Racing driver Jan Kopecký went to the circuit, where he tested the historic Škoda 1100 OHC racing car and the Škoda Slavia student car inspired by him.
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Jan Kopecký will normally sit behind the wheel of the Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo rally special, with which he has already achieved a number of successes. Recently, however, he was given the opportunity to try out a pair of diametrically opposed cars, with which he completed a pair of wheels on a closed circuit. And what were his impressions?
„On the one hand, it cannot be compared at all. The 1100 OHC is a historical legend and the Slavia is a modern car with everything, the difference is huge. However, OHC was a great inspiration for the students and I think they really succeeded in the result,“Kopecký said with a smile shortly after testing both cars.
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At the same time, he saved both cars quite a bit during his rides, although it may not look like that on the video. For the Škoda 1100 OHC, the main reason was respect for the legendary historic car, for the Škoda Slavia it is necessary to realize that it is still only a prototype, which the aggressive driving style common in the rally would certainly not have to testify to.
For this reason, Jan Kopecký chose a rather historic driving style, which was characteristic at the turn of the fifties and sixties. “The Škoda 1100 OHC was created for endurance races, but they were driven differently then than they are today. It was about how someone knew their technique and was able to perceive the car so that they could save the car and it reached the finish line,“Added an experienced racer.
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So is there anything at all that connects the historic Škoda 1100 OHC and its inspired Škoda Slavia from 2020? According to Kopecký, the answer is primarily the admiration that both cars deserve and the ability to grab the driver’s heart, even though each car does it its own way.
„At 1100 OHC, the story breathes on you, when you get out of that car, you smell like gasoline. The OHC is incredibly light and its 92 horses are truly recognizable. It’s a great reminder of the beautiful historic engines with a carburetor, and the open exhaust of the race car obviously makes a crazy riot,“Smiles the factory driver of the Škoda Motorsport team.
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„Thanks to its TSI engine, Slavia has real power and dense sound, and of course it is technically much further. The sports seats of the student car and also its sports steering wheel are absolutely fantastic. The driver is more protected from the elements than in the OHC, but the connection with the environment is still intoxicating,“Kopecký summarizes his impressions.
At the same time, he personally considers the projects of student cars to be a great opportunity for students to try working on real cars under the supervision of experienced consultants from the car company. He added that he would like to become a similar consultant sometime in the future. And he already has a clear idea of what could develop under his leadership.
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„Maybe next time they could build a real little race car at a school as part of a project,“Kopecký offers an idea for the next student car with a sly smile. “I would like to help them with that,“Dreams of a professional racer and world rally champion in the WRC 2 category from 2018.
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