Turning dominant performances at the fourth round of the FIA CEZ Central European Circuit Championship in Most into a winning streak, the Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra team excelled in the sprint races. On the other hand, a technical issue added drama to what had been a flawless title campaign in the endurance category.
Two wins and a step towards a third – that’s the haul the Jiří Mičánek team is taking home from the Most Autodrom. Josef Záruba, stepping in for the injured Libor Dvořáček, dominated the GTC class in both sprint races. The same result was within reach in the endurance race with Jakub Knoll at the wheel. However, just before the driver change, a technical issue brought their promising race to an early end.
„Pepa proved in both sprints that he is undoubtedly one of the top drivers in Central Europe. Beyond the results, it’s worth highlighting how well he adapted to the unpredictable weather while also skillfully avoiding all the critical moments we saw over the weekend,” says team manager Jiří Mičánek Jr.
He’s mainly referring to the start of the first sprint, where several cars collided in the opening corner, prompting a red flag. Thanks to Záruba’s experience, the team’s Lamborghini Huracán ST EVO2 emerged from the critical moment unscathed. “I saw Dennis Waszek braking on the grass, and in my mirror I could see another car coming up behind me, so I drove straight through the chicane and avoided the collision,” Záruba recalls the dramatic start of the first race. Having come through the incident without damage, he was then able to take advantage in the restarted race, as the collision had taken out his main rival.
In the second Sunday race, Josef Záruba’s performance was even more dominant. During the wet qualifying session, his precise driving saw him sneak into second place overall, just behind Petr Fulín, who was competing in a GT3-class car. Immediately after the start, Záruba moved into the lead. “I saw Petr behind me and didn’t want to risk a collision, so I avoided a fight for the position and slipped back to second. Towards the end, I had the chance to challenge him again, but Jirka Mičánek and I had agreed not to take unnecessary risks. Even so, second place overall and two class victories is a great success,” Josef Záruba explained.
While Záruba experienced countless dramatic moments in the sprint races, he didn’t get the chance to shine in the endurance race. A very promising run, in which he and Jakub Knoll aimed to continue their flawless form, was brought to an early end by a technical issue. “It’s probably the gearbox — we had it overhauled recently, but these things can happen. It’s just racing; no one’s at fault. Kuba drove brilliantly,” praised Jiří Mičánek. Knoll had been maintaining a position within the top seven overall and leading the GTC class, in which the Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra team is chasing the title.
The driver himself, however, wasn’t satisfied with his performance. “On Friday, the free practice sessions were affected by the weather, and I just couldn’t find the right setup for Saturday. Pepa handled qualifying brilliantly, and in the race I was holding roughly within two positions, but especially at the end of my stint, I wasn’t happy with my performance,” said Jakub Knoll. He didn’t get the chance to hand the car over to Záruba due to the technical issue. The race ultimately ended early following a serious collision between rivals. “This added drama to our pursuit of the endurance title, but that’s just racing. I believe that in the next two rounds, we’ll be back to giving 100%,” concluded team manager Jiří Mičánek.
