Ex-Formula 1 driver Kubica had led at the end of the opening day of the fourth European Rally Championship event of the year by nearly 10 seconds.
The Pole increased his advantage to 11.1s by taking his Citroen DS3 RRC to the fastest times on stages five and six.
But he suffered a puncture on SS7, the first of two runs through Feteiras, and allowed Skoda man Kopecky, who was fastest on the stage, to close the gap to 4.9s.
A mix of fog and think mud on SS8, the final stage of the morning loop, resulted in Kubica backing off and conceding more than half a minute to Kopecky.
“It was very difficult stage, we could not see anything in places,” Kubica said.
“Eighty per cent of the stage I was just cruising to the finish; I had no confidence in the pace notes. I’m just happy to be here.
“Driving the rally car, you should push, but I think I made the right choice not to push and instead to finish this stage.”
Irishman Craig Breen, Kopecky’s main rival for the championship, is now second in his Sainteloc Racing Peugeot, despite suffering a puncture of his own on the same stage.
Ricardo Moura, who was passed for third by Breen on the first stage of the day, was promoted back into the spot as a result of Kubica’s delay.
Bruno Magalhaes and Bernardo Sousa also moved ahead of Kubica.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jan Kopecky Skoda 46m11.5s
2. Craig Breen Sainteloc Peugeot + 16.4s
3. Ricardo Moura Skoda + 19.0s
4. Bruno Magalhaes Delta Peugeot + 19.3s
5. Bernardo Sousa AT Ford + 30.1s
6. Robert Kubica Citroen + 1m04.5s
7. Jeremi Ancian Sainteloc Peugeot + 1m38.6s
8. Mark Wallenwein Wallenwein Skoda + 2m36.6s
9. Jean Michel Raoux Sainteloc Peugeot + 2m57.1s
10. Miguel Barbosa Mitsubishi + 4m05.2s
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/kubica-loses-azores-lead-to-kopecky
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