ŠKODA MOTORSPORT NEWSLETTER

• March 2/2020

Christian Strube (left), Board Member for Technical Develop- ment at ŠKODA Auto, visited Michal Hrabánek, Director of ŠKODA Motorsport

RALLYING IN CONTENT:

Editorial; Interview with Christian 1 CHALLENGING TIMES Strube and Michal Hrabánek ŠKODA customer teams at Rally By Michal Hrabánek, Director of ŠKODA Motorsport 3 Mexico, the WRC’s third round The world is facing a real On the other side, (business) life has FIA ERC Rally Championship crisis with the Coronavi- to go on to keep a little bit normality 4 2020 with strong presence of T rus (COVID-19). It affects With this newsletter, we would nev- ŠKODA customers also motorsport and rally ertheless like to inform you about the News and updates from national 5 sport activities on international and events which already took place and rally championships national level. Many rallies have been give some additional season preview Insider: 125 years of ŠKODA cancelled which is more than under- with the hope, that everything will 6 AUTO, 119 years of success in standable. I think we all agree, right get better in the near future and we motorsports now it is crucial to behave reasonably, could resume the rally activities. Statistics: The ongoing success 7 protect the elder people and avoid of the ŠKODA FABIA in any risk to spread out the virus fur- But as already mentioned: Be rea- History: ŠKODA FELICIA team ther. I wish all of us that we can over- sonable, act responsibly and stay 8 Sibera/Gross (CZE/CZE) wins class at Rally Portugal 1997 come this time as soon as possible. healthy! Christian Strube, Board Member for Technical Development at ŠKODA AUTO, visited ŠKODA Motorsport headquarter in Plazy close to Mladá Boleslav. We took the opportunity to ask some questions:

Mr. Strube, how would you of the ŠKODA Technical Develop- full support of our CEO Bernhard describe the cooperation between ment centre in the main factory. The Maier and the whole ŠKODA Board the Technical Development of body of FABIA Rally2 is produced on of Management. ŠKODA now exists ŠKODA AUTO and ŠKODA the same production line as serial for more than 125 years – our engi- Motorsport? ­FABIA. Each ŠKODA rally car is ma- neers, mechanics and all of our em- Christian Strube: ŠKODA Motor- nufactured under the same strict qu- ployees are extremely proud of the sport is traditionally an integral part ality standards as our series producti- 119 years long success story in mo- of ŠKODA Technical Development. on cars. As a result, since the torsports. Motorsport experts and the engi- homologation of the FABIA R5 in neers from the technical develop- April 2015 none of our factory rally Mr. Strube, what is your ment work close together as equal cars had to retire due to technical re- expectation for this season? After partners. This is also one important asons! long time, this season no factory success factor for ŠKODA Motor- team is taking part in the Rally sport. The knowledge and data from Mr. Hrabánek, what were the main World Championship. rallies help reciprocally our engineers lines of work on the ŠKODA FABIA Christian Strube: Yes, after long in R&D centre of our serial cars. Our Rally2 evo? time we are running this season no serial parts which have to be used in Michal Hrabánek: The main lines of factory team, but we have a strong the Rally2 cars (according to the FIA work were further development of customer sport base and are provi- regulations) are tested under tough chassis, bodywork, suspension, engi- ding with the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 conditions in rallies around the world. ne and electronics – no part of the the most successful and desired rally current car remained untouched car of its category. We are proving Mr. Hrabánek, the motorsport when we developed the new ­ŠKODA on rally tracks around the world department is situated close to FABIA Rally2 evo. At ŠKODA Motor- how fast, reliable and successful our the factory. Why is this so sport, we have all facilities we need ­FABIA is. important? under one roof. Michal Hrabánek: As Christian Stru- Michal Hrabánek: The season star- be already said, the technicians on Mr. Strube, which role plays ted fine for us, in Sweden Emil Lind- both sides are cooperating very clo- rallying and motorsport for holm finished second in his category, se. It is very convenient that we are ŠKODA? Pontus Tidemand underlined in Mexi- so close to the factory. For example: Christian Strube: Motorsport is an co with a dominant win in the WRC2 For the development of our race en- essential part of ŠKODA AUTO and category how fast he and the car are. gine, we can use the state-of-the-art part of our brand DNA. This also Since April 2015, our ŠKODA FABIA facilities including the engine bench shows the strong commitment and rally cars scored 1057 victories so far.

The engine bench at the ŠKODA factory in Mladá Boleslav • NEWS (WRC)

ŠKODA CUSTOMER TEAMS AT 2020: PONTUS TIDEMAND WINS THE WRC2 CATEGORY At the recent WRC round Rally Mexico, six ŠKODA customer teams took the challenge of a hot and demanding gravel event. The special stages were leading up to breath taking 2,650 metres of altitude. But neither the tough road conditions, nor gravel, stones or dust could stop five of them from finishing the third round of the FIA World Rally Championship 2020.

As a ŠKODA works driver, Pontus Tidemand Fernández (CHL) and Ruben Garcia (ARG) took their (SWE) became WRC2 champion in 2017. He pri- ­ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo to second place in the WRC3 A vately entered this year’s Rally Mexico with category for private crews. Despite some technical issues, a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo from Team WRT. To- Kajetan Kajetanovicz and Maciej Szepaniak from Poland gether with co-driver Patrick Barth (SWE) Tidemand led finished fourth in the category behind their ŠKODA stable- the category right from the start, finally scoring a domi- mates Ricardo Triviño/Marc Martí (MEX/ESP), securing nant category win and – which is even more impressing – valuable championship points. The next round of the FIA finishing sixth overall. After 2017 and 2018 it was Tide- World Rally Championship, , (planned for mand’s third WRC2 win in Mexico. He is now third in the 23/04/–26/04/2020) has been postponed due to the WRC2 championship standings. His teammates Emilio Coronavirus crisis.

Championship Standings WRC2 (after 3 of 13 rounds)

1. Mads Østberg (NOR) Citroën 50 points

2. (RUS) Hyundai 41 points

3. Pontus Tidemand (SWE) ŠKODA 40 points

4. Ole-Christian Veiby (NOR) Hyundai 33 points Emilio Fernández (CHL)/ Kajetan Kajetanovicz/ Ruben Garcia (ARG), ŠKODA Maciej Szepaniak (POL/ 5. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA) Ford 30 points FABIA Rally2 evo, Rally POL), ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 Mexico evo, Rally Mexico

Pontus Tidemand/Patrick Barth (SWE/SWE), ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, Rally Mexico WORLD RALLYING

Emil Lindholm/Mikael Korhonen (FIN/FIN), ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo

FIA ERC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2020 WITH STRONG PRESENCE OF ŠKODA CUSTOMERS

The Corona virus effects as an co-driver . Filip Mareš/Jan ing. The 2019 ERC2 Junior Champions, T well the calendar of the FIA Hloušek (CZ/CZ) will enter their award Juan Carlos Alonso/Juan Pablo Monas- European Rally Championship. rally for winning the ERC1 Junior cate- terolo from Spain, will be seen on select- The new start of the season is currently gory last year with a ŠKODA FABIA Ral- ed events in a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 planned for Rally Liepāja ( 2 9 / 0 5 / – ly2 evo from Racing. An- from The Racing Factory Team. With 31/05/2020). The championship will other ŠKODA crew to watch are Polish support from BRR Baumschlager Ral- have a strong presence of ŠKODA cus- Champions Miko Marczyk/Szymon ly&Racing, German Albert von Thurn tomer crews. Finnish Rally Champion- Gospdarczyk, who are supported by und Taxis will be present with a ŠKODA ship front runner Emil Lindholm and ŠKODA Polska and Roman Kresta Rac- FABIA Rally2. co-driver Mikael Korhonen will compete with their ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo The revised calendar of the FIA European Rally Championship 2020 from Team TGS Worldwide. Dominik Rally Liepāja 29/05/–31/05/2020 Dinkel and Christina Fürst from Germa- 26/06/–28/06/2020 ny are planning a full season with a ŠKO- Rally di Roma Capitale 24/07/–26/07/2020 DA FABIA Rally2 evo operated by Barum Czech Rally Zlín 28/08/–30/08/2020 ROMO Motorsport. Azores Rallye 17/09/–19/09/2020 Among the top favourites will be Eyvind 16/10/–18/10/2020 Brynildsen from Norway, who will share Rally Hungary 06/11/–08/11/2020 a Toksport WRT prepared ŠKODA FA- Rally Islas Canarias 03/12/–05/12/2020 BIA Rally2 evo with experienced Austri- NEWS AND UPDATES FROM NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Pietarinen, the Finn competing in the Julius Tannert/Jan Enderle (DEU/DEU) German series for the first time.

Finland: After the three rallies of the winter season, three ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo crews hold top three positions of the cham- pionship standings: Teemu Asunmaa/ Jani Salo (FIN/FIN) are sharing the lead with Emil Lindholm/Mikael Korhonen (FIN/FIN), both crews on a total of 70 points. Eerik Pietarinen/ Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) are in third position.

Portugal: Perfect start for and Louís Ramalho into the new rally season: They won the Rally Serras de Fafe e Flgueiras with their ŠKODA FABIA ­Rally2 evo.

Russia: At Rally Karelia, Vasiliy Gryazin/Dimitri Lebdik (RUS/RUS) took the victory with a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2.

Belgium: At Rally van Germany: The first round of Sweden: ŠKODA domina- Haspengouw, opening round the German Rally Champion- tion at Rally Vännäs: Mattias of the Belgian Rally Championship, ship, Rally Erzgebirge, was cancelled Adielson/Andreas Johansson (SWE/ Ghislain de Mevius and Johan Salet due to the Corona virus. The champi- SWE) took their ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 (BEL/BEL) won with a ŠKODA FABIA onship is now planned to start with the to victory. Former FIA Rallycross World Rally2 evo. ADAC Rallye Sulingen (08/05/–09/05 Champion and DTM winner Mattias /2020) with two ŠKODA crews among Ekström and co-driver Stefan Berg- Bolivia: The Rally el Torno the top favourites for the title. Former mann came second with Thomas saw the victory of ŠKODA WRC junior competitor Julius Tannert Thunström/Tom Törngren (both crews crew Roberto Saba und Humberto together with co-driver Jan Enderle with ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo) Roca. will face tough opposition from Eerik finishing third.

Eerik Pietarinen/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Armindo Araújo/Louís Ramalho (POR/POR), ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo • INSIDER

Narcis Podsedníček with his L&K motorcycle made by ŠKODA’s founding fathers Laurin and Klement

125 YEARS OF ŠKODA AUTO 119 YEARS OF SUCCESS IN MOTORSPORTS

125 years ago, the Czech company was tinued in the 1970s and ’80s with a Jan Kopecký 2018) and Kalle Rovan- founded during the pioneering era of worldwide series of victories on race perä (2019/WRC2 Pro) won the driv- the automobile in 1895. Since 1901, circuits and rally tracks. er’s championships. Numerous title ŠKODA has been winning on race cir- wins were added in the FIA European cuits and rally tracks around the globe. Historical highlights include winning Rally Championship (ERC), the FIA ŠKODA’s motorsport roots reach back the Team Championship in the WRC2 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship to June 1901. Narcis Podsedníček en- category of the FIA World Rally Cham- (APRC) and the Intercontinental Rally tered the long-distance race from Paris pionship (WRC2) for the first time in Challenge (IRC) as well as the victory in to Berlin for the first time, riding a L&K 2015, followed by consecutive titles in the European Touring Car Champion- motorcycle made by ŠKODA’s found- 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (WRC2 ship in 1981. Today the ŠKODA FABIA ing fathers Laurin and Klement. What Pro). The ŠKODA drivers Esapekka rally cars are the most successful in had begun in 1901 on two wheels, con- Lappi (2016), Pontus Tidemand (2017), their category. STATISTICS: THE ONGOING SUCCESS OF THE ŠKODA FABIA IN RALLYING • HISTORY

Pavel Sibera/Petr Gross (CZE/CZE), ŠKODA FELICIA Kit Car

23 YEARS AGO: AT RALLY PORTUGAL 1997, PAVEL SIBERA/PETR GROSS (CZE/CZE) WON THEIR CLASS WITH A ŠKODA FELICIA KIT CAR AND FINISHED 14TH OVERALL.

ŠKODA MOTORSPORT: Further information: Zbyněk Straškraba, Communications Motorsport P +420 605 293 168 [email protected] http://skoda-motorsport.com