Another win in the battle for the Czech title and a satisfying sense of a job well done. In front of packed grandstands at the Slovakia Ring, Jakub Knoll and Josef Záruba dominated the GTC class in the endurance race, finishing within the top five overall. Most importantly, both drivers savoured an action-packed and dramatic race.
While Jakub Knoll spent most of his stint battling for the lead against a Cup Porsche 911 driven by Pole David Dziwok, Josef Záruba had to contend with unpredictable weather. During his time behind the wheel, a heavy shower swept across the Slovakia Ring, accompanied by strong winds, making track conditions highly erratic.
„Jakub and Pepa did their usual excellent work, confirming our ambition to defend the title. It was particularly enjoyable to race in front of packed grandstands and such a fantastic atmosphere,” recalls team manager Jiří Mičánek, highlighting that the second round of the Central European circuit championship was held alongside a truck racing weekend that drew thousands of spectators.
Jakub Knoll was pleased not only with the race result but also with his performance in qualifying. “Compared to last year, I lost less time to Pepa, which is my target and a good way to measure progress,” Knoll explains, reflecting on the qualifying session that saw the Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra Lamborghini Huracán top the timesheets just as it did later in the race.
In the first half of the race, Knoll had to fend off attacks from the Cup Porsche 911 driven by David Dziwok. “This time, it was genuinely fun for me — I was in a battle the whole way,” he said. The charge to victory was then completed by Josef Záruba, who, in the final lap, caught up with a trio of competitors from different classes, took advantage of their battle, and overtook them all just a few corners from the finish.
Before that, however, the field had to contend with tricky track conditions. A rain shower accompanied by strong winds swept across the Slovakia Ring. “About a third of the track was wet, and it was really difficult to judge whether we were competitive or not in those conditions. Keeping the car on the track was a bit of a struggle,” Záruba explained.
After two rounds of the GT Cup Series, the duo of Jakub Knoll and Josef Záruba remains at the top of the standings with two victories. The next race takes place next week in Germany at the Lausitzring circuit.
