Irishmen Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle fought back from 33rd to finish second in the IRC Czech Rally Zlin, but a home victory for Skoda’s Jan Kopecky saw their championship lead cut to three points.
To say a Czech driver taking a Czech car to victory in his home race was popular with the tens of thousands of rally-mad Czech fans would be an understatement but crucially for the Peugeot UK men, their other two big rivals failed to score as they extended their lead over Giandomenico Basso and Freddy Loix by eight points.
Peugeot Press
Meeke and Nagle also overcame a puncture halfway through the SuperSpecial and the flu (head cold, if you believe his blog) that afflicted Meeke throughout the weekend. The pair ended SS1 in one of the calendar’s toughest races of the year in 33rd place but fought back to claw their way back up the table, culminating in victory in SS12.
“It was a very difficult rally with the torrential rain coming in on Saturday evening and me struggling with the flu,” Meeke told the Belfast Telegraph. “But the team doctor gave me a jab in the backside with something, I don’t know what it was, and it certainly helped!
“To come away from the Czech Republic still leading the championship was more than I could have hoped for, especially after the puncture.”
The next round is the Rally Principe de Asturias, Spain, from September 10-12.
Watch highlights with Kris and Paul below:
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