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ŠKODA privateer Yuya Sumiyama from Japan wins FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2018
› At China Rally Longyou Team Cusco driver scores fifth APRC victory in a row › Navigator Yasui also crowned FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Champion for Co-Drivers › Seventh manufacturer title for ŠKODA in a row, last four achieved with ŠKODA FABIA R5 › ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek: “Congratulations to the drivers and Team Cusco for continuing ŠKODA’s winning streak in the FIA APRC series.”
Longyou, 21 October 2018 – Scoring victories on all five rounds, the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) 2018 has a dominant winner – ŠKODA driver Yuya Sumiyama together with navigator Takahiro Yasui got maximum points at the last round of the series, China Rally Longyou (20 – 21 October 2018). Their Team Cusco’s achievements seamless continue the success, ŠKODA Motorsport factory supported teams celebrated during the past years in the Asia Pacific region (all results subject to official publication by the FIA). Celebrating an APRC hat trick from 2012 to 2014 with the normally aspirated ŠKODA FABIA S2000, the following years the Czech brand added four titles in a row with the turbo-powered ŠKODA FABIA R5, worldwide the most successful rally car of its category.
With a convincing performance Yuya Sumiyama, driving a Team Cusco entered ŠKODA FABIA R5, opened up an additional chapter of one of the most successful seasons for ŠKODA Motorsport. “Congratulations to Yuya Sumiyama, Takahiro Yasui and all at Team Cusco for continuing ŠKODA’s winning streak in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship,” says ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek and adds: “This new success again shows the strength of our customer program.” Actually Team Cusco in itself is special amongst the ŠKODA customer teams worldwide – right now its ŠKODA FABIA R5 is the first and only imported ŠKODA to Japan. As a reward Team Cusco won the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship Teams Award 2018.
Winning the 2018 APRC driver title is Yuya Sumiyama’s biggest success so far. Competing in rallies since 2002, the now 42 years old is one of the most experienced drivers from Japan. He already won the APRC-integrated Asia Cup in 2012 and 2014. In 2004 he celebrated his debut in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) when he competed at Rally Japan, at that time part of the WRC calendar. Since 2008 Sumiyama is part of Team Cusco, driving a ŠKODA FABIA R5 for the first time full season during the 2018 APRC.
Having scored already four victories this season, Yuya Sumiyama started the final round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), the China Rally Longyou, as the new champion. Nevertheless, he opened proceedings with the second fastest time in the first special stage. He was fastest of the APRC competitors ahead of the more powerful rally cars of the national Chinese Rally Championship’s own categories. But two stages later, the Team Cusco driver had to survive a heart-stopping moment: “I entered one corner a little bit too fast and hit something with the left rear side of my car,” Sumiyama confessed. His private entered ŠKODA FABIA R5 proved to be rock solid. And although the suspension was bent, he managed to return to service, where Team Cusco’s mechanics fixed the car. The time loss made him drop significantly in the general classification. But when his opponent for the APRC category win, New Zealand driver Mike Young, had to retire due to a broken engine, Sumiyama reached the finish line as APRC winner. On the
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podium in Longyou, the ŠKODA FABIA R5 driver, co-driver Takahiro Yasui and the whole Team Cusco were greeted by a cheering crowd, amongst them Dr. Ralf Hanschen, President ŠKODA China.
Final standings FIA APRC (after five rounds, one round cancelled)
1. Yuya Sumiyama (JPN), ŠKODA FABIA R5, 193 points 2. Fabio Frisiero (ITA), Peugeot 208 AP4, 79 points 3. Michael Young (NZL), Toyota Vitz AP4, 37 points
Final standings FIA APRC Cup for Manufacturers (after five rounds, one round cancelled)
1. ŠKODA, 193 points 2. Peugeot, 79 points 3. Subaru, 38 points
Number of the day: 7 ŠKODA won the seventh FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship manufacturer title in a row, the last four were achieved with the ŠKODA FABIA R5.
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) – ŠKODA’s titles
2018 Sumiyama/Yasui (JPN/JPN) ŠKODA FABIA R5 2017 Gill/Prévot (IND/BEL) ŠKODA FABIA R5 2016 Gill/Macneall (IND/NZL) ŠKODA FABIA R5 2015 Tidemand/Axelsson (SWE/SWE) ŠKODA FABIA R5/ŠKODA FABIA S2000 2014 Kopecký/Dresler (CZE/CZE) ŠKODA FABIA S2000 2013 Gill/Macneall (IND/NZL) ŠKODA FABIA S2000 2012 Atkinson/ Prévot (NZL/BEL) ŠKODA FABIA S2000
Calendar of the 2018 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC)
Event Date Rally of Whangarei – New Zealand 05/05–06/05/2018 National Capital Rally Australia 02/06–03/06/2018 Malaysian Rally 21/07–22/07/2018 Rally Hokkaido - Japan 15/09–16/09/2018 China Rally 21/07–22/10/2018 Rally of India (cancelled) 01/12–02/12/2018
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Further information: Zbyněk Straškraba, Communications Motorsport P +420 605 293 168 [email protected] http://skoda-motorsport.com
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ŠKODA at the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Yuya Sumiyama and Takahiro Yasui ŠKODA (ŠKODA FABIA R5) won the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) with five victories in a row
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ŠKODA at the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Yuya Sumiyama and Takahiro Yasui secured for ŠKODA the seventh manufacturer title of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) in a row
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ŠKODA Motorsport Overview
ŠKODA has been successful on the motorsport scene since 1901. Be it on the circuit or in rallies, ŠKODA has celebrated victories and won titles all around the world. Historical highlights include winning the title in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2) for the first time in 2016, numerous title wins in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC), the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), as well as the victory in the European Touring Car Championship in 1981. ŠKODA teams have also triumphed in the world’s oldest and most famous rally, taking several class victories in the legendary Monte Carlo, which was first held in 1911.
The ŠKODA FABIA R5, a high-tech 4x4, was homologated by the International Automobile Federation FIA on 1 April 2015. ŠKODA’s new FABIA R5 is successfully continuing the long tradition of ŠKODA Motorsport. Its predecessor, the FABIA SUPER 2000, won 50 national and international titles around the world. In the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2) 2016, Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN) won the title for the Czech car maker. In total, ten of the 2016 season’s races in the World Rally Championship were won by a ŠKODA FABIA R5. ŠKODA drivers Gustavo Saba (PRY) and Gaurav Gill (IND) also won the continental championships in South America and the Asia-Pacific region at the wheel of the successful ŠKODA FABIA R5. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) was unbeatable in the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), while a further ten national titles also went the way of ŠKODA drivers.
2017 was the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport. Works duo Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson (S/S) became WRC 2 Champions, ŠKODA Motorsport won the Team Championship. Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (CZ/CZ) won the Czech Rally Championship (MČR) for the third time in a row and are the spearhead of in total 14 crews winning their country’s national titles. Furthermore the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) and the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) have been won by teams competing in a ŠKODA FABIA R5. In 2018 Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (CZ/CZ) managed to win the Czech Rally Championship (MČR) for the fourth consecutive time.
ŠKODA AUTO
› is one of the longest-established vehicle manufacturers in the world. The company was founded in 1895 – during the pioneering days of the automobile. Today, the company’s headquarters remain in Mladá Boleslav. › currently offers the following models in the range: CITIGO, FABIA, RAPID, OCTAVIA, KAROQ, KODIAQ and SUPERB. › in 2017 delivered more than 1.2 million vehicles to customers worldwide. › has belonged to Volkswagen Group since 1991. The Volkswagen Group is one of the most successful vehicle manufacturers in the world. ŠKODA, in association with the Group, independently manufactures and develops vehicles, as well as components, engines and gear transmissions. › operates at three locations in the Czech Republic, produces in China, Russia, Slovakia, Algeria and India mainly through Group partnerships, as well as in Ukraine and Kazakhstan through local partners. › employs over 35,000 people globally and is active in more than 100 markets.
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