Hayden Paddon is the winner of the FIA European Rally Championship for 2023 despite his dramatic exit from Barum Czech Rally Zlín on Sunday. In the battle for the Barum Czech Rally Zlín victory, Jan Kopecký scored a record-extending 11th win on his home round of the ERC in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 run on Michelin tyres. With Jan Hloušek co-driving the Agrotec Škoda Rally Team entry, Kopecký preserved his overnight lead of 14.9 seconds to triumph ahead of Miklós Csomós by 14.3 seconds. Just four-tenths of a second further back and making it three Czech drivers inside the top five was Pirelli-equipped Mareš. He gained a position in the morning following Paddon’s demise and pulled clear of Dominik Stříteský over the closing stages, finishing the rally 8.5 seconds clear of his rival’s Hankook-shod Fabia.

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