Watch: new Skoda Fabia Rally2 in testing
Skoda Motorsport has issued a brief glimpse of its new Fabia Rally2 car during initial testing.
A short video shows the car being driven on dusty gravel roads. Little close-up detail can be seen, but the clip also includes comments from 2018 WRC2 champion Jan Kopecký, current season WRC2 leader Andreas Mikkelsen and WRC3 frontrunner Emil Lindholm.
A first prototype of the car has been tested on asphalt and gravel roads in the Czech Republic, France and Spain. It is based on the fourth-generation road car, which was unveiled in May.
“The all-new Skoda Fabia for the Rally2 category has entered the development and testing stage,” said Skoda Motorsport head Michal Hrabánek.
“Fortunately, our technicians can build on comprehensive knowhow and expertise of the ongoing Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo project, which still is very successful worldwide.”
Video: new Skoda Fabia Rally2
The Fabia has won nine FIA World Rally Championship support category titles in R5 and Rally2 guises since its debut in 2015 in the hands of drivers including Esapekka Lappi, Pontus Tidemand, Kalle Rovanperä and Kopecký.
The new four-wheel drive car is again powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine connected to a five-speed sequential gearbox. It is expected to enter competition in 2022.