skoda

Škoda Auto is a Czech automobile manufacturer based in Mladá Boleslav, founded in 1895 as Laurin & Klement and adopting the Škoda name in 1925. Since 1991, it has been part of the Volkswagen Group. The brand has a rich tradition in the world of rallying that goes back several decades. Škoda began its serious participation in rally competitions during the 1970s with the Škoda 130 RS—nicknamed the "Porsche of the East". Following its entry into Volkswagen, Škoda modernized its programme. In the 1990s, it competed with the Felicia Kit Car (F2), achieving success in the ERC/WRC-2L, and between 1999 and 2003 made the leap to the WRC with the Octavia WRC, albeit with modest results. Between 1999 and 2003, the brand took its first serious step in the World Rally Championship with the Škoda Octavia WRC, though with modest results that did not reflect the potential it would later demonstrate. The real revolution came with the Škoda Fabia family. The Fabia S2000, introduced in 2009, dominated the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), winning multiple drivers' and manufacturers' titles until 2011. However, Škoda's most successful rally model arrived in 2015 with the Škoda Fabia R5, later renamed Rally2 under new FIA regulations. In 2025, Škoda presented its most recent evolution: the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, which continues the legacy of success in WRC-2 and numerous national championships around the world. Škoda Motorsport has established itself as the undisputed benchmark in the Rally2 category, with hundreds of units sold to private teams across the globe. Although the brand does not compete in the top Rally1 category, its dominance in Rally2 is absolute.