Wulf Biebinger

Barum Rally Zlín organisers gained a very good evaluation by the FIA Observers couple in the previous days. This year´s 35th edition of the Zlín´s Rally was driven as the World candidate event for the first time, and confirmed the very important Barum Rally´s position in the FIA European Championship of the Rally Drivers. The overall winner became Italian Renato Travaglia with Renault Clio S1600, who has a big chance for gaining the European title again after three years.

Erkki Vuopala

As the World candidate event, the Barum Rally Zlín has got two FIA Observers this year. We could see for the second time Mr. Wulf Biebinger from Germany here in Zlín, Erkki Vuopala from Finland came in the position of 2nd Observer for the third time. The Observers evaluation report has got more then ten pages with very good Barum Rally Zlín´s evaluation. “We were very pleased with the evaluation. We can say it´s the best Zlín´s Rally evaluation in the European Championship”, said Mr. Miloslav Regner, Clerk of the Course.
The Rally was watched by the Observers very carefully. They evaluated the Barum Rally Zlín as the important European Rally with the starting field of twelve different European nations. Among the Rally strengths belong: very well prepared and trained organisers; especially perfect safety plan (fully applicable during the Rally); perfectly marked spectators zones in the SS. We can see here also a strong support from the public institutions of the Region and the City and very well situated and working Rally Headquarters. Wonderful forest passages; start and finish in the Zlin’s square; many spectators; and very well equipped emergency cars. The big importance is in the Rally safety. The Observers were not (like last year) satisfied with the shakedown “Observers criticized the very long shakedown as well as its difficult arrival this year. It was contrary too short last year. Small criticism came to the service parking area due to the following the 30-km/h-speed rules. We had some fast passages in some SS, which linked valuable technical sections, such as in Trojak. We were also suggested to improve the language skills of the organizers committee”, specified Regner.
The evaluation of this candidate event was very good and the organisers are facing ahead towards to the future world rally championship development. „We’re interested in world rally organisation. We did the first step by this year’s successful event. If the number of World Rallies is increased to 24 next year, we have a chance. These changes will take place in 2007. Some matching with Deutschland Rally is on, it depends on the decision of World Rally FIA Council. If everything goes smoothly, we can have World Championship in the Czech Republic in 2008 as the earliest”, said Regner. A very good prestige of Barum Rally Zlin can be proven by the fact that World Rally Commission President, French Jacques Regis, is planning to come to Zlin. Next year’s Barum Rally Zlin will be driven again as the World candidate event and the part of the FIA European Championship of Rally Drivers in 25 – 27 August 2006.

In Zlín, 3 October 2005
Roman ORDELT
Press Relations Officer Barum rally Zlín