Building on the outstanding result from the first GT2 European Series race at Paul Ricard that is the goal for Jiří Mičánek Jr., whose team faces the second round of the prestigious series this weekend. In Zandvoort, Bronislav Formánek and Štefan Rosina will be defending two victories, but the promoter has made their task considerably harder with an increased BoP.
More weight, higher ride height. Two factors set to work against Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra in the second round of the GT2 European Series. After a dominant win at the season opener, Jiří Mičánek’s squad faces a tougher challenge on the podium. “We can expect a more closely fought race weekend, but I believe the car will remain very competitive. Our ambitions are still the highest – to fight for podiums, stay at the top of the championship, and ideally strengthen that position,” said team manager Jiří Mičánek.
The duo of Formánek and Rosina head into the second round as clear leaders, holding an 18-point advantage over the second-placed crew with 51 points. Paradoxically, for the more experienced of the pair – Štefan Rosina – the race will be a debut at Zandvoort. The F1 circuit underwent a major redesign before the 2023 season, including the addition of a banked corner. Formánek, on the other hand, raced here in 2023 and claimed second place alongside Karol Basz in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe. “When it’s dry, you take the banked corner flat out, and at the top the car just brushes past the wall,” Formánek praised the track’s unusual feature. Rosina approaches his Zandvoort debut with humility: “We’ll see how much the higher BoP and ride height affect our competitiveness.”
This weekend, the driver duo will have to manage without their race engineer, Josef Záruba. He will be at the Red Bull Ring for the opening round of the GT Cup Series – the Central European circuit championship, which was known as the ESET Cup until last year. Alongside Jakub Knoll, he will be aiming to defend last year’s endurance title.
„This means fielding two teams, but we are such a large and strong outfit that it’s not a problem for us. Thanks to our extensive technical infrastructure, we can send a full crew to both venues – from the truck and spare parts to personnel support,” said Jiří Mičánek.
„It’s a bit out of my comfort zone, but the team is prepared and we’re well-rehearsed. We’ll be cheering each other on, and if needed, many issues can be handled remotely,” commented Bronislav Formánek on the absence of his long-time racing partner, Záruba. “I’m confident Štefan will cover my role. He’s a professional, and after a shared season and the first GT2 round, we’re all in sync. It’s a shame the schedules clash, but I believe the guys will manage,” Záruba added.
