ŠKODA FABIA R5: Update for the most successful rally car of its category

›At the Geneva International Motor Show ŠKODA Motorsport presents update of the most successful rally car in brand’s history, the ŠKODA FABIA R5

›Close-to-production rally challenger gets technical improvements as well as key design elements of 2019 ŠKODA FABIA road car

›Updated ŠKODA FABIA R5 will be available from the middle of 2019 for the first customers

›Until the end of 2018, in total 252 cars of the ŠKODA FABIA R5 have been sold

Mladá Boleslav/Geneva, 4 March 2019 – The most successful rally car in the brand’s history, the ŠKODA FABIA R5, will get an update. At the Geneva International Motor Show (7 – 17 March 2019) ŠKODA Motorsport unveils its rally car, which adopts key design elements of the 2019 

 

After having been tested on thousands of kilometres on gravel tracks and asphalt roads as well as on snow and ice, the updated ŠKODA FABIA R5 follows in the footsteps of the most successful rally car in the brand’s history. “We make sure, that after the homologation process our customers get a car, which is fully developed and ready for competition without any compromises. Thoroughness in the development of a new rally car has absolute priority for ŠKODA Motorsport. We strictly follow the same processes of quality management and control as in ŠKODA’s road car production,” emphasizes Hrabánek.

 

In 2018 alone, the titles in the Team Championship of the FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC 2 category were won, while ŠKODA Motorsport celebrated the top three positions of the WRC 2 drivers and co-drivers categories as well. As a result of the increased efforts in customer services, ŠKODA customers as well were successful worldwide, winning the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) and 17 national rally titles with a ŠKODA FABIA R5.

 

Until the end of last year, 252 ŠKODA FABIA R5 have been delivered worldwide, in 2018 alone 80 cars were sold to customers. In 2019 ŠKODA Motorsport will enter two cars into selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship. Finnish youngsters Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen will compete in the new WRC 2 Pro Championship. Reigning WRC 2 Champions Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler from Czech Republic will be seen on selected WRC events as well. They will also try to defend their title of Czech Rally Champions.

The calendar of the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2 Pro)

 

Event                                                  Date                                                  

Monte-Carlo                                       24/01/–27/01/2019

Sweden                                              14/02/–17/02/2019

Mexico                                               07/03/–10/03/2019

France                                                28/03/–31/03/2019

Argentina                                            25/04/–28/04/2019

Chile                                                   09/05/–12/05/2019

Portugal                                              30/05/–02/06/2019

Italy                                                    13/06/–16/06/2019

Finland                                               01/08/–04/08/2019

Germany                                            22/08/–25/08/2019

Turkey                                                12/09/–15/09/2019

Great Britain                                      03/10/–06/10/2019

Spain                                                  24/10/–27/10/2019

Australia                                             14/11/–17/11/2019

 

ŠKODA Motorsport Overview

 

2018 was the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport so far. Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (CZE/CZE) became WRC 2 champions and managed to win the Czech Rally Championship (MČR) for the fourth consecutive time. 2017 WRC 2 winners Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson finished second overall, and youngsters Kalle Rovanperä/ Jonne Halttunen (FIN/FIN) completed a pure ŠKODA podium in the final standings of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC 2 category. For the fourth time in a row ŠKODA Motorsport won the WRC 2 Championship for Teams.

 

The success story of the Czech brand took place worldwide. The private ŠKODA driver Yuya Sumiyama and navigator Takahiro Yasui from Japan won the 2018 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), Manvir Singh Baryan/Drew Sturrock (KEN/GBR) took the title win in the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC). After winning the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) in 2013, 2016 and 2017, ŠKODA crew Gustavo Saba/Fernando Mussano (PRY/ARG) again were successful. On top of that, ŠKODA crews won 17 national championships.

 

ŠKODA Motorsport Overview

2018 was the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport so far. Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (CZE/CZE) became WRC 2 champions and managed to win the Czech Rally Championship (MČR) for the fourth consecutive time. 2017 WRC 2 winners Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson finished second overall, and youngsters Kalle Rovanperä/ Jonne Halttunen (FIN/FIN) completed a pure ŠKODA podium in the final standings of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC 2 category. For the fourth time in a row ŠKODA Motorsport won the WRC 2 Championship for Teams.

 

The success story of the Czech brand took place worldwide. The private ŠKODA driver Yuya Sumiyama and navigator Takahiro Yasui from Japan won the 2018 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), Manvir Singh Baryan/Drew Sturrock (KEN/GBR) took the title win in the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC). After winning the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) in 2013, 2016 and 2017, ŠKODA crew Gustavo Saba/Fernando Mussano (PRY/ARG) again were successful. On top of that, ŠKODA crews won 17 national championships.