czech Rally Zlín winner Jan Kopecký.
“We are satisfied about this stage,” said Tempestini, who turned 32 on Wednesday. “Actually it’s one of the section I prefer of this rally. So when I knew it was the Qualifying Stage I was happy. It’s a nice stage and a good moment to see if our pace is ready for the rally.
“I felt good from the first pass [of Free Practice] and for sure we know that here it’s important to start in the front although a really good position is from fourth to eighth. The first stage tomorrow is not important the place where we start. But the 25-kilometre stage is with many cuts and it’s a good start position for us. I am happy with this trophy and for my birthday I have a gift.”
I am happy with this trophy and for my birthday I have a gift
Erik Cais was seventh quickest for Team MRF Tyres following what the local hero described as “quite a big moment”. “It was a good start for my blood pressure as we had quite a big moment when I thought it was over to be honest,” Cais said. “In the first section there was a lot of dust and we touched some dust and we went almost into the forest. We have been lucky we didn’t hit anything.”
Filip Mareš
© ERC
Simon Wagner, in another Hyundai i20 N Rally2, was eighth quickest with William Creighton the best of the Zlín rookies in ninth at the wheel of a Citroën C3 Rally2.
ERC champion Miko Marczyk completed the top 10 after slowing towards the end of the run in a tactical move to avoid running first on the road through Saturday’s stages.
European championship leader Teemu Suninen, who is making his Barum Czech Rally Zlín debut this weekend, was 11th fastest, followed by Václav Pech, former ERC3 champion Filip Kohn and Roberto Blach, another Zlín newcomer.
“I lost a few seconds in the last corner as I went out of the road,” Llarena Racing-run Blach said. “We are here. Not the best start. The rally will be really difficult and probably the most challenging of my rally career.”
Andrea Mabellini
© ERC
ERC rookie Dominik Jakeš was 15th fastest as Jaromír Tarabus went 16th quickest on his 25th Barum Czech Rally Zlín start. Hungarian champion Gábor Német, inaugural Master ERC champion Martin Vlček, Andrei Gîrtofan and Róbert Kolčák rounded out the top 20.
The ceremonial start in Zlín’s city square is next from 16:00 local time with the ever-spectacular central Zlín super special due to begin at 21:35 over a 9.57-kilometre route.
Watch the action live on Rally.TV and follow all the news, stage times and results via the Live Centre.
