ERC
Stříteský Czechs in for ERC bid
Dominik Stříteský will go from being a one-hit wonder in the FIA European Rally Championship to mounting a season-long campaign in the hugely competitive series.
Stříteský delivered on his potential when he broke Jan Kopecký’s record of Barum Czech Rally Zlín victories – that stretched back to 2015 – by winning his home round of the ERC last August. The result also helped the 25-year-old become national champion for the first time.
Rather than mount a title defence, Czech talent Stříteský will line up for a seven-event ERC campaign as part of a three-year project. He will also tackle three Czech championship counters, namely Rallye Český Krumlov, Rally Bohemia and Barum Czech Rally Zlín, which doubles as a round of the ERC.
Competing under the Auto Podbabská Škoda PSG ACCR Team banner, Stříteský will share his Michelin-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with new-co-driver Igor Bacigál from Slovakia. Only BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia will be missing from their ERC schedule.
Stříteský will drive a Michelin-equipped Škoda in the ERC
© Dominik Stritesky
“It could be expected that we will try to defend the Czech title this year but personally I don’t have such ambitions,” said Stříteský, a qualified car mechanic. “I am happy that with the support of our partners and team we have managed to realise our project in the European Rally Championship. And I am really looking forward to compete there, mainly because we will have an opportunity to compare our performance with many fast foreign drivers. But I am still staying down on the earth. Considering the number of changes and new events, the 2025 season will be mainly about getting the experience with new destinations and stages, not about an immediate attack on the top positions.
“We have added two gravel events to our programme (Hungary and Poland). I have only minimal experience with driving on this surface, so it will be big challenge for us. But I believe it will be a lot of fun. We all feel that there is a lot of challenges and hard work ahead of us. But we want to enjoy competing in the ERC as much as possible. But I would like to send a message to our rivals – we will definitely not give positions away cheaply.”
Stříteský celebrates his breakthrough home ERC win in 2024
© ERC
Construction company PSG, which is based in Otrokovice, the home of the Barum Czech Rally Zlín service park, and turned 100 last year, is a new partner for Stříteský. It previously supported Roman Kresta and former EWC stalwart Antonín Tlusťák.
Another key partner is Auto Podbabská, a Prague-based Škoda dealer which has been supporting Stříteský for the past two years and hosted a press conference earlier today (Wednesday) formally announcing the Czech driver’s ERC bid.
Of his new co-driver Igor Bacigál, who previously partnered Erik Cais, another talented Czech driver, Stříteský said: “I had an opportunity to spend few days with Igor – both in personal life and also in a rally car. It is a big change for both of us, we are changing our rally partners after a long time. So we are leaving nothing to chance and are trying to do everything we can to play our best before start of the first rally.”
In another notable change, Stříteský’s team, Vančík Motorsport, will work in partnership with established ERC squad Orsák Rallysport.
Stříteský's Vančík Motorsport has formed an alliance with Orsák Rallysport
© Dominik Stritesky
Stříteský explained: “Last season exceeded our expectations so the question on the table was defend the title or make a step up. I am a believer in constant improvement, even if it is only step by step. That’s why we have decided to try to create a project which includes our participation in the ERC. I am very happy that with support of our long-term partners we were able to manage it.
“We have also established a closer partnership between Vančík Motorsport and Orsák Rallysport, which will help us to solve some logistics tasks. There is really lot of changes and it is important to give the things a new order. So we are taking this season mainly as a familiarisation and we are not setting unnecessarily high goals. However, this does not mean that we will not try to achieve the best possible result in every rally.”
The 42nd Rally Sierra Morena - Córdoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad in Spain opens the 2025 ERC season from 3 - 6 April.
