On the Korcina (Korczyna) track in Poland near Krosno, the new season of the Central European Zone (CEZ) Hill Climb Championship for 2024 began, and Uroš Brkić once again shone at the start. Among 73 competitors, the only representative of Serbia, Uroš Brkić, the reigning CEZ champion, achieved an excellent result by finishing second in the E2-SC class with the NORMA M20F prototype. Brkić completed the 4,540-meter-long track in a time of 2:04.952.
“We faced numerous challenges in preparing for the season. One of the toughest obstacles, which brought us many sleepless nights, was the delay of the necessary gearbox parts from France. This meant that we would have very little time to prepare the car,” Brkić said in his statement after celebrating another podium finish, and explained: “That delay in parts also resulted in a lack of testing of the new components on the car. In fact, this first race in Korcina represented our first real test.”
Nevertheless, in the end, although as the official champion he has accustomed both us and himself to victories, when everything is taken into account, Uroš Brkić cannot be dissatisfied. “Of course I always strive for victory, but under these conditions it was really tough. Still, I managed to adapt very quickly to the fast and slippery track,” said Brkić, who shone in Poland on a difficult, demanding, and extremely slippery circuit.
With the bit of luck that followed them at this race, Brkić pointed out that the initial race was supposed to be held in North Macedonia, but it was postponed, allowing them to complete the preparation of their car. Brkić also reflected on the demanding race schedule awaiting them in the coming weeks, including races in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania, noting that the first third of the season will be completed after five consecutive race weekends, followed by a well-deserved three-week break.
Brkić also took the opportunity to thank his support team, family, AK Galax, as well as the general sponsor, the Marinković-Hofmann company, who provided support and made his appearance at this competition easier. Brkić and his team faced challenges but managed to achieve a result in Korcina, demonstrating dedication and readiness for the upcoming races in the season.