ERC Canaries: Kopecky expects very strong Kubica
Two-time Canarias Rally winner Jan Kopecky says he doesn't expect Robert Kubica to have any problem finding a potentially winning pace on this week's third round of the European Rally Championship
There had been speculation that rally novice Kubica might struggle with making pace notes for what is recognised as one of the toughest rallies in Europe to note, but Kopecky has poured cold water on such talk.
Skoda factory driver Kopecky, who is chasing a hat-trick on the Spanish island, has been friends with Kubica since 2006.
He said: "He is back at the top level of motorsport, he is used to that.
"This is not going to be too difficult for him. He's a fast driver and the notes shouldn't be a problem for him - he has a very good co-driver.
"As I know him, he will have done everything to be ready and well prepared for this rally."
Citroen DS3 RRC driver Kubica watched Kopecky's onboards from his win on Gran Canaria last year in preparation for this week, and put them to good use by beating the Fabia driver to quickest time at shakedown by six tenths of a second.
Peugeot's ERC frontrunner Craig Breen admitted he'd found the recce tough.
The Irishman said: "The recce was very, very difficult. I would say this is the hardest recce I've done.
"Generally speaking, the roads are quite wide and trying to pick a line through them is not easy.
"On most rallies you know exactly where the car should be and the pace notes are quite straightforward to explain that, but here the road is wide enough that there are options for the line."
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