Shortly after Jiří Forman returned from Genk, Belgium, he came to visit Hradec Králové where the authorised BMW dealer of the company STARTOS AUTO spol. s.r.o. gave him keys to a brand new show car, BMW, in Hradec Králové's BMW car showroom. "I am happy the company STARTOS AUTO spol. s.r.o. obliged me with lending this beautiful car. I often go to practise to Wackersdorf, Germany, or to other circuits, and I do look forward to having more comfortable journeys thanks to this new BMW, that means, not lacking power to test and race. It is my first car ever, since I got my driving licence just a couple of days ago. This is why I am going to enjoy this beauty even more hugely," commented on the car acceptance in Hradec Králové Jiří Forman, who once drove a "tin" car, but only on a racing circuit, which he was allowed to even before being 18 thanks to a racing licence.

"The car we are lending is a new BMW, series 1 SPORT LINE, type 118d, with a diesel engine, output 105kW, 4000 rpm. It is equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox and with a range of the latest safety features like DSC, incl. ABS, CBC, and with a traction modus DTC with additional functions. I believe, that the young driver will appreciate all these but also other technical features the new BMW is equipped with, that they will serve him well, and he will gain the BMW make good publicity," said the manager of the BMW car showroom, Ms Šárka Strakošová.

Having finished on the 5th place in the Second Chance, Petr Běžel joined Jiří Forman to line up at the starting line in both semi-final and final sessions of the category Rotax Seniors. Unluckily, other Czech representatives in this category did not reach the final, but fought in the Consolation Race. Jakub Kadlčák, the 6th in the Second Chance of the category Rotax Juniors, however, was the last to go through to the final.

The semi-final of the category Juniors did not come out well to Jakub Kadlčák who finished as early as at the first turn after the start. In the same race in the category Seniors, Jiří Forman was moving around the 20th position but finished after the driver's error beyond the track, and did not make it better than the 25th. Peter Běžel was driving along the 30th position and ended up the 28th. A disappointed driver, Jiří Forman, said: "Sad to say but I haven't managed to fine-tune the technique, in the warm-up nothing was working, so all, which could be, had to be changed, including the engine, exhaust pipe, carburettor, even the battery, and it seems clear that I was not completely in my shoes."

After the final free practice sessions the drivers staged in time practice sessions. The category Rotax Max Seniors qualification was directed by English pilots, Czechs were no success, just Jiří Forman was keeping with the top, but finished as the 20th, losing a bit to the top positions. The English again got the two top finish places in the category Rotax Max Juniors, Jan Filip, the best among the Czechs, finished on the 32nd place.

The timed practice sessions were hold in the categories Junior in two groups, in Senior in three groups, in the category DD2 all drivers went in one group. The results after the counted up times in timed practice sessions are as follows: Categorie Rotax Senior Max final places: 1st Sean Babington (GB), time 54.464; 2nd Jack Aitken (GB), time 54.483; 3rd Harrison Scott (GB), time 54.498; 4th Ash Hand (GB), time 54.572; 5th Barrie Pullinger (GB), time 54.574; Czech pilots' positions: " 20th Jiří Forman, MS Kart Racing Team, time 54.777; " 59th Petr Fulín, MS Kart Racing Team, time 55.213; " 65th Miroslav Kovář, MS Kart Racing Team, time 55.241; " 80th Petr Běžel, MS Kart Racing Team, time 55.472; " 89th David Richtár, Gregor Racing, time 56.026; Category Rotax Junior Max final places: 1st Harry Webb (GB), time 55.851; 2nd Ryan Anderton (GB), time 55.862; 3rd Sam Schippers (NED), time 55.932; 4th Cem Bolukbasi (TUR), time 55.938; 5th Janneau Esmeijer (NED), time 55.997; Czech pilots' postions: " 32nd Jan Filip, OK Kart, time 56,434; " 37th Jakub Kadlčák, Gregor Racing, time 56.495; " 46th Tomáš Salva, MS Kart Racing Team, time 56.565.

Yesterday, another year of the prestige series Rotax Eurochallenge 2012 was officially opened attracting almost 200 pilots from nearly 30 countries. The category Rotax Max Seniors with the 90 registered is the largest, followed by the category Rotax Max Juniors in which 67 pilots are to be in; 36 drivers are expected to enter race in the category Rotax Max DD2.

The Czech Republic is represented by three pilots in the Rotax Max Juniors category: Tomáš Salva (MS Kart Racing Team), Jan Filip (OK Kart) and Jakub Kadlčák (Gregor Racing). Five Czech pilots will race in the Rotax Max Seniors category: Jiří Forman, Petr Běžel, Miroslav Kovář and Petr Fulín (all MS Kart Racing Team), and David Rychtár (Gregor Racing). No Czech will compete in the category Rotax Max DD2.

England includes the highest number of drivers (32), followed by Holland (23), France (19) and Sweden (18). The Czech Republic having eight drivers ranks 8th among 28 countries. Among chassis dominates Tonykart (45) leaving a gap, followed by Interpid (21), Kosmic (18) and Formula K (14). Twenty-five chassis are represented in total, the Czech MS Kart with five chassis was finally included in the first ten.

Kaan Onder (Turkey), Ryo Hirooka (Japan), Ralf Aron (Estonia) look the favourite in the category Rotax Max Juniors; out of Czechs is Tomáš Salva who may surprise. English drivers Edward Brand, Sean Babington, Charlie Eastwood, Shaun Slavin Ashhand, Andy King and Henry Easthope will probably fight for the podiums, likewise Antonie Barthon (France), Aavo Talvar (Estonia), Uyko Sasahara (Japan) and Josh Hart (New Zealand); let's hope that the Czech pilots Jiří Forman and Petr Běžel will be among them too.

Tomorrow, the last free practice sessions await drivers in the morning, timed practice sessions are hold in the afternoon, heats on Saturday; drivers in categories Juniors and Seniors who would finish on 29th-63rd place in the Saturday's sessions will drive the so-called Second Chance, next, the final part will follow, first, semi-final sessions in the morning and next final races in all categories on the Sunday's afternoon.

On 18th February 2012 the Meeting of Auto & Moto Sports Champions was hold in the Kart Arena, Litomyšl. A four-hour kart race entered by six teams was organized there. Motor sports celebrities like David Vršecký, the double-champion of Europe in trailer truck races, Otakar Krámský, the triple champion of Europe, and Václav Fejfar, the double champion of Europe in auto-cross took part in too. Michal Matějovský, the Champion and Vice-Champion of the Czech Republic in the circuit car races was among the participant too. He, David Vršecký, Michal Vorba, Petr Trnka, Toman Mičánek and two journalists were together in one racing team OKRUHY MONROE. This is how the race started: the youngest driver from each team had to run one lap, after he had reached the start/finish space his team driver was allowed to set off. Erik Provazník from the team MOTORKY OLIMEX was the first to reach the finish and provided his team with a thirteen-minute margin. Then the team drivers altered every 15 minutes, and when an hour and half had passed the team MOTORKY ORLIMEX led the race followed hot on heels by the team OKRUHY MONROE, which finally won the race since they managed to overtake the team MOTORKY ORLIMEX in the second hour and half of the race.

"I was content with the event in Litomyšl and I feel happy we finally won the race. It was a good opportunity to meet with colleagues and friends before the coming season," said pleased Michal Matějovský after the race.

The final day started with warm ups, surprisingly, we can call them a "true race" since the pilots were making signals indicating their semi-final positions. As we have already accustomed to, the English came in the first five top positions followed by other favourites; to our great delight, a Czech representant, Jiří Forman scored an eighth-place finish.

The semi-final sessions were thrilling in all categories and afforded a view of abundance of fights and crashes. Sad to say, the Czech driver Jiří Forman met with an accident too, since he bent axle in mass collision after the start so the race was over for him as early as in the first lap. Nevertheless, another Czech pilot, Petr Běžel, who delivered brilliant performance, ended up on the nice 14th place, which brought him realistic hope to a good result in the afternoon final. It seems that another Czech representant, Míra Kovář, produced his best performance here in Campillos and was classified as the 24th in the finish.

The day's climax came in the final session in the Rotax Senior Max category as it was really a driving concert. It is important to note that a Czech pilot, Jiří Forman, contributed his part too despite the fact he had started from the last starting position owing to failed semi-final. He was able to overtake 19 rivals by his pursuit drive and finished on the 14th place, what is more with one of the best lap time. Literally, his uncompromising drive did not finish until the checkerboard flag wave. Other two Czech pilots Petr Běžel and Míra Kovář drove their standard and ended up on the 19th, resp. 29th place. It was the English who fought for the championship, finally, Harrison Scott was the happiest one in the finish. For results and more information on the race see www.rotaxmaxeurochallenge.com .

"Leaving for the Winter Cup we were longing for being placed among the first ten and to not having the second driver over the 20th place. The pity of that Jiří Forman's loss in yesterday's third heat, as we could see today his place is just among the first five. We will have to pay attention to mental training, which is, what I see, the ground. The speed and Jirka's driving skills are at the world level, our equipment is able to compete, the problem results from concentration. Petr Běžel drove his standard after a year break, and I suppose he will move forward during the season. Primarily, he came to Campillos to learn, which he, I hope, will turn to his advantage in next international competitions." aptly summarized the Czech drivers' result boss MS Kart Milan Šimák.

The Rotax Winter Cup finally hold. In the most watched category Senior Max, entered also by three Czech pilots on MS Kart, 35 drivers from 13 Europe's countries and overseas lined up at the start line in each qualifying heat race. Besides the category Senior Max, drivers also competed in categories Junior and DD2, however the Czech Republic was not represented.

The first heat in the category Senior Max brought Jiří Forman bad luck as he suffered accident as early as at the first turn after the start, finishing on gravel and coming last with a huge loss after being back on the track. During the pursuit race he caught up with some slower drivers, however he got no better place than 29th. Jiří drove pretty well and fast in the second heat, his lap time was better than the two drivers' coming first. Unfortunately, having some difficulties, Jiří lost in today's qualifying heat race ended up only the 16th. Tomorrow, he will line up on the 8th row of the grid in the semi-finale race, together with a hot favourite Edward Brand who finished yesterday's qualification on the 2nd place, and did not do well today.Vice versa, Petr Běžel started the first heat well and has been the 15th to drive through the finish, but had some technical problems in the second heat, therefore he finished the third race on the 19th place, and will start on the 10th row of the grid in the semi-finale tomorrow. Miroslav Kovář was no success but paid the entrant's penalty for his first big international race. He was driving at the third ten's end and we can see him tomorrow line up on the 17th row of the grid.

The qualifying heat races were masterfully dominated by an English driver, Harrison Scott, who won three times, followed by compatriots Eastwood, Babington and King. Thus the English will occupy the front row of the grid at the start line in tomorrow's semi-finale.

To the start of the Senior Max category, Rotax Winter Cup attracted a wide range of the best world's pilots, but the Czech drivers would like to see themselves higher in the scoring list. Especially Jiří Forman, who got a great 7th place in both morning non-qualification, but measured trainings. In the qualification he ended up only on the 10th position though. In his display he saw time almost two decimal points better, so did not try hard enough at the end of the qualification, as he wanted to save his tyres for the next day's race. It is a pity, because starting from the fifth row will certainly be much more difficult and above all more risky.

"Tomorrow I must handle the starts, then I can fight for the top position. The differences among the best drivers are small, so I do have a realistic chance,"Jiří Forman commented on his next day's tactics.

Expect our river, also 5 other drivers ended on the first ten positions - drivers from England (Babington, Brand, King, Eastwood, Scott), one from Holland (Blom), Estonia (Talvar), Portugal (Mora) and Austria (Kancsar). We can see the competition was really tough, because the last year's ME KZ2 champion Johansson ended up only on the 29th position. One position ahead of our Mirek Kovář, who was the last in the third ten of drivers. Petr Běžel ended at the end of the second ten of drivers, at the 19th position.

The first and second day of the kart race was dominated by the last moment tuning of the machinery for the next day's qualifications. All the three Czech pilots and their mechanics were busy. Thursday morning was tough for all of them, the temperature during the first free training was only minus 4°C. Thankfully, during the day the weather improved and after lunch there were acceptable 12°C and no wind.

On Wednesday Jiří Forman was sick, so this morning he rather stayed in his hotel in bed. Wednesday evening he was running temperature and it did not look very optimistic. But after treatment with hot tea and temperature lowering pills, the next morning he woke weak, but with no temperature and feeling quite well. After lunch he started free training and he did pretty well. He had better time than his last year's measured training and he kept among the five fastest pilots. Petr Běžel was getting faster and he managed to keep pace with the best ones too. We can assume, that his times pushed him somewhere on the level of the first ten drivers. "Tuning the chassis took us longer here than in other races, but I think that we can compete with even the fastest ones now. It was very important for us that we did testing already before the races, at the weekend. "Petr Běžel sounded satisfied with the testing and free training results. Mirek Kovář was sort of uncertain today, but as soon as he calmed down, the machinery betrayed him. After an engine overhaul and several other repairs he managed to achieve his standard times and we can still say, that that tomorrow he can surprise us.

On Friday 10 February in the morning the drivers will take free, but already measured trainings, which will show their realistic chances to qualify. It will take place after lunch so we should keep our fingers crossed for our pilots! Good luck.

Three months after the last year's finals of Rotax in the Emirates this most prestigious cup class launches this year's karting season. As usual, the Spanish town of Campillos hosts the top kart drivers from Europe and other continents for the opening race of the Rotax Winter Cup. This year there is very strong competition, because many top pilots take part, including those who specialise in other kart classes during the high season. From today until Friday afternoon there is scheduled free training, on Friday afternoon there will be measured training. Based on the position achieved in the measure training, on Saturday the pilots will go to the three qualification races. And their position in these will decide their position at the start in the Sunday's semi-finals. The event will culminate in the final race, where the staring roster positions will reflect the results from the semi-finals.

In this year of the Rotax Winter Cup, the Czech Republic has three representatives, mostly in the Rotax Senior Max category. All the Czech pilots start in the colours and on the machines of MS Kart. Jiří Forman and Petr Běžel already have experience from the Rotax Eurochallenge competition, including participation in the Grand Finals. Miroslav Kovář is at such prestigious event for the first time.

Last year, Jiří Forman, Champion of the Czech Republic 2011, 2010 and 2009 in the Rotax Senior Max category, took part in the whole Rotax Eurochallenge series and he achieved the overall 12th position, though in the individual races he was 10th or better.

In the world Rotax Grand Finals he achieved a splendid 7th position. Apart from the Rotax category races, Jiří Forman also took part in the World Kart Championship of under 18-years drivers, CIK FIA U18. In spite of the tough competition in each race, in the finals he managed to get to the front of the starting field. His 5th position in the final race in Sarno, Italy, was a great result. Jiří Forman crowned the successful 2011 season with a third position in the Golden Driving Wheel awards, in the kart category.

The Rotax class is by far the most widespread kart class. Every year in many countries of the six continents more than 30 000 licensed drivers grab the kart driving wheel in one of the Rotax categories. From the youngest drivers in the Rotax Mini category, through Rotax Junior up to the highest class Rotax Max Senior and Rotax DD22. The most prestigious and most watched is the category Rotax Senior Max, where every year pilots race, who win the titles of Champion of the Continent or Champion of the World in this category and other kart categories of the CIK FIA series. In the category Rotax Senior Max the drivers use the engine Rotax with the volume 125 cm2 and almost all the world's producers deploy their chassis to this category. So it calls for a lot of respect, when even a Czech producer, the MS Kart company from Prachatice, is successful in this tough competition. In the classes Rotax Junior, Rotax Senior Max and Rotax DD2 many countries organise their national championships and there are championships on the continental level too. In Europe it is Rotax Eurochallenge. The best 72 pilots advance to the world finals, the Rotax Grand Final. This prestigious invitation is sent only to the national champions and the best ones from the continental series.

At the recent 35th year of the journalistic awards "Golden Driving Wheel" at Žofín in Prague, the young kart driver Jiří Forman won a third position in the karting category of the "Golden Driving Wheel". Apart from this pilot of the CZECHOSLOVAK MOTOSPORT team, also many other sports personalities were awarded prizes, who cooperate or used to cooperate with ČSMS. Some of them were Adam Lacko or members of the Bohemia Racing Team, including Milan Maděryč, who won the prestigious "Zdeněk Vojtěch Award" in the "Golden Driving Wheel" event.

"The gala event of the Golden Driving Wheel 2011 awards announcement is behind us, but we think a lot about it, because the value the prize. I am glad that also the VEBA a.s. company could be present at the event in Žofín. This textile company has been our partner for 25 years and it supports our motor sport work. The first race of this year, which is getting near fast, is the Rotax Winter Cup 2012 kart racing in the Spanish Campillios (www.rotaxmaxeurochallenge.com), where our Jiří Forman will represent us, in the colours of the MS Kart Racing team, among others with the support from VEBA Broumov, a.s.. Jiří Forman was successful last year both in domestic circuits and abroad, so I believe he will continue in this great performance in this year's first race too. The Winter Cup in Campillios near Malaga starts on Wednesday 8 February and the racing culminates on Sunday 12 February 2012. Jiří is already in Spain preparing for his first race of this season," Stanislav Matějovský commented on the latest events in the team.

These days Michal Matějovský started preparation for the new circuit racing season. His efforts will focus on the Division 4 in the International Championship of the Czech Republic in circuit racing again. However this year's racing in the above 3500 ccm category is going to witness a significant change. As far as organisers are concerned, this season may be the last one for the DTM category cars, so the organisers prepared quite a radical change of rules to make things more interesting.

"One of the most important changes is introducing a handicap for the DTM category cars. The pilots of these cars will have to drive through boxes twice during one race. The organisers want this to erase the car performance differences among the individual cars. We will see whether the new rules will prove worthy, but in my view it will only make the racing more attractive," Michal Matějovský explained one of the main rule changes. He wants to use his experience from the previous years, when in his car AUDI A4 DTM he won the title of the champion and vice-champion of the Czech Republic. Though in this year the two worst results will be erased too, the results of each of the six racing weekends will matter, anyway. The drivers and teams in the International Championship of the Czech Republic 2012 series will see more abroad than the Czech Republic. The racing starts at the last April weekend at the Hungarian circuit Hungaroring (29.4.), it continues in Hungary at the circuit Pannoniaring (17.6.), then it moves to Poland's Poznaň (1.7.). In mid summer there is a race in Most (5.8.), the last but one racing weekend takes place at Slovakiaring (19.8.) and as usual the racing series culminates in Brno (23.9.). At the end of the season the team counts with participation at the traditional Epilogue in Brno (13.10.2012).

Yesterday evening the Žofín Palace in Prague witnessed the 35th year of the Golden Driving Wheel awards. This time with the title "Motor Sport's Golden Evening". The event featured the announcement of results of the 35th year of the Golden Driving Wheel awards, the 6th year of the Golden Driving Handlebars and the 7th year of the Golden Eye awards. As usual, all the elite of the Czech motor sport gathered there.

The event was hosted by Iva Kubelková and the director of the organising agency Sport-Press, PhDr. Petr Dufek. The announcements of the individual categories winners took turns with the singes Debbie and Kamila Hübsch and the audiences could see the masters of acrobatic aerobic. A fashion show presented the company VEBA a.s. Broumov, which exports clothing to Africa. The clothes were presented by the "Face of VEBA" Jana Příhodová and other models. VEBA has been supporting motor sport for 25 years. At the gala evening the VEBA company was the partner to the category "Uphill Racing" won by the young pilot Lukáš Vojáček. The CEO of the VEBA a.s. company Broumov, Ing. Josef Novák handed the award to the winner in person.

Thanks to his good last year's results on both domestic and foreign circuits, our driver Jiří Forman won the 3rd position in the kart category. "I am glad for this award and I would like to thank to all the people, who help me in my efforts," said Jiří Forman during the gala evening at Žofín in Prague. Among the first congratulations was the one from his colleague Michal Matějovský, who ended on the 10th position in year 2011 in the "Circuit Car Racing" category and who also did some kart racing and now pilots AUDI A4 DTM in the BRT team at the International Championship of the Czech Republic.

"It was a pleasant evening, I met lots of friends I hadn't seen for a long time. I would also like to congratulate to Milan Maděryč, the BRT team manager, who won the prestigious "Zdeněk Vojtěch Award". I would also like to congratulate to Adam Lacko, who was raised by our team and who achieved the third position here, and Josef Král, a native of Hradec Králové, who achieved the 2nd place in the "Circuit Car Racing" category, and Karel Abraham for his magnificent victory in the "Golden Handlebar" 2011 category," Stanislav Matějovský said after the event.

In the autumn 2011 the 18-year-old driver Jiří Forman won his third title of the champion of the Czech Republic in kart racing, when he won the Rotax Max Senior category and he crowned the successful season with great results in competitions abroad - he was 5th in the world championship of pilots under 18 years (CIK-FIA U-18, Sarno - Italy, 6. 11. 2011) and he won the 7th position in the world finals of Grand Finals Rotax Max (Al Ain, The Emirates, 26. 11. 2011). This year Forman will continue in his traditional MS Kart team. After several years he will appear again on the circuits in karts as a pilot with an English licence. He will take several races of the English championship Super 1 in the category Rotax Senior Max. Also, he will continue in the series Rotax Euro Challenge. The races of this series start in Genk, Belgium (28. 3.), continue in Wackersdorf, Germany (13. 5.), Kristlandstad, Denmakr (29. 6.) and culminate in Salbris, France (16. 9.). But before all that, there is the Rotax Winter Cup as early as the next month (12. 2.) in Campillos, Spain, which will be the start of the next season for Jiří Forman. The ambition of the team and the pilot for the upcoming year is to rank within the first five positions in England and in the Rotax Euro Challenge 2012 races.

Jiří Forman will probably not be present in the Czech championship. "This depends from the decision, if there are permitted starts of drivers with other than Czech licenses. But even if it is allowed, I might get into the Czech championship only as a preparation for the foreign races and due to the colliding dates I could probably not take all the races, anyway," adds Jiří Forman about this year's racing schedule.