Jaroslav Honzik Kicks Off 2025 with Double Podium at Spa

The 2025 Clio Cup season couldn’t have started much better for Jaroslav Honzik (AJA Jardier), who delivered a breakout performance at Spa-Francorchamps, securing two class podiums and navigating some of the most intense racing moments of his career thus far.

After a full rookie season of development and hard work in 2024, Spa marked an opportunity for a reset and a turning point. Jaroslav showed not only speed, but maturity, confidence, and racecraft under serious pressure. We caught up with him to break down a weekend to remember.

What was your game plan going into this round and did it go as expected?

“Last year I focused a lot on improving and listening closely to my coach. The Clio Cup car is very specific, so it takes time to understand it properly,” Jaroslav said. “By the final round at Paul Ricard, everything kind of clicked for me.”

Armed with a new level of understanding and experience, Jaroslav headed into the 2025 season with a clear goal: build on last year’s progress and fight at the front.

“I knew I was ready to do a better job this year, but Spa still surprised me… in a good way. I felt confident, aggressive, and really connected to the car. Looking back, I’m actually really proud of how far I’ve come in just one year.”

How did pre-season testing and preparation influence your confidence for Round 1?

Pre-season testing wasn’t ideal — short sessions and poor weather — but for a driver like Jaroslav, those are the kind of conditions that build future champions.

“It was cold and wet, but I actually enjoyed that. Driving in tricky conditions forces you to really trust the car. It gave me a confidence boost, even though the testing time was limited.”

How did it feel getting back on the grid for the first race of the season?

The nerves were there. As with many on the grid, Spa was the start of the season, and the unknowns made things tense from the start.

“I was nervous because you never know how things will go in the first weekend. FP1 started with two red flags and a car upside down. But I didn’t let that distract me. I stayed focused on myself, and the team gave me great support, which helped a lot.”

Can you talk us through your most intense moment during the weekend?

One of the most dramatic moments of the weekend came in Race 1, during a chaotic opening lap.

“There was an incident ahead and I chose the wrong line, which cost me a couple of positions. But in Blanchimont, two cars crashed right in front of me at high speed. I had to make a huge evasive move — I was sideways at over 170 km/h heading towards the barriers.”

Amazingly, Jaroslav kept the car under control and avoided what could have been a massive crash.

“It was a proper rally moment. Looking back at it, I’m proud of how I handled it. I reacted quickly, made the right decisions, and avoided a big incident. That could’ve gone very badly!”

You achieved your first podiums in your class, can you explain that feeling?

After coming close several times in 2024, the elusive podium finally became a reality.

“I was dreaming of getting on the class podium all last year, and suddenly, in the very first round of 2025, I got two! At one point, I was even fighting for P3 overall in the Mid-Europe class and top 9 in the overall Europe standings.”

With a fiercely competitive field, breaking into the top 10 takes real grit.

“It’s super tough at the front. If you don’t have hard elbows, you get pushed out. But I held my own. The whole team was over the moon and so was my girlfriend! The atmosphere all weekend was just amazing.”

Looking ahead, when are you next racing and what is the plan of attack?

Jaroslav’s next appearance will be at Imola, but under slightly different circumstances.

“I’m doing Imola as a kind of wildcard — I swapped it with Monza in October. So I’ll be racing in the overall class only, without my usual category. It’ll be more about learning and going for a solid top 10–15 result.”

Then, it’s on to a circuit that holds unfinished business.

“The next proper round is Magny-Cours in the summer. That’s where I want revenge. Last year wasn’t kind to me there, so I’m determined to come back stronger.”

Final Thoughts

Jaroslav Honzik’s start to the 2025 season has shown he’s not just back on the grid — he’s here to fight at the front. With confidence building, results on the board, and plenty of fire in the belly, the rest of the season promises to be something special.

Stay tuned for more updates and follow Jaroslav’s journey through his social media channels and YouTube as the Clio Cup season continues.