Michelin’s Zlín success evens up the ERC Winning Tyre battle

Its 1-3 finish on the demanding Tarmac event was its first ERC victory since Yoann Bonato triumphed on Rally Islas Canarias in May and brings its total of ERC Winning Tyre successes to two.

MRF Tyres and Pirelli have also claimed twin victories since the ERC Winning Tyre accolade was introduced on Rally Islas Canarias to recognise the official FIA European Rally Championship tyre partner whose products equip the triumphant driver pairing on each of the remaining ERC events in 2023.

Hankook, Michelin, MRF and Pirelli are the ERC’s four official tyre partners with Hankook focusing its participation on its role as the official tyre supplier of the FIA Junior ERC Championship.

Michelin’s latest ERC Winning Tyre capture came when Jan Kopecký and Jan Hloušek drove their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to victory after 200.43 kilometres of challenging Tarmac action. It was the 2013 ERC champion’s 11th win on his home round of the championship and a third-straight Zlín success for co-driver Hloušek.

Behind Pirelli-equipped Miklós Csomós and Viktor Ban, Simon Wagner and Gerald Winter completed the Barum Czech Rally Zlín podium after they got the better of fellow Michelin runners Adam Březík and Ondřej Krajča during the deciding Power Stage.

Two more Michelin-equipped drivers, Erik Cais and Mathieu Franceschi, finished in the top 10 with Cais placing seventh and Franceschi ninth.

In total Michelin drivers won 11 of the 13 stages with Cais and Kopecký each setting the fastest time on four occasions.

Rally Hungary hosts the deciding round of the 2023 FIA European Rally Championship from 6 - 8 October.

ERC Winning Tyre Award winners
Rally Islas Canarias: Michelin
ORLEN 79th Rally Poland: MRF
Tet Rally Liepāja: MRF
BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia: Pirelli
Rally di Roma Capitale: Pirelli
Barum Czech Rally Zlín: Michelin