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Hattrick in Hannover for the Team Racing 21
05.04.2020

As part of the Racing 21 project, Vojtěch Štajf – team manager and driver – has received yet the third Polo GTI R5 racing vehicle at Volkswagen Motorsport’s headquarters in Hannover last week. Therefore, Racing 21 is technically prepared for 2020 season, whose start is delayed due to restrictions imposed because of Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus.

The new Polo GTI R5 racing vehicle with serial number 067 for Racing 21 is based on the newest 2020-specs, joining the second vehicle #039 used presently and leased to Jan Černý – Petr Černohorský crew of the Mogul BENZINA Racing21 Team. “The mere fact that we have received yet the third Polo GTI R5 from Volkswagen’s racing department – now when production of these special vehicles has nearly stopped – proves clearly the Racing 21 team’s credibility and amazingly good cooperation with the German brand. Having sold the first Polo GTI R5, we now have two of these top-of-the-range racing vehicles, as well as a professional team of engineers and mechanics. I consider the project with Jan Černý and his strong partners a perfect one in terms of real fight for top results at home events”, says Racing 21 team manager and driver Vojtěch Štajf, highlighting the current cooperation with the German manufacturer and connection with the leading Czech driver.

The 2020 season, whose launch has been delayed because of current restrictions imposed due to coronavirus pandemic, will be an exceptional one for ASN’s premier driver Štajf, owing to his current role of both a driver and a manager for home rally championships. After completing the last year’s Racing 21 Klokočka Volkswagen team’s target in form of the fifth place in the Czech Championship classification with a brand-new Polo GTI R5 vehicle, Vojtěch Štajf is going to seek after the top place at the 2+ Cup of the Rallysprint Series. Because of maternity leave of the previous co-driver Veronika Havelková, an experienced navigator František Rajnoha (who used to assume this role at the very beginning of the Racing 21 project in 2016) will join Vojtěch Štajf in the racing vehicle. They used to make a crew with Vojtěch Štajf in the past (from 2013) and have already started 31 times together. Last time they started together at Rally Příbram in 2018, finishing the third overall.

“I firmly believe that reasons for current restrictions will soon end, as this has negative impacts on our lives, including Czech motorsport activities. Of course, I am glad to welcome František Rajnoha back to our team, as we spent many years together in rally and have always teamed up perfectly in the car. I am convinced that we can boldly think of regular top places at home rallysprint events. However, besides our starts in this series we would also like to prove our skills at one Czech championship event at a minimum, either the traditional Rally Bohemia or in Pačejov. We therefore very much hope these will take place”, said Vojtěch Štajf about this year’s goals, adding: “Because of the current setting of our team’s programme we want to find yet another driver who would like to start at one of the events and test out Polo GTI R5 – in my eyes the best Rally 2 class racing vehicle at present – and eventually supplement the team’s programme for this – and namely the next – year alongside the Jan Černý’s project. We already have drivers interested to start with our vehicle in close regions across the border, but there is an open question as to measures against virus spread and related modified championship programmes in neighbouring countries. Besides the newest top-of-the-range Volkswagen vehicle, our team offers to lease a little cheaper, though perfectly ready Škoda Fabia R5 special racing vehicle in 2018 specs.”

Racing 21 Klokočka Volkswagen is going to present the new design of its Polo GTI R5 vehicle for 2020 as part of the planned virtual competition “KOWAX Valašská online rally ValMez” that is planned for 9-15th April 2020. “Recently I had a call with Jaromír Tomaštík and I was offered to take part – at least in this virtual form – in the first this year’s competition at the cockpit of a game simulator. I welcome all rally challenges, and thus I could not have declined, namely because of our team fans. Coincidentally, it is technically viable to apply our new design to the virtual vehicle that I am going to use. So, in a way it is going to be our premiere. Much like in a real car, I am going to put into this contest the best of my abilities behind the wheel”,<\b> promised Vojtěch Štajf prior to start of the virtual event.

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