After a three-week break, the carousel of the World Rally Car Championship started spinning again. This time, the legendary and challenging Swedish Rally was waiting for the competitors. Compared to last year, when there were very special conditions, Sweden , as we know it, was waiting for the competitors this year. Big snow barriers, ice and an unforgettable atmosphere. Martin Prokop with Jan Tománek and the Ford Fiesta RS WRC were also present at the start of the race. Martin Prokop started the Swedish Rally very well, despite the gearing problems. Due to an unruly fan running across the track, Martin Prokop had to brake and lost fourth gear during a quick shift. Despite all the problems, Martin fought for the front row, where he was a few seconds away from fifth place. A balanced ride was enough for a beautiful seventh place after the first day. The final day did not start well for the Czech crew, in the words of Martin after the first special stage : "We didn't have a good start, we didn't drive at a good pace and the time was bad."
Martin thus managed the lead he had over Meek and Evans. As a result, he had to drive the RZ20 to the limit of his current capabilities and skills to maintain sixth position. Martin and Jan fought like lions and it turned out that they would keep the sixth place. Unfortunately, it failed. The Czech crew flew off the track and could only continue the race with great luck. Martin Prokop after an unplanned trip off the track: "We flew out at a terrible speed, I don't understand at all how we got back on the track." In the final special stage, which was the powerstage, Martin maintained an excellent 8th place, one place better than Monte Carlo. Sweden 2015 was tight until the end and nobody in the top 10 was sure until the last moment.
The next race that will be waiting for the Czech crew is the Mexican Rally. It is driven on gravel, which is a surface that Martio Prokop is more and more impressed with. We'll see if Martin maintains his great form from the beginning of the season.
Martin Prokop after the final special stage: "I am satisfied with the speed we showed this weekend. We made a few mistakes, but after the disappointment in Monte Carlo, this is a good motivation for us."
Source: Martin Prokop
