It has been announced today that VW are withdrawing from WRC at the end of the 2016 season, despite winning another manufacturers and drivers world title.

 

This has been announced along with Audi withdrawing from the World Endurance Championship.

 

Will this corporate decision filter down to Skoda eventually and perhaps see the end of the very successful Fabia R5 WRC 2 team or will they be allowed to carry on un scathed?

 

If the rally arm is shelved what effect could this have on models, with the future of the VRS mark already being questioned?

Likely not much affect on the Octavia vRS name staying or becoming a Sportline Octavia since the Rally Cars are Fabia R5's and before S2000 AWD's 

and these are only available in limited numbers to favoured customer / rally teams.

 

No Mk3 Fabias sold to the public have AWD or more oomph than 110ps.

Byte bye Polo R rally car. When will we get a road going Polo R for Joe Blogs.

Car magazines overview of Rally car: http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/magazine-reviews/car-vs-the-worlds-best-rally-car-vw-polo-wrc-review/

So sad.

Skoda had already lost its connection with rally and road showing how VAG cared for Skoda's rich rally heritage. Did we a Fabia in VW colours before it went full WRC with the polo. VAG in such a mess with its finances ie down a third in value since dieselgate broke and with Audi pulling out of WEC also albeit for Porsche to continue it is sad times for VAG in general although mostly self inflicted and through their own dealing with the US resulting in having to find $20B.

AFAIK Skoda are still in the WRC, although not as a "works team".

The fat lady has shut up now and the curtain has dropped.

http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2020/12/volkswagen-motorsport-ceases-all-operations-after-2020

 

Skoda Motorsport has announced nothing about exiting Rallying or stopping building Fabia R5's.

https://www.skoda-motorsport.com/en/skoda-motorsport-team

https://www.skoda-motorsport.com/en/grand-finale-rally-monza-starts

https://www.skoda-motorsport.com/en

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 December, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

Odd they've scrapped the Polo GTI R5 after only 3 years

I have never understood how Skoda got Homologation on the Fabia R5 1.6T AWD.