Season
Jan Kopecký brings home two world championship points
A fantastic seventh place and two world championship points were captured by the Czech crew Jan Kopecký-Filip Schovánek in an exceptionally demanding race, which ranks among the toughest on the entire World Rally Championship circuit. The success at the BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally did not come about easy and that is why the result for Czech Rally Team Kopecký is even more precious.
The Czech crew most of all has suffered in the initial special stage by the insensitive watering of the track's surface by the organizers, but with a mature performance Jan and Filip were able to overcome the starting position in the last group of ten drivers and keep greatly moving through the starting field forward. Following Friday's leg, the crew starting in their Škoda Fabia WRC car ranked in tenth place and in Saturday's leg Jan Kopecký and Filip Schovánek have registered a move to an excellent seventh place. Since the gap of the competitors running behind the Czech pair was not very significant, a hard battle was expected to take place for the seventh position throughout Sunday's leg. Jan Kopecký very firmly stood ground before his pursuers right from the start of Sunday's leg, because he achieved a seventh and sixth best time in the first two special stages of the final leg. He was able to actually increase his lead in the leg on Sunday and skillfully brought the Škoda Fabia WRC car bearing the colors of Czech Rally Team Kopecký all the way to the finish ramp in seventh place. Jan Kopecký in the BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally captured two points into the driver standings in the World Championship and increased his point count this year in the World Champions to four points, because he already captured one point this year in Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo and also in the Rally Norway.
"Number one I would like to say that I unbelievably value the seventh place in the Acropolis Rally. Our result was a combined effort of many people, who deserve a great thanks. Technicians and mechanics have done some excellent work, because to bring a car all the way to the finish ramp in such a broken up race is not easy. A huge gratitude on my behalf belongs to all of our partners and especially Škoda Auto a.s., because without their major help we would not be able to start at the world races.
After last year's experiences we knew the race is really extremely demanding. But still we remembered that in the Acropolis Rally it is not only about the absolute speed, but also the driver's consideration to the race car and tires. Conditions here are so tough that practically on every meter of the special stage the tires or the car can be badly damaged. We had a good rhythm in the first two legs and we entered the final leg in a fantastic seventh position. Of course I expected the attack of our competitors, but I was able to fend off the attack right at the start of Sunday's leg. By then it was clear that the only thing that can make us lose the excellent seventh place is either a great deal of bad luck or a fatal error. The seventh place that we are bringing home to the Czech Republic makes me really happy," said the driver Jan Kopecký
"For me the result has a great personal significance, because in 1981 in Greece the Czech crew Václav Blahna-Pavel Schovánek with a Škoda 130 RS race car have captured an eighth place in the overall standings. We were therefore able to improve this historic result and just as my dad even I was navigating in a Škoda model race car. I don't doubt that my dad is extremely happy with our result.
I would like to dedicate our seventh place especially to our mechanics and technicians. They not only prepared the Škoda Fabia WRC car into a top shape, but they've especially spent 28 days away from their homes and families, which we've started with a test before the Rally d'Italia Sardegna and ended with a start in the Acropolis Rally," added Filip Schovánek.
"Seventh place is a huge success for the entire Czech Rally Team Kopecký. My great appreciation and thanks is deserved by everyone, who played a part in the extremely tough Acropolis Rally. I am glad that we were able to capture two World Championship points on the Greek gravel, which literally ranks among the harshest on the championship circuit. Our crew has turned in a great performance and was able to very well combine speed and reliability in the entire race. Although Jan and Filip are not the most experienced, they really gave a mature performance. We are leaving Greece with a performance and a result, which we exceptionally value," added the team manager Josef Kopecký.
Final standings of BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally:
1. GRÖNHOLM M. / RAUTIAINEN T. Ford Focus RS WRC 06 3:49:20.8
2. LOEB S. / ELENA D. Citroën C4 WRC +0:38.6
3. SOLBERG P. / MILLS P. Subaru Impreza WRC 2007 +1:34.1
4. HIRVONEN M. / LEHTINEN J. Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +2:41.3
5. SOLBERG H. / MENKERUD C. Ford Focus RS WRC 06 +4:52.7
6. ATKINSON Ch. / PREVOT S. Subaru Impreza WRC 2007 +6:31.7
7. KOPECKÝ JAN / SCHOVÁNEK FILIP ŠKODA Fabia WRC +8:15.8
8. STOHL M. / MINOR I. Citroën Xsara WRC +8:56.2
