Jan Kopecký took a record-extending 12th win at his home round of the ERC
Photography by Red Bull
Words by Luke Barry
After losing out last year to Dominik Stříteský, Jan Kopecký regained his Barum Rally Zlín crown with a masterful drive in 2025.
Kopecký’s victory, by 10.7 seconds over Jon Armstrong, was his 12th at Czechia’s most famous event, and also ensured a different driver has won all six of the European Rally Championship events so far this season.
Andrea Mabellini scored third at the event to narrow (seventh placed) Miko Marczyk’s championship lead down to 11 points. But with dropped scores applied, Mabellini is now two points ahead.
Mabellini won the opening stage of the rally around the streets of Zlín on Friday night, but Kopecký was giving chase. And as soon as the rally hit the notorious country lanes near the host city, normal service was resumed.
Despite often making light of his increasing age (43), Kopecký was joint fastest (with Erik Cais) out the blocks on Saturday morning and held the lead thereafter.
Mabellini, Cais, Simon Wagner and Armstrong were all embroiled in a massive fight with Kopecký throughout Saturday – Armstrong ending the leg ahead thanks to two stage wins on the Bunč test where he excelled in the gravel section.
Armstrong took an emotional second at a rally he survived a nasty accident at two years ago
The M-Sport driver beat Kopecký on the first pass of the legendary Pindula stage to start the final day, but the Škoda pilot was having none of it – hitting back with two stage wins on Sunday morning.
That gave him enough of a buffer to defend from Armstrong who secured his first ERC podium outside of Poland in second, ahead of Mabellini, Wagner and Cais who both punctured on Saturday’s final stage.
Filip Mareš was sixth ahead of title contender Marczyk, Adam Březík, Jakub Matulka and Mille Johansson.
Last year’s winner Stříteský had been fourth overall before outbraking himself and running over a kerbed roundabout, which punctured two of his Fabia’s tires and forced him into retirement.
Although he retired with a broken driveshaft and would therefore finish last in Junior ERC, Calle Carlberg still did enough to become this year’s champion with one round to spare thanks to the accidents of both of his closest rivals Jaspar Vaher and Ioan Lloyd.
The emotional 25-year-old declared it was the best day of his life: “It proves that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything,” he added.
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: ERC, ERC 2025, Jan Kopecky
Publish Date August 17, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/08/qpSig3so-SI202508150084-780x520.jpg August 17, 2025
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