Most Preliminary Report

29. August 2013Most - Autodrom Most in the west of the Czech Republic can look back on one of the oldest traditions in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship. The sport itself has a long tradition in this small country, which has produced three truck race champions in Martin Koloc, Stan Matejowsky, and David Vršecký. This year’s field includes three Czech teams with Czech drivers – the MAN squad of Frankie Vojtíšek, Buggyra International (Freightliner) with Vršecký, and MKR Renault with Adam Lacko, – and these are always good for a surprise at Most. For Buggyra and MKR particularly, podium finishes here will be expected.
MKR for its part will have worked hard during the summer break after its performance in the first six races of this season didn’t quite measure up to team boss Mario Kress’s expectations. The Czech-domiciled German is one of the most experienced constructors in the field, and boasts the most successful track record by far. He is no doubt determined, with his drivers Lacko and Markus Bösiger (SUI), to add a few more victories to the four they’ve taken this season. Now that they’ve all but missed the bus in both, the driver’s and team championships, the priority is no longer to finish consistently in the points but rather to challenge the frontrunners regardless of the risks.
The races in Most aren’t a home event only for the Czech teams, however, but also for the German ones. Most is, after all, closer for many truck race fans from the east and south of Germany than any other track that hosts the FIA ETRC, and for years we’ve had live commentary here in both Czech and German.
With the support of his many fans here, German defending champ Jochen Hahn will be trying to close in on Spanish leader and MAN colleague Antonio Albacete. But he’s got formidable competitors to contend with. For one thing, you can be sure that the aforementioned Vršecký, Lacko, and Bösiger aren’t going to let Hahn’s ambitions get in the way of their own. Then there’s also his compatriot Markus Oestreich, third in the driver’s standings and, together with teammate Albacete, at the top of the team standings. The MAN pilot from Fulda is keen to get up there and fight for the championship, but he too has close company in Norbert Kiss, the speedy Hungarian who’s always good for a win.
In any case Hahn isn’t going to enjoy the German fans’ undivided affection and support — there are more popular racers in the German contingent, the largest from any one country at Most. Besides Hahn and Oestreich we’ve got René Reinert and Stephanie Halm (both MAN), truck racing’s grande dame Ellen Lohr in a Mercedes-Benz, and “Mr Truckracing” Gerd Körber as a race-by-race pilot in an Iveco.
The entire FIA field, excluding Frenchman Jeremy Robineau, is registered for this race — and that promises lots more action on the track than in the last round at the Smolenskring. The weather forecast is as good as it gets late in the summer and the extensive open-air stands aren’t yet sold out, so (for the German fans at least) it’s worth taking off for Most this weekend with the spouse and kids — an up-close-and-personal motorsport experience awaits the entire family.

Impressions: