The January Rallye 2012 turned out to be the anticipated Spectacle

140,000 spectators watched Jan Kopecky as the first winner of the season./ The Austrians' duel for third place in the tenth-of-a-second range./ The European championship premiere in the "Mühlviertel" went off without a hitch.

Almost by tradition, the 29th of January  rallye opened the prelude to European rallye season.For the first time this classic, with start and finish in Freistadt, counted also as the first race toward the FIA Rallye European championship, the Czech championship and the Austrian championship, respectively.

This fact alone and the resulting high  quality of the drivers led to a further increase of  spectator participation compared to 2011. While last year a total of 125,000 fans had come to the "Mühlviertel", this year around 140,000  thoroughly enthusiastic rallye fans were welcomed.

During a total of 18 special trials the 99 teams from 12 nations that had started encountered  extremely difficult  track  conditions. On Friday it started to snow in the higher locations resulting in severe wintery conditions for the active drivers. On the second day of the rallye the temperatures were around 0° C. Consequently, no continuously snow-coverd piste existed and driving on plates of ice required considerable nerve and put a heavy demand on the drivers'  expertise.

Organizing committee chief Ferdinand Staber again had good reasons for a favourable assessment: "We had more spectators than last time in 2011. They all had come to be there at this first European championship race. For us the safety at the course was of prime importance and in this regard everything worked out fine. In addition, there were many sporty highlights, not least because of the first-class cast. With all this it was possible to offer to the many fans rallye sports  of supreme quality. The again-published rallye pass was well received by the fans . It not only expedited the organizational process but offered  more targeted information to the fans.  My thanks go  to all our sponsors who substantially contributed to the support of the event. Next to my thanks to the fans I want to say a special thank you to the Rallyeclub Mühlviertel. Allow me to thank Uwe M. Schmidt, Walter Lumetzberger and Peter Schöller as representatives of all  assistants and functionaries. They showed commitment to the fullest and can justly  be proud of their accomplishment.

The Sporty Aspects.

This first European championship race which also counted toward the Austrian and the Czech championship, respectively, from the start onwards developed into a lively tit-for-tat. Winter having arrived just in time, it  made life difficult for the drivers, a high-carat mix of national and international class. Snow, ice, rain, fog, mud - the panoply of obstacles was as varied as it was demanding.

The old hands of the European championship around Juho Hänninen, Jan Kopecky, Pavel Valousek, Vaclav Pech or European vice champion Luca Betti soon came to grips with the initial advantage of the Austrians familiar with local conditions, and so finally the favorites had their way.

And so in the end, the Skoda -factory  duo Jan Kopecky and Juho Hänninen as the best  team were way ahead. While second-placed Hänninen dominated the first day with six special-trial best times, Czech winner Kopecky really put on the pressure escpecially on the second day of the rallye and got stronger the longer the run lasted. Kopecky: "It was an unbelievable difficult rallye. I'm glad that I got through. The second phase in particular suited me fine, though I also profited  from the mistakes of  my competitors." Juho Hänninen, who had started as the actual favorite, said something similar:" Too many mistakes were made on the first day. It was also problematic that in the beginning we were underway with the wrong tires. Then it got better, but Jan was too strong this time  and not to be bent."

That the January Rallye 2012 turned out to be the hoped-for spectacle was not least due to the enourmously strong drivers from Austria who skillfully  gave the international top drivers a run for their money. The fact that Beppo Harrach, competing for 3rd place with Raimund Baumschlager, prevailed after 237 special trial-kilometers is testimony to the determination of the fights over times and points. Harrach beamed after this furious finish: " I'm overjoyed with this place on the podium. We had big problems with the setup. It was  optimal only in the last special trial and I could attack to the maximum.  There I reallly risked everything and was rewarded in the end."  Raimund Baumschläger practiced self-criticism: " Naturally, it is annoying. But in the final analysis I made too many mistakes. I have to congratulate Beppo without envy.  Such is rallye sports."

Even away from the places on the podium there were placement duels worth watching. While three-times January Rallye winner Vaclav Pech,
underway in the brand-new  Mini Cooper S2000, had secured his fifth place, behind him Manfred Stohl and Czech Pavel Valousek  chased each other across the icy terrain. The sixth final rank practically changed from special trial to special trial and across the finish line it was Valousek's
Peugeot S2000 in front of Stohl's natural gas-Mitsubishi.

In addition to former Group-N world champion Manfred Stohl , three more rallye world champions were at the start of the January Rallye: Juho Hänninen (SWRC), Andreas Aigner (PWRC), and Stig Blomqvist.  Aigner was slowed down by a technical defect and Blomqvist  found himself on the 15th place.

The enthusiastic spectators elected ex-state champion Kris Rosenberger "Man of the Rallye".  The determining factor for this honor surly was what had happened on Friday. After the Lower Austrian in  his VW Polo S2000 had run up to a competitor and had passed him, he had rolled the car but ended up on all four wheels, only to overtake the same competitor again.

Special Trials - Best Times:  Juho Hänninen (7), Manfred Stohl (2), Daniel Behalek (2), Pavel Valousek (2), Jan Kopecky (2), Beppo Harrach (1),
Michal Solowow (1), Raimund Baumschlager (1).

The Most Important Drop-Outs: Andreas Aigner (technical problem/ST 3), David Glachs (technical problem/ST 8), Hermann Neubauer (accident/ST 10), Klemens Haingartner (technical problem/ST 17), Michael Kogler (technical problem/ST 7), Patrick Winter (disqualification/ST 10).

Jänner-Rallye 2012, Endstand Gesamtwertung:
  1. Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler    Tch/Tch   Skoda Fabia S2000    2:54:20,4 Std
  2. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula    Fin/Fin     Skoda Fabia S2000    +40,1 Sek
  3. Beppo Harrach/Andreas Schindlbacher    A/A          Mitsubishi Evo IX R4    +1:17,1 Min
  4. Raimund Baumschlager/Klaus Wicha    A/D          Skoda Fabia S2000    +1:17,3 Min
  5. Vaclav Pech/Petr Uhel    Tch/Tch   Mini Cooper S2000    +1:49,4 Min
  6. Pavel Valousek/Zdenk Hruza    Tch/Tch   Peugeot 207 S2000    +2:25,9 Min
  7. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor    A/A          Mitsubishi Evo IX    +2:56,6 Min
  8. Jaroslav Orsak/David Smeidler    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +5:45,9 Min
  9. Michal Solowow/Maciej Baran    Pl/Pl         Ford Fiesta S2000    +6:14,5 Min
10. Marin Semerad/Bohuslav Ceplecha    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +6:37,8 Min


Jänner-Rallye 2012, Wertung Rallye-Europameisterschaft, 1. Lauf:
  1. Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler    Tch/Tch   Skoda Fabia S2000    2:54:20,4 Std
  2. Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula    Fin/Fin     Skoda Fabia S2000    +40,1 Sek
  3. Beppo Harrach/Andreas Schindlbacher    A/A          Mitsubishi Evo IX R4    +1:17,1 Min
  3. Raimund Baumschlager/Klaus Wicha    A/D          Skoda Fabia S2000    +1:17,3 Min
  5. Vaclav Pech/Petr Uhel    Tch/Tch   Mini Cooper S2000    +1:49,4 Min
  6. Pavel Valousek/Zdenk Hruza    Tch/Tch   Peugeot 207 S2000    +2:25,9 Min
  7. Jaroslav Orsak/David Smeidler    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +5:45,9 Min
  8. Michal Solowow/Maciej Baran    Pl/Pl         Ford Fiesta S2000    +6:14,5 Min
  9. Marin Semerad/Bohuslav Ceplecha    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +6:37,8 Min
10. Hermann Gassner/K. Thannhäuser    D/D          Mitsubishi Evo X    +7:36,1 Min

EM-Punktestand: 1. Kopecky 35, 2. Hänninen 26, 3. Harrach 18, 4. Baumschlager 17, 5. Pech 12, 6. Valousek 11.

Jänner-Rallye 2012, Wertung Österreichische Staatsmeisterschaft, 1. Lauf:
  1. Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler    Tch/Tch   Skoda Fabia S2000    2:54:20,4 Std
  2. Beppo Harrach/Andreas Schindlbacher    A/A          Mitsubishi Evo IX R4    +1:17,1 Min
  3. Raimund Baumschlager/Klaus Wicha    A/D          Skoda Fabia S2000    +1:17,3 Min
  4. Vaclav Pech/Petr Uhel    Tch/Tch   Mini Cooper S2000    +1:49,4 Min
  5. Pavel Valousek/Zdenk Hruza    Tch/Tch   Peugeot 207 S2000    +2:25,9 Min
  6. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor    A/A          Mitsubishi Evo IX    +2:56,6 Min
  7. Jaroslav Orsak/David Smeidler    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +5:45,9 Min
  8. Michal Solowow/Maciej Baran    Pl/Pl         Ford Fiesta S2000    +6:14,5 Min
  9. Marin Semerad/Bohuslav Ceplecha    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +6:37,8 Min
10. Ernst Haneder/Herwig Varient    A/A          Mitsubishi Evo IX    +7:58,5 Min

ÖRM Punktestand: 1. Kopecky 20, 2. Harrach 18, 3. Baumschlager 16, 4. Pech 14, 5. Valousek 12, 6. Stohl 10.

Jänner-Rallye 2012, Mediasport Int. Czech Rally Championship, 1. Lauf:
  1. Jan Kopecky/Pavel Dresler    Tch/Tch   Skoda Fabia S2000    2:54:20,4 Std
  2. Vaclav Pech/Petr Uhel    Tch/Tch   Mini Cooper S2000    +1:49,4 Min
  3. Pavel Valousek/Zdenk Hruza    Tch/Tch   Peugeot 207 S2000    +2:25,9 Min
  4. Jaroslav Orsak/David Smeidler    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +5:45,9 Min
  5. Marin Semerad/Bohuslav Ceplecha    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +6:37,8 Min
  6. Antonin Tlustak/Jan Skaloud    Tch/Tch   Skoda Fabia S2000    +9:20,7 Min
  7. Martin Hudec/Jiri Cernoch    Tch/Tch   Mitsubishi Evo IX    +19:05,0 Min
  8. Jan Cerny/Pavel Kohout    Tch/Tch   Citroen DS 3    +20:59,0 Min
  9. Vaclav Kopacek/Petr Picka    Tch/Tch   Skoda Fabia    +30:04,6 Min
10. Michal Srb/Radim Orava    Tch/Tch   Citroen C2    +41:26,5 Min