Archiv autora: Tomáš Vacín

Soutěž Formule Star přilákala desítky mladých talentů, vítěz získal sezónu v Twingo Cupu

Tomáš Vacín

Ve dnech 17.–18. listopadu se na Autodromu Most konala soutěž Formula Star, která se setkala s velkým zájmem veřejnosti. Na severočeský okruh se sjelo bezmála čtyřicet závodníků a závodnic ve věku od 14 let, kteří po dva dny soutěžili v několika disciplínách. Vítězem se nakonec stal Stefan Treneski z Makedonie.

Jedinečnou akci organizovali promotér Josef Křenek a F4 CEZ Academy. Přihlášky do programu Formule Star přicházely nejen z České republiky. Nebývalý zájem ze zahraničí dodal této soutěži mezinárodní status a mezi účastníky se nacházeli i mladíci z Maďarska, Makedonie, Slovinska i dalekého Švédska.

Všichni soutěžící byli rozděleni do čtyři skupin pod vedením Heleny Chovancové, Jany Adámkové, Adama Kouta a Aleše Sirného. Tato čtveřice postupně provázela své skupiny jednotlivými disciplínami. Účastníci museli absolvovat rozhovory v anglickém jazyce na kameru s Tomášem Vacínem a Martinem Knápkem. Dále na ně čekal fyzický trénink pod dohledem Jindřišky Fialové, zahrnující sprint, plank, burpees a běh. Nedílnou součástí každého závodníka je i znalost základních pravidel chování a bezpečnosti na trati. Další disciplínou byl proto i vědomostní test s bezmála třiceti otázkami.

Patrně nejoblíbenějšími disciplínami prvního dne byly jízdy na motokárách a na závodním simulátoru. Motokárové jízdy se odehrávaly v Carbonia Racing Arena v Mostě. Cílem soutěžících bylo zajet nejrychlejší čas. Stejný úkol měli i na simulátoru Racingfuelsimulators a na konci prvního dne bylo vyhlášeno průběžné pořadí soutěže.

V pondělí čekaly na všichni účastníky závěrečné dvě disciplíny, ze kterých vzešlo deset finalistů. Tentokrát absolvovali na simulátoru pětiminutovou kvalifikaci a desetiminutový závod na okruhu Most v monopostu formule 4. Poté se přesunuli na parkoviště a za volant závodního Renaultu Twingo, s kterým absolvovali slalom mezi kuželkami. Pro soutěžící bez řidičského průkazu byl připraven základní trénink s osobním vozem a instruktorem na polygonu.

Na základě průběžného hodnocení pak bylo vybráno deset finalistů, kteří se rozdělili do tří skupin a usedli do závodního Renaultu Twingo. Jejich cílem bylo na Autodromu Most zajet co nejrychlejší čas, aniž by se dotkli nebo přejeli bílé čáry, lemující celý okruh. Ve vyrovnaném závěrečném klání se absolutním vítězem Formule Star stal Stefan Treneski z Makedonie a získal závodní sezonu 2025 v Twingo Cupu. Na druhém až pátém místě se umístili Martin Toth, Jakub Lavický, Nils Lilja a Tomáš Čapek, kteří obdrželi příležitost absolvovat v Twingo Cupu jeden závod během roku 2025. Jakub Vondráček, Oliver Gmuca, Karolína Průšová, Michal Kudr a Taj Kovačič se umístili na šestém až desátém místě, za což získali 10 hodin na Racingfuelsimulators u Lukamotorsport.

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Formule Star se blíží, nabídne soutěž o sezonu v Twingo Cupu

Tomáš Vacín

Na Autodromu Most se ve dnech 17. a 18. listopadu 2024 uskuteční jedinečná soutěž pod názvem Formule Star 2024, která nabízí účastníkům šanci vyhrát celou závodní sezónu v populárním pohárovém voze Twingo Cup. Tato soutěž, organizovaná ve spolupráci s F4 CEZ Academy, je určena všem, kdo sní o profesionálním závodění a chtějí otestovat své dovednosti na závodní dráze.

Co čeká účastníky?

Program je velmi rozmanitý a zaměřuje se na různé aspekty motoristického sportu. Účastníci projdou řadou disciplín včetně testů sportovních znalostí, jízdou v závodním simulátoru, motokárového závodu a slalomu, které prověří jejich fyzickou kondici a reakce. Největší výzvou bude pro účastníky samotná jízda na okruhu v závodním Renaultu Twingo.

Důraz na komunikaci a jazykovou vybavenost

Jedním z klíčových momentů soutěže je také rozhovor, který proběhne v českém a anglickém jazyce. Tímto krokem organizátoři chtějí zjistit nejen technické a jezdecké kvality účastníků, ale také jejich schopnost komunikovat na mezinárodní úrovni.

Odměny pro nejlepší účastníky

Startovné činí 7 600 Kč, přičemž kapacita je omezená na 50 účastníků. Dvacet nejlepších postoupí do výběru pro F4 CEZ Academy, kde budou mít možnost se dále vzdělávat a připravovat. Absolutní vítěz získá kompletní závodní sezonu 2025 v Twingo Cupu.

Pro koho je akce určena?

Soutěž Formule Star 2024 je určena především pro ambiciózní a talentované jezdce, kteří mají chuť otestovat své schopnosti a zjistit, zda mají potenciál k profesionální kariéře. Kontaktní osobou je Lukáš Karhan. karhan@lukamotorsport.cz.

„I’ve learned not to hesitate,“ says Jiří Zbožínek about his first season in TCR

Tomáš Vacín

After a year in the Clio Cup, Jiří Zbožínek stepped up to a much faster racing machine this year: the Hyundai Elantra. He joined the TCR Eastern Europe series, becoming the third driver for Hyundai Janík Motorsport. In the overall standings, Jiří finished 11th, and he took 3rd place in the Junior category.

How would you rate your debut season in TCR Eastern Europe 2024?

I’d say I rate it quite positively. Considering it was my first season in this category, I think there was noticeable progress throughout the year. Most importantly, I managed to achieve the goals I set for myself before the season began. So overall, I’d call it a good season.

What was the most intense moment of your 2024 season?

I think it was during the third round at Slovakiaring when I managed to finish on the podium. That was definitely the most intense moment for me.

Was there a particular time when you had to push to the absolute limit or even beyond?

That would also be at Slovakiaring. During the race, I knew I was in a good position, and I knew I had the pace to move up even further. So, I pushed hard to catch the driver ahead of me. I remember really having to go all out, and it was right on the edge. It was a hot weekend, and several drivers were struggling with tire issues, which made it even tougher.

How challenging was the transition from the Clio to the much more powerful TCR car?

It was definitely tough in the beginning. Even though the Clio and TCR cars have the same drivetrain layout, the TCR car is heavier, wider, longer, and overall just bigger. I had to get used to all of that. The handling was also quite new to me—the TCR car requires a very specific driving style, which I wasn’t used to. The starting procedure, in particular, was something I struggled with all season because it’s quite complicated. So, there were a lot of new things I had to learn.

How did your teammates Maťo Homola and Adam Kout help you progress this season?

They both played a big role in my progress. They have more experience, and they helped me a lot by analyzing my driving with me and giving me advice on how to improve. They were like teachers to me, and I was really grateful to be able to learn from them.

What goals did you set for yourself at the beginning of the season, and did you manage to achieve them?

At the start of the season, my goal was to consistently finish in the top 10 and score points. I managed to achieve that, so I’m really happy about it.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned during your first season in TCR?

Probably that I shouldn’t hesitate when I decide to do something.

How do you see your future in touring car racing? Are you planning to continue in TCR Eastern Europe?

That’s a tough question because everything changes so quickly. But I definitely want to continue in the TCR Eastern Europe series, at least for next year. We’ll see how things go and what opportunities come up after that.“

Damp conditions and determination lead Mičík to best result in his debut season

Tomáš Vacín

Marek Mičík entered the single-seater world this season with the F4 CEZ Academy team. He took part in the academy at the beginning of the year, and the next step for him was to participate in the F4 CEZ championship, where he showed great promise.

Marek Mičík has been racing in the F4 field since the season opener at Balaton Park. His first competitive experience brought him two 8th-place finishes and one 6th place—a solid debut.

“My first season was all about learning new things and gaining experience. I think I got off to a good start, but the rest of the season was really challenging,” said Mičík, who managed to finish in the top 5 at Most circuit in the second part of the season, marking his best result in 2024.

“It was in damp conditions, and I enjoyed it the most, probably also because it was my best career result,” explained Mičík, who also has fond memories of the second round at Red Bull Ring.

“My favorite track in the championship is Red Bull Ring. It’s a fantastic circuit, and I had an unbelievable weekend there, especially in the second race, where I made a great recovery after getting spun in turn 1 and then pulled off some nice overtakes.”

Mičík, of course, had to learn a lot, as Formula 4 was a completely new car for him. “The most important skill in F4 is properly managing the tires and maintaining your pace throughout the race,” said Mičík, who definitely wants to race in F4 again. “I have great plans for next season, though they depend heavily on our budget, but I’ll do everything I can to drive next year,” added Mičík, who finnished 8th in the final standings.

Maťo Homola and Adam Kout in TCR World Ranking Top 10

Tomáš Vacín

Maťo Homola has moved up to fifth position in the Kumho TCR World Ranking after winning his second title in TCR Eastern Europe. Adam Kout has become the second driver from the series to break into the top ten following his podium finish at the 2024 edition of the FIA Motorsport Games.

The Czech driver joins his Slovakian teammate from Hyundai Janík Motorsport, Maťo Homola, among the top ten ranked drivers worldwide, thanks to a strong performance at the Valencia circuit, where he finished behind Ignacio Montenegro and Raphael Reis.

Teammates from Mertel Motorsport, René Kircher and Davit Kajaia, are in 39th and 40th positions, respectively. Petr Čížek, who has competed in TCR Eastern Europe since its inception, is in 69th position. Also within the top 100 is Žarko Knego, who holds 86th place.

Maťo Homola – 5th

Adam Kout – 10th

René Kircher – 39th

Davit Kajaia – 40th

Petr Čížek – 69th

Žarko Knego – 86th

Ivars Vallers – 105th

Giacomo Ghermandi – 104th

Attila Bucsi – 151st

Martin Kadlečík – 156th

Jiří Zbožínek – 182nd

Vít Smejkal – 198th

Jorden Dolischka – 233rd

Frano Dubreta – 283rd

Radim Adámek – 289th

foto: FIA Motorsport Games

F4 CEZ drivers showed their speed in FIA Motorsport Games

Tomáš Vacín

Five drivers from F4 CEZ participated in the FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia last weekend, and all of them demonstrated their skills, although some were unlucky in the final battle for medals.

This year’s F4 CEZ champion Oscar Wurz, third in the standings Max Karhan, along with Jean Paul Karras, Andrea Kostic, and Matus Ryba took part in the unique „Olympic Games of motorsport“ at Valencia in the F4 race.

All of them know each other from F4 CEZ this year. Wurz from Austria and Karhan from the Czech Republic raced the entire season, while Karras from Greece, Kostic from Serbia, and Ryba from Slovakia participated in selected races.

The FIA Motorsport Games took place at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. The Formula 4 event began with two 45-minute practice sessions. Karras won the opening practice and finished third in the second.

The Saturday´s morning qualifying session took place under wet conditions, where the last driver to cross the finish line had the best chance at setting the fastest lap. Karras set the 7th fastest time, with Ryba in 10th, Kostic in 12th, Karhan in 14th, and Wurz in 15th.

Later in the afternoon, the qualifying race was on the schedule. This race was crucial, determining the starting order for Sunday’s final medal race. Ryba had a fantastic qualifying race, moving up to 5th place in the 20-minute session, becoming the best-placed F4 CEZ participant. Karhan moved to 9th, with Karras, Wurz, and Kostic right behind him.

The final race took place on Sunday, with Ryba starting from the third row. The fifth and sixth rows included drivers familiar from F4 CEZ. Unfortunately, for three of them, the race didn’t last long.

Wurz didn’t even complete the first lap; after a collision with another car, he retired with a broken suspension. Karras, fiercely defending his position against Karhan, braked unexpectedly early in a corner, causing Karhan to collide with him. Both retired after the second lap.

Ryba was racing in the top five but eventually lost his position due to a time penalty for track limits, dropping to ninth place behind Kostic, who finished eighth and thus became the highest-placed driver from F4 CEZ.

The FIA Motorsport Games showcased the impressive pace and talent of the F4 CEZ drivers. Despite some bad luck, Karhan, Karras, Kostic, Ryba, and Wurz proved to be highly competitive among a field of over 20 cars.

Three drivers from TCR Eastern Europe competed in FIA Motorsport Games

Tomáš Vacín

The unique FIA Motorsport Games, essentially the „Olympic Games of racing,“ took place last weekend at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia. Among nearly 700 participants were three familiar names from TCR Eastern Europe – Davit Kajaia, René Kircher, and Adam Kout, who brought a bronze medal home to the Czech Republic.

Kajaia and Kircher had been teammates in the TCR Eastern Europe series for the past two years, racing a Honda Civic for the Mertel Motorsport team. However, this time, they were competing for their respective countries, as was Adam Kout, who finished second in this year’s TCR EE driver standings.

Only Kircher and Kout met on the Ricardo Tormo track in the touring car discipline, as Kajaia represented his country, Georgia, in the Single Make GT category, driving a Ferrari 296 Challenge. Kajaia was among the fastest drivers, winning the first free practice session and setting the second-fastest time in Qualifying 1. The race also went well for him; however, he and five other drivers were hit with a 25-second penalty for a starting procedure infringement, finishing 7th in the final classification.

Kircher and Kout represented Germany and the Czech Republic, respectively, in the TCR race. Knowing each other well, their battle for fifth place in the qualifying race was both spectacular and fair. Kircher put significant pressure on Kout, looking for an opportunity to pass. Unfortunately, a large white cloud of smoke soon emerged from under Kircher’s hood, forcing him to retire with a broken turbo. Kout, meanwhile, finished the qualifying race in third place, securing an excellent position for the medal race.

Although Kout was twice hit in the same corner by two different drivers and pushed off the track, he never stopped fighting in final race. He managed to catch up with his competitors twice and was back in contention. When penalties were issued to his opponents for collisions, Kout finished fourth. Later, the race winner was disqualified due to a technical infringement, moving Kout into third place and awarding him the bronze medal for the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, René Kircher was unable to finish either the qualifying race or the main race.

Top 3 drivers of the season: Wurz, Kutskov and Karhan

Tomáš Vacín

The 2024 F4 CEZ season saw Oscar Wurz claim his first single seater title with consistent performances for Jenzer Motorsport. Despite facing tough competition from Kirill Kutskov and Czech talent Max Karhan, it was the young Austrian’s steady results that secured him the championship. Here’s how the top three drivers shaped this thrilling season.

Oscar Wurz
Oscar Wurz – a name familiar to long-time motorsport fans, but for his competitors in F4 CEZ, he’s just another rival. As the youngest son of former F1 driver Alex Wurz, Oscar entered this year’s F4 CEZ season with the top-tier Jenzer Motorsport team. Right from the start, he claimed the lead in the standings and stayed there until the finale at his home track, the Salzburgring. His strongest performance came at the Slovakia Ring, where he won two races and finished second in the third. He delivered consistent performances through the season, earning him his first circuit racing title.

Kirill Kutskov
Kirill Kutskov, driving for the Swiss Maffi Racing team, was Wurz’s main challenger throughout the F4 CEZ season. He lost ground to the Austrian after the second event at the Red Bull Ring, where he failed to finish any of the three races. That points deficit proved too much to recover, and soon Max Karhan began closing in on him, turning the focus from the title battle to securing second place in the standings. Aside from the unlucky weekends in Austria and Slovakia, Kutskov won at least one race at every event, and he completely dominated the season finale at the Salzburgring, winning all three races. However, it wasn’t enough for the championship, and Kutskov finished second overall in F4 CEZ.

Max Karhan
A promising talent in Czech motorsport, Max Karhan jumped into the F4 CEZ series midway through last season and this year completed a full campaign. With the support of the Jenzer Motorsport team, he had the best possible backing, and his breakthrough came mid-season with a victory at the Slovakia Ring. His appetite for success grew with his first Formula 4 trophy, and Karhan went on to triumph in Most and added two more wins in Brno. While his teammate Oscar Wurz held the championship lead, Karhan kept his title hopes alive with a strong finish to the season. He ended up third overall with four wins.News 169Kirill Kutskov 14Max Karhan 33Oscar Wurz 18

Top 3 drivers of the season: Homola, Kout and Bucsi

Tomáš Vacín

The 2024 TCR Eastern Europe season delivered thrilling races and fierce competition, with Slovakian champion Maťo Homola defending his title after a consistent and strong campaign. Close behind, Adam Kout made an impressive push to the title, while Hungary’s rising star Attila Bucsi showcased his talent, pushing Homola to the limit. Here’s how these top three drivers made their mark on a season.

Maťo Homola

Slovakian racer Maťo Homola has been a part of the Janík Motorsport team since 2021, though he has been competing in touring car races for over a decade. In the last two years, he has been putting his experience to good use in the TCR Eastern Europe series. Last year, during his first full season in the series, he secured the title even before the final race, and this year, he successfully defended it. He claimed five victories in Saturday’s sprint races, and in Sunday’s races, where he started from the middle of the grid, he always raced cautiously. He avoided unnecessary risks, which earned him another four podium finishes. His consistent point-scoring finishes were key to his second TCR Eastern Europe title. Out of twelve races in the 2024 season, he never finished lower than sixth.

Adam Kout

Adam Kout returned to motorsport in 2023. After years competing in Superkart, he got back to grips with racing a touring car, driving the Hyundai Elantra for Janík Motorsport, and immediately showed that he hadn’t lost any of his speed – quite the opposite. This year, he was one of the serious title contenders in TCR Eastern Europe and collected the most points in the second half of the season, including four wins. He steadily closed the gap on his teammate Homola and, at the final race in Salzburg, he was willing to take more risks than ever before. This earned him two victories, but he still finished five points behind the ever-consistent Homola. If it hadn’t been for a puncture at the Slovakia Ring, which forced him to retire from second place, the overall result could have looked very different.

Attila Bucsi

Attila Bucsi demonstrated his talent in 2023, with a winning debut at the final TCR Eastern Europe race in Brno. Right from the start of this season, he was among the title contenders and dominated the Sunday sprints. He held second place in the overall standings, just behind Maťo Homola, and they battled for every point. Driving a Hyundai i30 N TCR, prepared by M1RA Motorsport, Bucsi took wins in his home country of Hungary, as well as in Austria and Slovakia. However, he didn’t participate in the last two events, which saw him drop to third place in the final standings. Nevertheless, Bucsi delivered impressive performances and, as a representative of the new generation of Hungarian racers, he has shown that his competitors will need to keep an eye on him.

How Martin Knápek transitioned from rallycross to the Clio Cup victory

Tomáš Vacín

Rallycross driver Martin Knápek won the F4 CEZ Academy earlier this year. After that, we saw him on the starting grid of the Twingo Cup and Clio Cup, where he definitively proved that his talent extends to tarmac racing as well.

Martin, after years in rallycross, this year you tried circuit racing for the first time. You started with the Renault Twingo in Most, where it was raining on your debut. You started from 11th place and fought your way up to third. How do you remember that debut?

I heard people talk about the Twingo Cup as a „baby NASCAR.“ At first, I didn’t quite understand it, but now I know what they meant. Because the car doesn’t have much power, you have to get right up behind the car in front, push each other along and work together with the other drivers. It’s technically called „bumper drafting.“ Honestly, that was the most memorable part for me. During the race weekend, we had technical problems with the car, which wasn’t performing as well as it should have. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fix the issues, so we just had to fight on. The qualifying was on a dry track, where the lack of power really showed, and I finished 11th. But for the first race, it started to rain heavily, and I was confident in the wet, even from the back. They say the key to being fast is doing what you’d do in a video game – but without crashing. That’s what I focused on. I worked with other drivers, used bumper drafting to my advantage, and squeezed every bit of performance out of the Twingo. In the end, it worked out. So, to answer your question, I have fond memories of the Twingo Cup.

Then, at the final event in Brno, you moved into the fourth-generation Renault Clio. How big a difference is there between racing a Twingo and a Clio?

The difference is huge. I’d say it’s like switching from a bicycle to a motorbike. The Clio is a proper race car. It’s much faster, more fun, and with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, you feel like a pro. Another difference is moving from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive, which, thanks to rallycross, suits me better personally. But the truth is, the Twingo is much easier to drive. Compared to the Clio, it’s more forgiving and gives you more time to react to mistakes. Honestly, I’m glad I got to drive the Twingo before the Clio. I think it’s the perfect car to start with and to get a feel for how circuit racing works.

On your debut in Brno, you finished second in one race and then beat this year’s Clio Cup Trophy champion, Valter Nežič, in the next. How would you rate your debut with the Clio?

My main goal was simply to finish the race, and any good result would be a nice bonus. This approach stayed with me until qualifying, where I saw we’d be fighting for tenths of a second. I managed to win pole position in qualifying, but in the first race, I didn’t rev the engine enough at the start, and the car stalled. So, I had to fight my way back, and I ended up in second place. In the second race, I got a better start, and after a few battles, I fought my way into the lead, which I managed to hold. One new thing for me was managing the tyres during the race to ensure they lasted until the end.

Is Brno a challenging track for a debut in a new car? And how did you prepare?

Brno is probably the toughest track I’ve driven on. There are long, flowing corners where you have to be very precise, significant elevation changes, and the tyres suffer a lot due to the type of tarmac. Your tyres are pretty much overheated for the entire race. But Brno was an extreme challenge, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to tackle it. As for preparation, there wasn’t really any. I only got the offer to race on Wednesday, so the only thing I managed to do was a couple of laps in Assetto Corsa, watched some onboard videos before bed, and then the next day, I was already logging my first race kilometres in the Clio.

You’ve got plenty of experience in rallycross. Have you brought any habits from that which helped you on the tarmac?

Definitely. Rallycross may seem like a completely different discipline at first glance, but I’ve carried over a lot of habits. In rallycross, we also race on tracks like Slovakia Ring and Poznań, where a large part is on tarmac, and you follow a „racing line.“ You also learn to drive on the limit of your tyres, work with the car’s weight, and battle with other drivers – just not as aggressively. And since rallycross rarely takes place in ideal conditions, it really helped me when racing in the rain.

How would you compare the environments of rallycross and circuit racing? How do the demands on the driver, the team, and preparation differ?

The biggest difference was that in circuit racing, I had a rented car from the team, so there was no need to pack spare parts, tools, or worry about transporting the car. Even though rallycross is a sprint race, lasting just around five minutes, it’s incredibly aggressive and tough. Physically and mentally, it was more demanding for me. As a result, rallycross required more physical preparation. So far, I’ve only raced in circuit events in the ESET Cup, but I really like the friendly atmosphere in all the divisions I’ve raced in.

What are your plans for next season?

After trying circuit racing, I’d really like to continue and move up the ranks. I really like the TCR series or the GT categories, but as everyone knows, motorsport isn’t the cheapest, so we’ll see what offers come along and how the lottery numbers turn out! I’d like to give a big thanks to my main partners, YACCO, MONTKOVO, and NAREX, who’ve supported me this year as well.