2011 Czech Rally
The Barum Czech Rally Zlín 2011 was held from 26 to 28 August 2011 Zlín in the Czech Republic. She was the seventh round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2011 and was also among the European Rally Championship and the Czech Rally Championship.
Background
The paddock was in Zlín. The program consisted of 15 special stages over 248.48 timed kilometers on paved roads. The total distance including liaison stages was 619.73 km. On Friday, 26 August, was the shake down. On the evening of the competition with a short night audit was opened in the city of Zlín. The remaining 14 trials were held on the following two days in daylight.
The rally had a strong field of participants. 29 of 112 registered teams took Super 2000 cars. Among them were Matthias Kahle and Mark Wall wine, the two pilots of Škoda Auto Škoda Fabia S2000 in Germany were. While Wallenwein already participated in the Rally Monte Carlo in the IRC, Kahle was at the Barum Rally debut in this series.
Course
The Shakedown graduated Andreas Mikkelsen was fastest. Skoda factory driver Juho Hänninen won the first special stage and sat down at the top of the standings. The next day he was replaced on WP2 by Mikkelsen, but also his leadership was short-lived. For local hero January Kopecký drove on WP3 the best time and took the lead in the overall standings. Pavel Valoušek retired meanwhile in an accident a broken arm. Kopecký increased his lead until the lunch break on almost six seconds ahead of Mikkelsen. Due to a tire failure on WP8 but Mikkelsen lost nearly two minutes and Guy Wilks even just under three minutes. By the end of the day Kopecký had moved out almost 20 seconds and Freddy Loix Hänninen. The latter scored the afternoon after changes to the setup three best times.
On the last day had the leading January Kopecký struggling with a defective power steering his Škoda. He lost to WP10 about 15 seconds, and so be ahead of Freddy Loix had already been melted down to less than six seconds. At the same time fell from the previously fourth-placed Bryan Bouffier when he came off after a braking mistake of the track and down on a rock tore two wheels on impact. Loix then set two fastest times, but managed not to make up crucial time intervals on Kopecký. After WP12 Loix was indeed only one second behind Kopecký, this was his lead now but consolidate and finally won with 1.2 seconds ahead of Loix. This was the closest decision so far in the history of IRC. Third place Kopecky, Juho Hanninen teammate stated. Andreas Mikkelsen was on his way to his loss of time on the day before the limit and still achieved four best times. In the battle for fourth place but he was beaten by six seconds Thierry Neuville. Kopecký pushed himself with his first IRC victory in 2011 in the points classification to within three meters of the leading Hänninen zoom. The two Škoda Germany pilots lacked contrast, yet less competitive. Wallenwein finished the rally in 18th place and Kahle ranked 19th of 77 participants placed.