ŠKODA MOTORSPORT NEWSLETTER • 1st issue 2021 NEW SEASON, NEW CHALLENGES by Michal Hrabánek, Head of ŠKODA Motorsport hile you are reading these The backbone of these plans is the words, we at ŠKODA ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, which re- W Motorsport are already ceived significant performance en- deep into the 2021 sea- hancing upgrades for the 2021 sea- son. Continuing the strategy, we suc- son. And we are constantly evaluating cessfully had implemented last year, further development steps. The sales we again focus 100 per cent on our figure for the car are about to pass customer teams. The pinnacle is a new the 400 mark, maintaining the posi- cooperation with Toksport WRT. The tion as best sold and most successful 2020 WRC2 Team Champion com- car in the Rally2 group. This number petes with the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 is also a huge commitment towards evo in the FIA World Rally Champion- our customer teams. They can be as- ship (WRC) and in selected rounds of sured, that we at ŠKODA Motor- the FIA European Rally Championship sport constantly improve our ser- (ERC). Our technical support for Tok- vices to an even higher standard. sport WRT hopefully helps the team’s Already last year, we proved that our number one driver Andreas Mikkelsen base in Mladá Boleslav is fully opera- to reach his goal of winning both ti- tional even under COVID-19 restric- tles. Back home, for the Czech Rally tions. Championship (MČR) we have estab- 2021 also marks the 120th anniversa- lished a comprehensive cooperation ry of ŠKODA in motorsports, a tradi- CONTENT: with ŠKODA dealers with the goal to tion, not many brands can build on. 1 Editorial by Michal Hrabánek support a number of private teams. In The birthday festivities include vari- other countries as well we are ous events internationally and in our Review WRC2 Rallye Monte- -Carlo and Arctic Rally Finland strengthening the bond with national home country, further raising aware- 2 ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo importers and dealer organisations. ness for rally sport as a whole. Edition 120 The new season kicked off perfectly Review WRC3 Arctic Rally with Toksport WRT’s Andreas Mik- 3 Finland kelsen/Ola Fløene winning WRC2 at Other recent rally results Rallye Monte-Carlo and finishing sec- 2021 ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo ond in the category at Arctic Rally 4 Finland. I am convinced, this were Calendar WRC and ERC only the first of many successes we Facts about the ŠKODA FABIA can celebrate together in 2021. 5 Rally2 and ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo For now, enjoy reading our latest 120 Years of ŠKODA newsletter. And most important: 6 Motorsport ŠKODA 1100 OHC of 1957 Stay healthy! • NEWS Driving a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo of PERFECT ŠKODA Motorsport supported team Toksport WRT, Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola START Fløene won WRC2 at Rallye Monte-Carlo he newly formed cooperation between ŠKODA Veronica Gulbæk Engan achieved exactly the same result. Motorsport and Toksport WRT started with great Consequently, ŠKODA Motorsport supported team Tok- T success. Driving a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo run sport WRT heads the WRC2 Manufacturer overall stand- by the Germany based customer team, Andreas Mikkelsen ings after two rallies. and co-driver Ola Fløene won the category at Rallye Mon- Mikkelsen’s goal is to take the WRC2 Driver’s title. The te-Carlo and came second at Arctic Rally Finland. The Nor- 31 years old is no newcomer to ŠKODA. Back in 2011, wegians clearly lead the WRC2 overall classification. he became champion of the Intercontinental Rally Chal- Two different crews drove Toksport’s second ŠKODA lenge (IRC) for ŠKODA UK and since celebrated numerous FABIA Rally2 evo during the first two rounds of the 2021 victories on international level at the wheel of ŠKODA cars. FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). At the season open- He also plans to tackle several rounds of the 2021 FIA Euro- er, 20 years old Marco Bulacia Wilkinson from Bolivia and pean Rally Championship (ERC) with Toksport. Here, Argentinian navigator Marcelo Der Ohannesian finished he goes for overall victories. “I have the car to do it. The fourth in WRC2 – at their first ever Rallye Monte-Carlo. ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo is the best car in its category,” In Finland, Norwegian mixed crew of Eyvind Brynildsen/ Mikkelsen says. BIRTHDAY PRESENT elebrating its 120th anniversary in racing, ŠKODA Motorsport offers a special edition model of the C ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, built in full spec with all optional packages. In addition the limited Edition 120 series includes six green painted magnesium wheels, six extra LED lights as well as a number of internal accessories based on the experience of the factory drivers. A 1:18 model car, ŠKODA merchandise, a certificate of authenticity and a special plaque round up the extras. The icing on the cake is a special welcoming screen on the displays of the ŠKODA The special ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo Edition 120 is limited FABIA Rally2 evo Edition 120. to twelve units • NEWS ŠKODA ON TOP OF WRC3 rctic Rally Finland was a newcomer to the FIA seconds. Mikko Heikkilä and co-driver Topi Luhtinen, anoth- World Rally Championship (WRC). The Rovaniemi er Finnish crew aboard a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, made it A based event jumped in after the COVID-19 induced to the third step on the podium. Former FIA World Rally- cancellation of Rally Sweden. ŠKODA customer teams dom- cross Champion and twice DTM winner Mattias Ekström inated the WRC3 category reserved for pure private crews. (SWE), celebrating a WRC comeback after 15 years, drove Seven of the ten best placed cars at the finish sported the his own ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo to fifth position in WRC3. logo of the Czech brand. Local heroes Teemu Asunmaa/Marko Salminen (ŠKODA ŠKODA customer crew Teemu Asunmaa/Marko Salminen FABIA Rally2 evo) used their knowledge of the full winter won WRC3 category at the FIA World Rally Championship’s conditions best and won WRC3 by a narrow margin of 4.2 first winter visit to Finland OTHER RECENT RALLY RESULTS: Qatar (MERC): Double podium for ŠKODA Romania: Double victory for ŠKODA at first customer team QMMF at the Manateq Qatar round of Romanian Championship. Dan Girtofan/ International Rally. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/James Fulton finished Tudor Mârza of ŠKODA customer Prorally Team Brasov the FIA Middle East Championship (MERC) round second won ahead of Zoltán Buna/Dániel Fischer. ahead of Khalid Muhammad al Suwaidi/Hugo Magalhães. Russia: Vasiliy Gryazin/Yaroslav Fedorov Argentina: Chilean Jorge Martínez Fontena and (RUS/RUS), ŠKODA FABIA Rally2, won co-driver Alberto Alvarez Nicholson from the first round of their home championship after Argentina (ŠKODA FABIA Rally2) won Rally Pagos del the corona break. Tuyu, third round of the Argentinean Championship. Spain: Eduard Pons/Cándido Carrera drove Finland: 1-2 for ŠKODA customer teams at SM Baporo Motorsport’s ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo O.K. Auto-Ralli, second round of Finnish Champi- to victory at Rally Lloret de Mar. onship. TGS Worldwide’s Mikko Heiikilä/Topi Luhtinen beat Printsport’s Juha Salo/Mikko Markkula. United Arab Emirates: Czech mixed team of Petr Kačírek/Petra Řiháková, sharing Duck Norway: First overall win for Marius Aasen in Racing’s ŠKODA FABIA Rally2, won UMM Al-Quwain Norwegian Championship. Navigated by Marlene Rally, second round of the UAE Championship. Engan Aasen he drove the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo to victory at Finnskog Rally. • NEWS NEXT STEP or the 2021 season, SKODA Motorsport has up- An optional longer gear set increases the top speed to dated the SKODA FABIA Rally2 evo. The package 202 kph. A new spec of dampers in tarmac and gravel spec- F includes new valve timing and engine mapping as ification improves driveability and traction, ŠKODA Motor- well as a more efficient intercooler and an optimized exhaust sport also offers upgrading of existing dampers. A third set manifold. These modifications increase the power output to of front differential ramps (48/70) improves the car’s behav- 214 kW (depending on fuel spec). ior on low grip surfaces. A stronger rear axle subframe minimizes the risk of damage on rough roads. A new roll over valve for the fuel cell breathing pipes increases safety especially at rallies with high ambient temperatures. Cooling ducts for the rear brakes – originally ho- mologated for tarmac use only – can now be used in gravel setup as well. The engine of the 2021 ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo is equipped with a redesigned lubrication system with im- proved function in dynamic modes. Modifications include an optimized intake strainer and baffle plate in oil sump to im- prove turbocharger oil feeding, also reducing the engine oil lev- el. Newly arranged steering wheel buttons, up to eight for dif- ferent functions, and a new jack mount complete the package. The updated 2021 ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo won WRC2 All technical upgrades are available for new ŠKODA FABIA at its competition debut during Rallye Monte-Carlo. Marco Bulacia/ Marcelo Der Ohannesian (photo) finished 4th Rally2 evo – some as standard, some as options – as well as to in the category owners of existing cars. 2021 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Event Date Rallye Monte-Carlo 21 – 24 January Arctic Rally Finland powered by CapitalBox 26 – 28 February Croatia Rally 22 – 25 April Vodafone Rally de Portugal 20 – 23 May Rally Italia Sardegna 3 – 6 June Safari Rally Kenya 24 – 27 June Rally Estonia 15 – 18 July Rally Finland 29 July – 1 August Renties Ypres Rally Belgium 13 – 15 August COPEC Rally Chile 9 – 12 September RallyRACC Catalunya-CostaDaurada 14 – 17 October Rally Japan 11 –14 November 2021 FIA European Rally