Kopecký, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, proved to be the driver to beat as the 11-time event winner set the pace on Zlín’s tricky asphalt roads to edge the overnight advantage ahead of Jon Armstrong and Andrea Mabellini.

“I think I have enough experience, I’m not getting nervous because I love this sport and when everything is working well, it is a passion. Tomorrow will be an even more tricky day,” the 2013 ERC champion.

The Michelin-equipped Kopecký claimed two of the three Saturday morning tests to open up a slender 1.2s lead over Simon Wagner and Andrea Mabellini at midday service. Kopecký continued his charge as the fan favourite completed a second pass through the stages, held in stifling hot conditions.

Kopecký was denied another stage win on SS5 as ERC points leader Miko Marczyk edged him out by 0.5s, but more importantly he was faster than Mabellini and Wagner to extend his advantage to 2.7s. Kopecký claimed his third stage win on SS6 by 0.2s from Wagner, to extend his advantage to 3.9s, as the latter moved into second outright, while Mabellini dropped to third.

The final stage of the day, a second pass through Bunč, provided plenty of drama. Wagner was up on the splits and appeared set to take the rally lead from Kopecký only to suffer front-left tyre damage in the rough four-kilometre gravel section of the stage. The Austrian driver then survived a wild brush with a bank, as he dropped to fourth overall.

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver Jon Armstrong had been locked in a battle for fourth with local hero Erik Cais. Armstrong, in a Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally2, held a 1.3s margin over the Hyundai driver after winning the first pass through Bunč, only for Cais to leap ahead of him by 0.1s after SS6.

However, Armstrong fought back on SS7 and was able to repeat his stunning pace from the morning to win the stage by 2.8s to leap from fourth to second overall, 6.5s behind Kopecký. Mabellini ended the day in third, 13.0s in arrears.

“I definitely would have taken that this morning. The stages today have really suited me and the car, and tomorrow’s stages will suit me too,” said Armstrong.

Cais’ podium hopes were dealt a blow when he also suffered damage to his left-front tyre that demoted the Czech driver to sixth overall behind top Hankook runner and compatriot Filip Mareš.

Marczyk headed to the overnight halt in seventh after opting to take a cautious run to avoid tyre damage during the day’s final stage. The top 10 was completed by Adam Březík, Ján Kundlák and Jakub Matulka.

Miklós Csomós, making his return to ERC action, retired from the action on SS2. Csomós was 400 metres from the finish when he ran wide and clattered into trees that took a wheel off his Team MRF Tyres-entered Škoda, causing the stage to be halted for a brief period.

Simone Tempestini also hit trouble on SS2 that resulted in the Romanian driver retiring with a suspension issue.

Last year’s winner 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 tyres, prompting an early retirement from fourth. Stříteský will rejoin the rally on Sunday.

Chris Ingram endured an eventful return to the stages after a nine-month hiatus. The British driver, who won the ERC title in 2019, was forced to change a damaged front-left tyre on SS2. He was then hampered by a bent steering rack and a powersteering issue before suffering a double deflation on SS7.

Philip Allen exited 11th position following an off-road excursion on SS6 that cost more than four minutes. Despite reaching the stage end, damage to the roll cage of the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 inflicted by a tree, forced Allen to retire.

Martin Vlček leads the Master ERC class with a 2m31.1s advantage over Darius Biedrzyński. Hubert Kowalczyk heads Casey Jay Coleman by 54.9s in ERC3 after Adrian Rzeźnik crashed out on SS7. A broken driveshaft for Calle Carlberg handed the Junior ERC lead to Ireland’s Craig Rahill on his first appearance in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF. Rahill is 11.7s ahead of Ioan Lloyd.

A further six stages comprising 100.9 kilometres await the crews tomorrow (Sunday) to conclude the rally. The action begins at 08:03 local time.