Driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the 2013 ERC champion, co-driven by Jiří Hovorka, secured a stunning 12th Barum win after edging Armstrong by 10.7sec across 13 challenging asphalt stages.

“I’m shaking now because after last year I was not expecting I could be as fast as this during this year. For sure, thanks a lot to my co-driver and my team and to everyone because it has paid off,” said Kopecký.

ERC title contender Andrea Mabellini boosted his championship hopes by claiming the final step on the podium, while points leader Miko Marczyk finished seventh.

Making a 20th start on the famous asphalt rally, Kopecký once again outlined his class proving to be the driver to beat, recording five stage wins on his way to victory.

Mabellini caused an upset on Friday night by winning the Zlín super special but his time in the lead was short-lived as Kopecký shot into the lead after winning SS2 on Saturday morning aboard his The Michelin-shod Škoda.

It was a lead that Kopecký refused to give up for the remaining 11 stages, although it wasn’t a plain sailing run to victory. Kopecký came under pressure from Hyundai i20 N Rally2 driver Simon Wagner and Mabellini through Saturday, as his advantage was reduced to 1.2sec at midday service.

Wagner was on course to steal the lead on Saturday afternoon before suffering a tyre deflation and a half spin in SS7 – the second run through Bunč – which dropped the Austrian out of the battle and down to fourth.

Stage wins on both passes through Bunč helped M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Armstrong vault from fifth to second, ending Saturday 6.5sec behind leader Kopecký.

Armstrong, driving a Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally2, managed to reduce the deficit to 6.3sec on Sunday morning, before Kopecký responded in front of his home crowd. The Czech driver managed to extend his lead through the remaining five stages as he completed an impressive victory.

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy-backed Armstrong equalled his best ERC result as the Northern Irishman claimed his second podium of the season to help his title hopes.

“What a weekend. I was pushing as much as I can. Yesterday I really enjoyed, today was honestly more of a struggle, more in my head to manage everything," said Armstrong, who moved to third in the championship.

Early leader Mabellini produced a strong drive throughout to claim third and the Power Stage win to cut the gap to Marczyk in the championship standings to 11 points before dropped scores are taken into account.

“It is incredible. It seems like it is a dream to be in here fighting with Mr Barum [Jan Kopecký]. We must be proud of everything we have done," said Mabellini.

Wagner was unable to recover the lost ground on Saturday evening and had to settle for fourth, ahead of Erik Cais, who delivered a series of fast stage times. Cais, driving Hyundai i20N Rally2, could have found himself in the podium fight had he avoided tyre damage on Saturday’s closing run.

A gearbox issue hampered Filip Mareš on Sunday which resulted in the Hankook-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 driver falling to sixth, ahead of Marczyk who struggled at times to find the pace required to challenge the frontrunners. The Polish driver salvaged two points from the Power Stage, however.

“I’m not fully happy because we have had inconsistent pace. There were four or five good stages but also four or five that were below my expectations, and this is why we are fighting for seventh and not the podium places. I will fight [for the title] until the end," said Marczyk.

Local driver Adam Březík finished eighth, while Jakub Matulka and Mille Johansson rounded out the top 10.

The rally proved to be particularly challenging for several crews. Last year’s winner and Qualifying Stage pacesetter Dominik Stříteský was locked in the fight at the front until SS3 when an overshoot at a chicane triggered damage to three of his four wheels, that prompted an early retirement from fourth position.

Miklós Csomós, making his return to ERC action, retired after crashing out on SS2. Simone Tempestini also hit trouble on the same stage that resulted in the Romanian driver retiring with a suspension issue.

Chris Ingram endured an eventful return to the stages after a nine-month hiatus. The 2019 ERC champion, running on MRF Tyres, reached the finish despite a bent steering rack and a powersteering issue.

Philip Allen exited 11th position following an off-road excursion in SS6 that inflicted damage to the roll cage of his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.

Martin Vlček sealed victory in the Master ERC category with a 5min 25.2sec advantage over Darius Biedrzyński. Hubert Kowalczyk (Renault Clio Rally3) took the ERC3 honours from Casey Jay Coleman by 43.8sec. Coleman won the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy.

Opel-driving Calle Carlberg sealed the Hankook-supported FIA Junior ERC title despite suffering a driveshaft failure that ended his rally victory bid on Saturday. The event victory was claimed by Craig Rahill on his debut in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF. Rahill beat rookie Karl Peder Nordstrand by 35.9sec.

The ERC title chase heads next to Wales for JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, the penultimate event of the season, from 5 - 7 September.