Škoda Motorsport is celebrating 125 years, and we are looking back at its sweetest victories. Last time, we focused on the Škoda Fabia WRC and its drivers. Today, we have moved on to the end of the first decade of the new millennium. That was when an era of success began - one that continues to this day.
The Škoda Fabia WRC fought valiantly, but following the end of its service, the activities of the motorsport department were suspended for a while. However, this did not last long, as the arrival of the second-generation production Fabia was among the factors that provided the impetus to return to racing. At the same time, a category emerged that allowed a closer relationship between the competition car and its production-based counterpart, in which Škoda could be competitive – the Super 2000 Rally (S2000) class.
The S2000 class, with its regulations, was well suited to development by car manufacturers. It required lower financial investment, and both manufacturers and teams could look forward to a new championship, the IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge), with television coverage. In early April 2007, Michal Hrabánek took over the motorsport department, which he continues to lead to this day. He was immediately faced with a challenging task: to establish a customer-oriented Fabia Super 2000 project, complete the car itself and, at the same time, restore the factory team's operations.
In the fall of 2008, driver Jan Kopecký’s dream came true when he became a professional contract driver. Together with his co-driver Petr Starý and the engineers, technicians, and mechanics at Škoda Motorsport, they threw themselves wholeheartedly into developing the new car.
Škoda Fabia S2000
The S2000 version was powered by an all-aluminium, naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Its output of 280 horsepower was transmitted to all four wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox and a pair of mechanical differentials. Both the front and rear axles featured MacPherson strut suspension. Reiger shock absorbers played an important role in the car's handling characteristics. The original version of the car measured 3,992 mm in length and 1,798 mm in width. An evolution of the car was unveiled in 2010. It incorporated the facelift of the production Fabia and also benefited from a change to the FIA regulations for this category, which allowed the car's width to be increased to 1,820 mm. As a result, the front and rear suspension systems were redesigned, giving the car improved handling characteristics. The powertrain received new intake and exhaust systems, resulting in an increase in maximum engine output and an improvement in the engine's torque delivery. The car's bumpers and wheel arches were also modified, increasing its aerodynamic efficiency. The car was also fitted with new headlights.
Kopecký covered several thousand kilometres in the car during testing, including in the role of a pace car driver. The car made its competition debut at the traditional season opener, Rallye Monte-Carlo, in 2009. Kopecký finished fourth in the S2000 class, and the car earned words of praise and won over fans around the world. Victories were not long in coming. The Hänninen–Markkula crew won Rally Russia, while the Kopecký–Starý pairing claimed victories at Barum Rally and Rally Príncipe de Asturias. Jan Kopecký ultimately secured three wins with the car.
Although the Fabia S2000 did not compete in every event of the season, the result was second place in the manufacturers' championship at the end of the year. What followed was a real winning streak. In 2010, Juho Hänninen won the entire championship, while Kopecký finished second. Škoda Motorsport took first place in the teams' standings.
The Škoda Fabia S2000 became unbeatable. It won both the IRC drivers' and teams' titles three times. The same feat was achieved in the FIA ERC (European Rally Championship) and the FIA APRC (Asia-Pacific Rally Championship). With its victory in the South American Championship, the Škoda Fabia S2000 became a champion on three continents, and in the 2011 season it also secured the SWRC world championship title.
Its many achievements must also include numerous victories in national championships – the Fabia S2000 celebrated success on several occasions in the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Paraguay. In total, the Škoda Fabia S2000 secured fifty titles, with drivers such as Juho Hänninen and Andreas Mikkelsen adding their names to its success story.
