Jiøí Janák, the winner of the 2005 Czech Škoda Octavia Cup, will contest selected rounds of the 2006 FIA WTCC ; he will be supported by Stanislav Matìjovský's team Československý Motorsport at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 156 GTA. In the past few days the 22-year old driver has visited the team’s workshop in Hradec Králové, to set up the driver’s seat in view to his maiden WTCC race at Monza. Last year Czech driver Adam Lacko, the winner of the 2002 Czech Škoda Octavia Cup, began the FIA WTCC season at the wheel of the team's Alfa 156 GTA before he switched to a BMW ride.

Stanislav Matějovský is an experienced former racing driver with 27 years of professional driving to his name. He took part in kart races, in automobile circuit races and hill-climb races, and in rally motor sport competitions. His activities also spanned the FIA European Truck Racing Cup - he won the title of European Champion in the Super Race Truck category in 2001. In 2002, Stanislav Matějovský ended his career of a racing driver, and subsequently set up his own racing team.

"Our team will provide for Jiří Janák's start as regards both the technical and organizational aspects. He will have at his disposal the car, two of our managers, and a team of Italian engineers. We are taking advantage of the experience we made last year, when we were the first team to participate in several selected racing events of the World Touring Car Championship series. We will endeavour to support him to the maximum possible extent. It will not be easy for him at all to succeed in the World Championship, since he will have to compete with the best drivers in the best cars," Stanislav Matějovský explained.

 

"He is a good driver with several years of racing experience. He won the Česká pojišťovna Škoda Octavia Cup last year, and the time has come for him to try something new," continued Matějovský. "Afterwards, we will see which direction he chooses. And, the reason for this is not only the fact that participation in the World Championship is very costly," he added. For Jiří Janák, who has completed the Jiří Mičánek school's course for racing circuit drivers in Brno when he was seventeen, this is going to be the peak of his career up to now.

During his visit to Československý Motorsport's workshops, Jiří Janák gave a realistic assessment of his situation: "This is certainly going to be my greatest racing circuit experience so far. I am looking forward to it very much. We will be facing fierce competition, and I wonder how we will manage to win recognition. Our objective is the best possible result, but I know very well that it will be very hard."

Last year, Jiří Janák took part in several races of the newly formed Renault Mégane European Championship. That car was fitted with rear wheel drive. The Alfa, the same as the Octavia car, has the front drive. This is perhaps the only advantage. However, he will not be able to acquaint himself with the car's driving properties and other things until in he takes part in official the testing. The track debut will be at Monza, where Janák is set to take part in the official FIA WTCC test event, and then in the opening race of the World Touring Car Championship. After the Monza races the team will make a decision about participating in other 2006 FIA WTCC rounds.