With a new promoter on board, a revamped calendar and plenty of star performers preparing for action, prospects for a big start to a big year were strong. Here’s a reminder of what happened when the Tarmac event took place from 3 - 5 January.
Who won?
Jan Kopecký for the second year running – by 0.5sec ahead of Bryan Bouffier following a dramatic final day.
How?
The Škoda Fabia Super 2000 driver began the closing eight-stage leg with a 20.2sec advantage over Bouffier (Peugeot 207 S2000, below). But heavy rain and ice-coated sections prompted a cautious approach from the Czech who was nevertheless 20.0sec in front with four stages remaining.
Then what?
A front-left damaged tyre seven kilometres from the finish of stage 15 dropped Kopecký to third with only three stages to go. Bouffier, competing on his first Jännerrallye, took the lead despite spinning on the same stage.
Despite being 29.7sec adrift of first place, Kopecký didn’t give up, slashing Bouffier’s lead to 10.6sec starting the final stage. By completing the fog-hit 25-kilometre decider 11.1sec faster than his French rival, Kopecký celebrated victory in his Michelin-equipped Fabia by 0.5sec.
What was said?
“I never stopped believing I could win because if you stop believing you cannot achieve anything,” Kopecký said afterwards. “I was still believing and still hoping. Thanks to Bryan for an incredible battle and to the team for a great car. Pavel [Dresler], my co-driver, also did a great job so thanks to him. The last stage was very difficult but we had a really great car and the set-up was very good for the stages. We just said we would try because we had nothing to lose apart from maybe the car in the forest. We tried and finally we won.”
What else happened?
The 2013 Jännerrallye was triple European champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz’s second ERC start outside his native Poland. He finished sixth overall driving a Subaru Impreza R4 (below).
In front of a 120,000 fans, Austrian drivers Raumund Baumschlager, Beppo Harrach and Hannes Danzinger all impressed. Baumschlager finished third overall, Harrach – one of seven stage winners in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX R4 – was handed the Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophy for securing top ERC Production Car Cup honours, while Danzinger finished first in EWC 2WD.
World Rally Championship heroes François Delecour and Stig Blomqvist finished seventh and 12th respectively.
This year's Jännerrallye, a round of the Austrian championship, gets under way today (3 January) and finishes on Sunday (5 January). ERC frontrunners Filip Mareš and Simon Wagner appear on a packed entry list.
Monaco
Spain
Turkey