ŠKODA MOTORSPORT NEWSLETTER • November 2019 CONTENT: 1 Editorial ŠKODA winning manufac- turers’ title in the WRC 2 2 Pro category of the FIA WRC 2019 Standings FIA World Rally 3 Championship Customer teams in the WRC 2 category of the 3 FIA World Rally Champi- At the finish of the re- thank as well their co-drivers Jonne onship (WRC) cent RallyRACC Catalun- Halttunen and Jan Hloušek and all the At a glance: Update of A ya-Rallye de España, our people who are standing behind this 4 ŠKODA successes in hard work was duly re- success story: our board of manage- national championships warded. Our newly crowned WRC 2 ment, our engineers, mechanics and Insider: What’s the Pro Champions* Kalle Rovanperä and all the ŠKODA employees, who sup- difference in setting up 5 last year’s WRC 2 overall winner Jan ported us, making motorsport a suc- a ŠKODA FABIA R5 for Kopecký, both driving a ŠKODA cessful part of the ŠKODA DNA. gravel or tarmac? FABIA R5 evo, secured the necessary What also makes me very proud is Facts and statistics about points to give ŠKODA the manufac- the success of our customer program, 6 the ŠKODA FABIA R5 turers’ title of the WRC 2 Pro catego- however. In WRC 2, the category of so far ry of the FIA World Rally Champion- the FIA World Rally Championship ship 2019*. This success is a result dedicated to privateers competing 7 History: 23 years ago of perfect teamwork, I would like to with R5 cars, only two ŠKODA drivers are left in the final fight for the title. Rallying is more popular than ever – and so is the ŠKODA FABIA R5. In the meantime, we sold 312 R5 rally cars so far – and our customers are racing from success to success around the globe. By Michal Hrabánek, Director of ŠKODA Motorsport • NEWS WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP (WRC) WRC 2 Pro Champions* for ŠKODA: Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen. On the podium of RallyRACC Catalunya-Rally de España, the whole team around ŠKODA Motorsport Director Michal Hrabánek celebrated FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP/ WRC 2 PRO CATEGORY: Jan Kopecký/Jan Hloušek and Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen prematurely secured the WRC 2 Pro manufacturers’ title* for ŠKODA Five wins and two second places by Kalle Rovan- evo proved not only to be quick. Reliability was even more perä, one victory and five second places by Jan important as the ŠKODA factory crews were facing stiffer F Kopecký – even with one more round to go in the competition than ever from Citroën and Ford drivers in the FIA World Rally Championship 2019 ŠKODA is uncatchable fight for the titles of the WRC 2 Pro category. Without in the race for the WRC 2 Pro manufacturers’ title. No other a single retirement due to technical problems Rovanperä brand scored more victories in this category. The ŠKODA and Kopecký in the end could collect enough points to keep FABIA R5 and from mid-season the new ŠKODA FABIA R5 ŠKODA ahead of the competition. WRC 2 Pro champions* Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen Jan Kopecký and co-driver Jan Hloušek at the Spanish WRC finished their category on third position in Spain round, where they came home second of the WRC 2 Pro category by the FIA results *Subject official publication of the to STANDINGS: FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP (after 13 of 14 rounds) WRC 2 Pro/Drivers 1. Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) ŠKODA 176 points 2. Mads Østberg (NOR) Citroën 145 points 3. Gus Greensmith (GBR) Ford 137 points 4. Jan Kopecký (CZE) ŠKODA 115 points WRC 2 Pro/Manufacturers 1. ŠKODA 333 points 2. Ford 259 points 3. Citroën 145 points WRC 2/Drivers (private teams) 1. Pierre-Louis Loubet (FRA) ŠKODA 91 points Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen, 2. Kajetan Kajetanowicz (POL) ŠKODA/VW 88 points ŠKODA FABIA R5 evo, Rally Spain 3. Benito Guerra (MEX) ŠKODA 75 points WORLD RALLYING WRC 2 CHAMPIONSHIP 2019: TITLE DECISION “DOWN UNDER” ŠKODA CUSTOMERS PIERRE-LOUIS LOUBET AND BENITO GUERRA FIGHTING FOR THE WRC 2 CROWN Only two ŠKODA customer teams can still win de España, but after a small off finally had to settle for catego- WRC 2, the category of the FIA World Rally Cham- ry fifth. Going into the season’s final, Loubet/Landais still have O pionship dedicated to privateers competing with R5 the overall lead. Their only remaining rivals on the gravel stag- cars. Pierre-Louis Loubet and co-driver Vincent Landais from es of Australia will be Benito Guerra (MEX) and Daniel Cué France initially led the category at RallyRACC Catalunya-Rally (ESP). • PICTURE OF THE MONTH: Spanish rally legend and double World Rally Champion, Carlos Sainz (in his home country called “El Matador”), visited the ŠKODA Motorsport Team in the Salou service park and had a chat with Team Principal Michal Hrabánek and Team Manager Pavel Hortek. AT A GLANCE/UPDATE: ŠKODA CREWS SUCCESSFUL IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Belgium: Adrian Lithuania: Vaidotas Žala/ Mike Coppens/Renaud Jamoul Fernémont/Samuel Maillen Andris Mālnieks won the and Michaёl Burri/Anderson Levratti won the championship in Belgium. national series. conquered the first three positions. The Swiss Champions are Ivan Bulgaria: Miroslav Angelov Luxembourg: Steve Fer- Ballinari and Marco Menchini. and Georgi Gadzhev won nan des/Kevin Fernandez are the national series. leading with one race still to be done. Slovakia: With three victories, Martin Koči Chile: Jorge Martínez and Mexico: The national and Radovan Mozner jun. won navigator Alberto Alvarez champions are Ricardo the national crown. won the national championship. Triviño and Marc Martí. Spain: ŠKODA privateers Croatia: ŠKODA crew Poland: Mikolaj Marczyk Xevi Pons/Rodrigo Sanjuan Krisztián Hideg/István and co-driver Szymon de Eusebio conquered the Spanish Kerék became the new national Gospodarczyk became national gravel championship. champions. champions. Denmark: Ib Kragh and Portugal: Ricardo Teodósio Ditte Kammersgaard won and José Teixeira are the their national series. new national champions. Hungary: Ferenc Vincze Switzerland: At the Rally jun./Igor Bacigál are the du Valais, the ŠKODA new Champions in Hungary. crews Olivier Burri/Fabrice Gordon, • INSIDER INTERVIEW & TECHNOLOGY Mechanics at work during Rally Spain ERIC MOMMEY, TECHNICAL CHIEF OF ŠKODA MOTORSPORT, TALKS ABOUT SETTING UP THE ŠKODA FABIA R5 EVO EITHER FOR GRAVEL OR FOR ASPHALT How is it possible to change all this rims on gravel, which allows us to have in less than 45 minutes, like the bigger brakes. Up front, the discs go ŠKODA mechanics did during the from 300 to 355 millimetres of diame- Spanish WRC round? ter, while they are identical in the rear. All the mechanical components of the Of course, the relatively soft gravel ŠKODA FABIA R5 evo are designed dampers and springs come out and with jobs like this in mind. They are easy parts in asphalt spec go onto the car. to access and fixed in a way, that they Because the ride height is much lower can be changed a lot faster than on on asphalt than on gravel, the uprights a ŠKODA FABIA road car. and cross members are different as well. What are the differences of the What about the underbody ŠKODA FABIA R5 evo in gravel and protection? in asphalt specification? While on gravel we have to protect en- There are three areas with big differenc- gine, differentials and chassis especially es: transmission, suspension and brakes. from stones, the main issue during as- Due to the homologation, we have only phalt stages is contact with the road one type of gearbox available, but two surface for example when the drivers sorts of differentials with specific set- cut corners. Therefore, the ŠKODA tings for asphalt or gravel. We use 18- Eric Mommey, Technical Chief of ŠKODA FABIA R5 evo gets specific underbody inch rims on asphalt instead of 15-inch Motorsport protection for gravel or asphalt. SUCCESS OF THE ŠKODA FABIA R5 SO FAR • HISTORY Pavel Sibera/Petr Gross (ŠKODA FELICA kit car) at Rally Australia 1996 23 YEARS AGO PAVEL SIBERA/PETR GROSS WIN 2-LITRE CLASS AT RALLY AUSTRALIA 1996 WITH A ŠKODA FELICIA In 1996 FIA World Rally Championship, the front teammates Emil Triner/Pavel Stanc (CZE/CZE) finished third. wheel driven ŠKODA FELICA was the car to beat During the season, Emil Triner won the class at the WRC I in the so-called “Kit Car Class” for cars with 2-litre round in New Zealand, while Swedish professional Stig normally aspirated engines. Pavel Sibera/Petr Gross (CZE/ Blomqvist won the class and achieved a sensational third CZE) took the class victory at Rally Australia, while their place overall at the RAC Rally. ŠKODA MOTORSPORT: Further information: Zbyněk Straškraba, Communications Motorsport P +420 605 293 168 [email protected] http://skoda-motorsport.com.