The four successful seasons of support of the rally crew Filip Mareš and Jan Hloušek by the Autoclub of the Czech Republic should have ended this year with a start at selected events of three championships, one of the biggest challenges being the World Rally Championship. The coronavirus pandemic has unprecedentedly affected all activities, including motorsport. International races do not run yet. ACA ŠKODA AUTOKLUB TEAM, within the framework, ends immediately all its activities including competing of the rally crew Mares-Hlousek. However, the cooperation between Autoklub ČR and Filip Mareš does not end completely. Filip skips in the ACCR Czech Talent Team from a member to the position of a patron of young hopes of Czech motorsport.

"Already during the presentation of this year's season, we talked about the fact that the Filip Mareš - Jan Hloušek crew support project will be completed this year. We had interesting plans, but the coronavirus pandemic hit them hard. We discussed the situation and based on the consensus, it was decided to end the project during the season. It will last appear at the start of a selected competition of the European Championship, which will be determined after updating the calendars, "explained Jan Šťovíček, President of the Autoclub of the Czech Republic. "There has been a change in the situation, the season is very affected due to extraordinary measures, in the end, after mature consideration, we came to the decision to end the project. I would like to thank Autoklub ČR for the opportunity it has given us and for the trust, it has given in us over the years. We believe together with Honza Hloušek, that our work, and our results, have fully repaid them, ”said Filip Mareš.

The project of supporting Filip Mareš and Jan Hloušek within the ACCR Czech Talent Team was launched in 2016. And every year, the crew gained more and more success. In the 2018 season, with the start in the Škoda Fabia R5 car of the Roman Kresta team, Mareš and Hloušek ranked fourth in the Czech top in the national championship. And the peak came last year when the pair became vice-champions behind the factory crew, but above all they won the title of junior European champions. "The project was a great success and will remain recorded in the history of the Autoclub as a model example of the support of sports hopes. I would like to thank Filip Mareš, Jan Hloušek, as well as Roman Kresta and the entire Kresta Racing team for their commitment and work, which led to excellent results. And, of course, I wish them many successes in the years to come," said Jan Šťovíček.

However, the end of the project does not mean the complete end of the cooperation of the Autoclub of the Czech Republic with Filip Mareš. He is still a member of the national team for this year. "And I'm not leaving the ACCR Czech Talent Team at all. However, I already got my chance from the Autoclub, and now I have decided that it is the right time to leave my place to others. As an athlete who has successfully passed the hope support program, at my request I am moving into the position of a patron in the ACCR Czech Talent Team and I will try to help young talents mainly in the field of representation and media, ”said Filip Mareš. "I believe that Filip Mareš will be a role model for our young competitors and by passing on his experience he will help them at the start of their sports career," added Jan Šťovíček.