Jan Kopecký

Jan Kopecký (born 28 January 1982) is a professional rally driver from Czech Republic who drives for Škoda Motorsport. He is the 2013 ERC champion, 2018 WRC-2 champion as well as a multiple champion of the Czech Rally Championship. He is also a four-time runner-up in the now-defunct IRC championship and a champion of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. In terms of total professional achievements, he is among the most successful drivers in rally history.

Career

After beginning his career as a circuit touring cars driver, Kopecký changed to rallysport in 2001, winning the national sprintrally championships at first. In 2004, he won the national classical rally championships and entered the world championships next year.

In the 2006 World Rally Championship season, Kopecký competed with co-driver Filip Schovánek driving a Škoda Fabia WRC. Kopecký won 3 Special Stages, SS18 at the 2006 Rally d'Italia Sardegna and SS9 and SS14 at the 2006 Rallye Deutschland. His best finish was 5th place at the 2006 Rally Catalunya, he scored 7 points and 15th position.

In 2007, Kopecký continued competing with the Fabia and placed 12th in the drivers' world championship. His best finish was 5th place at the 2007 Rallye Deutschland, he scored more points than in 2006, 10 points and 12th position.

In 2008, Kopecký entered Rally México with Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000 but retired at 2nd special stage. After that he switched to Peugeot 207 S2000 and Intercontinental Rally Challenge. His best result was 2nd place at the Rally Portugal and after Rally Russia he was hired by Škoda Motorsport and started testing Škoda Fabia S2000.

Kopecký competed in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with a works Škoda Fabia Super 2000 finishing second in the championship and winning two events, the Rally Principe de Asturias and Barum Czech Rally Zlín, making him the first Czech driver to win the rally in a Czech car. Kris Meeke became champion with Peugeot 207 S2000 in 2009.

In 2010, Kopecký continued his relationship with Škoda and also with his good performance in IRC. He won Rally Islas Canarias and finished 2nd at Ypres Rally and at Rali Vinho da Madeira but he also twice retired from 1st position almost at the end of rally. It was at Rally Azores and at Barum Rally Zlín. Kopecký was again 2nd in drivers standings, this time Juho Hänninen, 2nd factory driver of Škoda Motorsport was champion.

In 2011, Kopecký was entered by Škoda Motorsport at the 2011 Monte Carlo Rally alongside of Freddy Loix, Juho Hänninen and Nicolas Vouilloz. In 2021, he entered to the Hungarian Rally Championship with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo under the Topp Cars Rally Team alongside the Czech Championship .

Results

WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos Points 2002 Matador Czech Nation Team Toyota Corolla WRC MON SWE FRA ESP CYP ARG GRE KEN FIN GERRet ITA NZL AUS GBR - 0 2003 Škoda Matador Czech National Team Škoda Octavia WRC MON SWE TUR NZL ARG GRE CYP GER20 AUS ITA FRA ESP GBRRet - 0 Jan Kopecký Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 FIN32 2004 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC MON SWE MEX NZL CYP GRE TUR ARG FIN GER JPN GBR ITA FRA ESPRet AUS - 0 2005 Jan Kopecký Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 MON SWE37 26th 1 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR GRE ARG FIN GERRet GBR JPN FRA12 ESP8 AUS 2006 Czech Rally Team Škoda Škoda Fabia WRC MON11 SWE13 MEX ESP5 FRA10 ARG ITA17 GRE16 GER7 FIN8 JPN CYP TURRet AUS NZL GBR10 15th 7 2007 Czech Rally Team Kopecký Škoda Fabia WRC MON8 SWE10 NOR8 MEX POR20 ARG ITARet GRE7 FINRet GER5 NZL ESPRet FRA7 JPN IRE GBR12 12th 10 2008 Jan Kopecký Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000 MON SWE MEXRet ARG JOR ITA GRE TUR FIN GER NZL ESP FRA JPN GBR - 0 2015 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR ITA9 POL FIN GER13 AUS FRA GBRWD 25th 3 Škoda Motorsport II ESP10 2016 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR19 ITA10 POL FIN GER9 CHNC FRA12 ESP8 GBR16 AUSWD 19th 7 2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON8 SWE MEX FRA16 ARG POR POL FIN GER11 GBR AUS 16th 7 Škoda Motorsport II ITA10 ESP9 2018 Škoda Motorsport II Škoda Fabia R5 MON10 SWE MEX FRA8 ARG POR ITA8 FIN GER9 TUR7 GBR 15th 17 Škoda Motorsport ESP13 AUS 2019 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX FRA ARG CHL POR8 ITA10 FIN GER11 TUR11 GBR18 ESP11 AUSC 19th 5 2020 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ13 NC 0

WRC-2 results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points 2015 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR ITA3 POL FIN GER1 AUS FRA GBRWD 8th 58 Škoda Motorsport II ESP2 2016 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR10 ITA2 POL FIN GER2 CHNC FRA2 ESP1 GBR4 AUSWD 4th 92 2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON2 SWE MEX FRA7 ARG POR POL FIN GER2 GBR AUS 4th 85 Škoda Motorsport II ITA1 ESP2 2018 Škoda Motorsport II Škoda Fabia R5 MON1 SWE MEX FRA1 ARG POR ITA1 FIN GER1 TUR1 GBR 1st 143 Škoda Motorsport ESP2 AUS 2020 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ3 8th 15

WRC-2 Pro results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points 2019 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX FRA ARG CHL POR2 ITA2 FIN GER1 TUR2 GBR2 ESP2 AUSC 4th 115

IRC results

ERC results

Czech Rally Championship results