Successful Skoda Rally Team Set To Take On Group A

The Škoda British Fabia Rally Team has announced the addition of a Group A rally car which will compete in the 2003 rally season, alongside its Group N stable-mate, the 2002 Kumho National Championship Class N1 winner. Built by Škoda Motorsport at the World Rally Team’s headquarters in the Czech Republic, the car will be developed further by the British team who will run it in competition.

The Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team selected the British team from a number of potential countries. Pavel Janeba, Skoda WRC Team Manager explained, "The British Fabia Rally Team were very successful in the debut season in 2002. We are pleased to entrust them with the Group A Fabia to continue the development of the car. There is strong interest in rallying in Great Britain, so it’s a very good place to run the car. We are looking forward to watching the progress of the Fabia and the British rally team."

The UK team’s 2003 programme for both cars is not finalised, as the new Fabia has not yet arrived in Britain. The team’s 2002 crew of Iain Freestone and Nick Kennedy are likely to compete in the Group A car, following on from their success last season.

Andy Rogers, Škoda British Rally Team Manager is delighted with the new addition to the rally programme. "We’re looking forward to developing the Group A car. It will extend Škoda’s long participation in rallying in the UK, stretching back to Škoda’s many class wins in the RAC Rally. We’re keen to get it out on a test and see how it will handle compared to the Group N Fabia, which is a great handling car."

The Group A Fabia, with its 1.4-litre engine, has 130bhp and a six-speed sequential gearbox, is the only one of its kind built to date. Both Fabias will be run by Jondel Motorsport in Northampton.

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