Jan Kopecký (born 28 January 1982) is a professional rally driver from Czech Republic who drives for Škoda Motorsport. He is the 2013 ERC champion, 2018 WRC-2 champion as well as a multiple champion of the Czech Rally Championship. He is also a four-time runner-up in the now-defunct IRC championship and a champion of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. In terms of total professional achievements, he is among the most successful drivers in rally history.

Career

After beginning his career as a circuit touring cars driver, Kopecký changed to rallysport in 2001, winning the national sprintrally championships at first. In 2004, he won the national classical rally championships and entered the world championships next year.

In the 2006 World Rally Championship season, Kopecký competed with co-driver Filip Schovánek driving a Škoda Fabia WRC. Kopecký won 3 Special Stages, SS18 at the 2006 Rally d'Italia Sardegna and SS9 and SS14 at the 2006 Rallye Deutschland. His best finish was 5th place at the 2006 Rally Catalunya, he scored 7 points and 15th position.

In 2007, Kopecký continued competing with the Fabia and placed 12th in the drivers' world championship. His best finish was 5th place at the 2007 Rallye Deutschland, he scored more points than in 2006, 10 points and 12th position.

In 2008, Kopecký entered Rally México with Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000 but retired at 2nd special stage. After that he switched to Peugeot 207 S2000 and Intercontinental Rally Challenge. His best result was 2nd place at the Rally Portugal and after Rally Russia he was hired by Škoda Motorsport and started testing Škoda Fabia S2000.

Kopecký competed in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with a works Škoda Fabia Super 2000 finishing second in the championship and winning two events, the Rally Principe de Asturias and Barum Czech Rally Zlín, making him the first Czech driver to win the rally in a Czech car. Kris Meeke became champion with Peugeot 207 S2000 in 2009.

In 2010, Kopecký continued his relationship with Škoda and also with his good performance in IRC. He won Rally Islas Canarias and finished 2nd at Ypres Rally and at Rali Vinho da Madeira but he also twice retired from 1st position almost at the end of rally. It was at Rally Azores and at Barum Rally Zlín. Kopecký was again 2nd in drivers standings, this time Juho Hänninen, 2nd factory driver of Škoda Motorsport was champion.

In 2011, Kopecký was entered by Škoda Motorsport at the 2011 Monte Carlo Rally alongside of Freddy Loix, Juho Hänninen and Nicolas Vouilloz. In 2021, he entered to the Hungarian Rally Championship with a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo under the Topp Cars Rally Team alongside the Czech Championship .

Results

WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos Points 2002 Matador Czech Nation Team Toyota Corolla WRC MON SWE FRA ESP CYP ARG GRE KEN FIN GERRet ITA NZL AUS GBR - 0 2003 Škoda Matador Czech National Team Škoda Octavia WRC MON SWE TUR NZL ARG GRE CYP GER20 AUS ITA FRA ESP GBRRet - 0 Jan Kopecký Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 FIN32 2004 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC MON SWE MEX NZL CYP GRE TUR ARG FIN GER JPN GBR ITA FRA ESPRet AUS - 0 2005 Jan Kopecký Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 MON SWE37 26th 1 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR GRE ARG FIN GERRet GBR JPN FRA12 ESP8 AUS 2006 Czech Rally Team Škoda Škoda Fabia WRC MON11 SWE13 MEX ESP5 FRA10 ARG ITA17 GRE16 GER7 FIN8 JPN CYP TURRet AUS NZL GBR10 15th 7 2007 Czech Rally Team Kopecký Škoda Fabia WRC MON8 SWE10 NOR8 MEX POR20 ARG ITARet GRE7 FINRet GER5 NZL ESPRet FRA7 JPN IRE GBR12 12th 10 2008 Jan Kopecký Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000 MON SWE MEXRet ARG JOR ITA GRE TUR FIN GER NZL ESP FRA JPN GBR - 0 2015 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR ITA9 POL FIN GER13 AUS FRA GBRWD 25th 3 Škoda Motorsport II ESP10 2016 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR19 ITA10 POL FIN GER9 CHNC FRA12 ESP8 GBR16 AUSWD 19th 7 2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON8 SWE MEX FRA16 ARG POR POL FIN GER11 GBR AUS 16th 7 Škoda Motorsport II ITA10 ESP9 2018 Škoda Motorsport II Škoda Fabia R5 MON10 SWE MEX FRA8 ARG POR ITA8 FIN GER9 TUR7 GBR 15th 17 Škoda Motorsport ESP13 AUS 2019 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX FRA ARG CHL POR8 ITA10 FIN GER11 TUR11 GBR18 ESP11 AUSC 19th 5 2020 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ13 NC 0

WRC-2 results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points 2015 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR ITA3 POL FIN GER1 AUS FRA GBRWD 8th 58 Škoda Motorsport II ESP2 2016 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON SWE MEX ARG POR10 ITA2 POL FIN GER2 CHNC FRA2 ESP1 GBR4 AUSWD 4th 92 2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 MON2 SWE MEX FRA7 ARG POR POL FIN GER2 GBR AUS 4th 85 Škoda Motorsport II ITA1 ESP2 2018 Škoda Motorsport II Škoda Fabia R5 MON1 SWE MEX FRA1 ARG POR ITA1 FIN GER1 TUR1 GBR 1st 143 Škoda Motorsport ESP2 AUS 2020 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ3 8th 15

WRC-2 Pro results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points 2019 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 Evo MON SWE MEX FRA ARG CHL POR2 ITA2 FIN GER1 TUR2 GBR2 ESP2 AUSC 4th 115

IRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Points2008 Champion Racing Peugeot 207 S2000 TUR5 POR2BELRetRUS6PORCZEESPITASWICHI 7th 152009 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 MON4BRAKEN POR2 BEL2 RUS2POR CZE1 ESP1 ITARetSCO 2nd 492010 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 MON5CUR4 ARG3 CAN1 SAR3 YPR2 AZORet MAD2 ZLIRet SAN6 SCO CYP 2nd 47 2011 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 MON8 CAN2 COR2 YAL3 YPRDNS AZO3 ZLI1 MEC1 SAN4 SCO5 CYP2 2nd 183 2012 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 AZO CAN1 IRL3 COR2 ITA1 YPR SMR ROM ZLIRet YAL SLI SAN2 CYP 2nd 101

ERC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Points 2013 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 JÄN1 LIE CAN1 AZO1 COR2 YPR ROM1 CZE1 POL3 CRO1 SAN VAL 1st 287 2015 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 JÄN LIE IRE AZO YPR EST CZE1 CYP GRE VAL 9th 36 2016 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 CAN IRE GRE AZO YPR EST POL CZE1 LIE CYP 6th 39 2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 AZO CAN ACR CYP POL CZE1 RMC LIE 9th 39 2018 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 AZO CAN ACR CYP RMC CZE POL LIE 10th 38 2019 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 Evo AZO CAN LIE POL RMC CZE CYP HUN 7th 39 2021 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia R5 Evo POL LAT ITA CZE PRT1 PRT2 HUN ESP 14th 39 2022 Agrotec Skoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo PRT1 PRT2 ESP1 POL LAT ITA CZE ESP2 15th 32 2023 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 PRT CAN POL LAT SWE ITA CZE HUN 16th 32 2024 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 HUN CAN SWE EST ITA CZE GBR POL 39th 9 2025 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 ESP HUN SWE POL ITA CZE GBR CRO 12th 31

Czech Rally Championship results

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 MMČR Points 2001 Pennzoil Racing Škoda Octavia ŠUM21 VAL19 KRU BOH BARRet PŘÍRet TŘE11 - 0 2002 Matador Pneusport Toyota Corolla WRC ŠUMRet VAL4 KRU3 BOH BARRet PŘÍ3 TŘE1 4th 249 2003 Škoda Matador Team Škoda Octavia WRC ŠUMRet VALRet KRU BOH25 BAR3 PŘÍ1 TŘE1 3rd 79 2004 Škoda Matador Team Škoda Fabia WRC JÄN2 ŠUM18 TAT3 KRU3 BAR1 PŘÍ1 TŘE1 1st 182 Škoda Motorsport BOH1 2005 Matador Pneusport Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII JÄN7 ŠUM3 VAL KRURet BAR3 PŘÍ9 TŘE 3rd 108 Škoda Fabia WRC TAT2 Škoda Motorsport BOH1 2006 Matador Motorsport Citroën C2 S1600 JÄN ŠUM TATRet KRU BOH BAR TŘE PŘÍ - 0 2008 Champion Racing Peugeot 207 S2000 JÄN VAL ŠUM KRU HUSRet TŘE BOH BAR PŘÍ - 0 2009 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 VAL2 ŠUM KRU HUS BAR1 PŘÍ BOH2 3rd 117 2010 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 VAL ŠUM KRU HUS BOH BARRet PŘÍ - 0 2011 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 VAL1 ŠUM KRU HUS1 BOH BAR1 PŘÍ 2nd 150 2012 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 JÄN1 VAL1 ŠUM1 KRU1 HUS1 BOH- BARRet PŘÍ 1st 260 2013 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 JÄN1 ŠUM KRU HUS1 BOH1 BAR1 PŘÍ- 2nd 306 2014 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia S2000 JÄN KRURet ŠUM HUS BOH1 BAR PŘÍ 7th 98 2015 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 ŠUM1 KRU1 HUS1 BOH1 BAR1 KLA 1st 412,5 2016 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 ŠUM1 KRU1 HUS1 BOH1 BAR1 PŘÍ 1st 324 2017 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 VAL1 ŠUM1 KRU1 HUS1 BOH1 BAR1 PŘÍ 1st 297 2018 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 VAL1 ŠUM1 KRU1 HUS1 BOH1 BAR1 PŘÍ 1st 326 2019 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 VAL1 ŠUM2 1st 311 Škoda Fabia R5 Evo KRU1 HUS BOH1 BAR1 PŘÍC 2020 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 Evo BOH2 VAL2 PAČ1 2nd 156 2021 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia R5 Evo VAL1 ŠUM1 HUS2 BAR1 PAČ1 KRU2 1st 316 Škoda Motorsport BOH1 2022 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia Rally2 evoVAL3ŠUM1KRU1HUS1BOH1BAR1PAČ13ST 1st 322.5 2023 Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia Rally2 evoVAL3ŠUM2KRU1HUS2BOH2BAR2PAČ2 1st 325.5 2024* Agrotec Škoda Rally Team Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo ŠUMCKRU2HUS2BOH3BAR5 PAČ 2nd* 138* * Season still in progress.

References

External links

IRC Official Site Jan Kopecký – profile at ewrc-results.com