Lithuanian rally driver Vaidotas Žala has built his success on hard work and determination. He’s been competing in rallying with Škoda cars for years and recently received a brand-new Fabia RS Rally2 from Škoda Motorsport. And he couldn't be happier with it.
At 37, Vaidotas Žala proves that if you truly pursue your dream with focus and dedication, success is within reach. He entered the world of rallying through his own initiative — simply because he wanted it. That drive paid off, earning him the Lithuanian Rally Championship title in 2019 and 2020 behind the wheel of a Škoda Fabia Rally2. He is currently competing in the latest Fabia RS Rally2.
How did you get into motorsport?
No one in my family was involved in motorsport, but I’ve loved cars since I was a kid. I saw my first rally when I was 13, and that was it — I was hooked. It gave me a clear goal: I wanted to become a rally driver. That passion stayed with me through school and university. It also motivated me to do well in my studies because I knew how expensive motorsport could be. I had to wait quite a while before I could start rallying — my first event wasn’t until 2010. Počátek kariéry jste strávil v autech skupiny N. Jak velký rozdíl byl, když jste usedl do Fabia Rally2?
You began your career in Group N cars. How much difference did stepping up to the Fabia Rally2 make?
When I drove the Rally2 car for the first time in 2018, the difference in handling was so dramatic that I started calling my previous cars “boats.” The Fabia Rally2 was much sharper and more precise than anything I’d driven on gravel before — and significantly faster. We won our first rally in Lithuania with it by two minutes. That result came down to the car’s balance and precision. The mechanics were also impressed with its reliability — some components lasted thousands of kilometres before needing replacement.
In 2022 and 2023, you drove the Rally2 evo. Did that feel like a big change?
The Fabia Rally2 evo brought some nice improvements, but from a driver’s perspective, it wasn’t a major shift. We used almost the same setup, and the car behaved very much like the previous generation. It was slightly faster, but the best part was that I didn’t have to adapt my driving style. The transition was really easy.
Then came two starts with the Fabia RS Rally2 in 2024. How did you like the new car?
The Fabia RS Rally2 is definitely faster than the Rally2 evo. One major difference is its 10 cm longer wheelbase, which gives it much more stability in fast corners. The engine delivers solid performance, and there are a lot of new features that make the car easier to maintain and operate. The setup is quite different from the Rally2 evo, so as a driver, you need to take some time to get used to it. But we only needed about 100 km of testing to dial it in — and then we won our first championship rally in Lithuania with it.
What’s your experience working with Škoda Motorsport?
I’ve been working with Škoda Motorsport since 2018, and the support has always been fantastic. For customer teams, getting parts and technical support is always a challenge, but Škoda makes it feel effortless. Jana Sedláková from Škoda Motorsport has been especially helpful — it feels like working with a trusted neighbour. Whenever we need anything, she’s there. And Václav Trkola provides us with in-depth advice on car maintenance and operation.
What kind of rally stages suit you best?
I love gravel stages that require an aggressive driving style. Most stages in Lithuania are exactly like that — I grew up driving on them. Over the past 10 years, we’ve often had to start first and clean the track, so I’ve learned to brake late, take wide lines, and push hard into corners. However, two ERC starts taught me that this isn’t always the fastest way to drive — so I’m still learning and adapting.
You’ve also competed in the Dakar Rally for years. Did your rally experience help there?
Definitely. My rally background was crucial for Dakar. It really helps to have a good feel for grip and to be used to unexpected slides and jumps. Dakar is generally slower than rally stages, so that experience helps bring a sense of calm in the cockpit.
