Jan Kopecký, aboard a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with co-driver Jiří Hovorka, produced a stellar performance to win the 54th Barum Czech Rally Zlín, the sixth round of the 2025 FIA European Rally Championship, on Sunday, 17 August 2025. The 2013 ERC champion secured his 12th victory at Zlín—an incredible achievement—completing the rally 10.7 seconds ahead of Jon Armstrong after the thirteen challenging tarmac stages.
Battles, Setbacks, and Shifting Leads
The rally happened in a dramatic fashion with twists and turns along the way. Andrea Mabellini shocked many by leading from the get-go on the superspecial on Friday, only for Kopecký to move in front in SS2 and keep moving ahead through the morning stages on Saturday. Competition really started heating up when Simon Wagner started to chase down Kopecký’s margin, until he suffered a tyre deflation and spin in SS7 and was out of the running. As the rally continued, Armstrong kept working, until he was just 6.3 seconds behond Kopecký Sunday morning, and the Czech stalwart found his rhythm again, and extended the gap to finish top.
Podium Drama and Title Implications
Armstong’s second-place finish represented his second podium of the season and put him third in the championship standings. Mabellini finished third and secured the Power Stage—meaning that he reduced the gap to the championship leader, Miko Marczyk, to 11 points (before dropped scores). Meanwhile, Marczyk, struggling with an inconsistent pace, managed just two points from the Power Stage and had to settle for seventh overall. click here ffor the source
