New boss for Skoda WRC squad

Skoda appoints new chief

New rally chief moves across from sportscar team

Skoda has appointed a new head of its motorsport division from the successful sportscar racing team of sister marque Audi.

Martin Muehlmeier was a member of the squad which won the Le Mans 24 Hours with the Audi R8 three years running from 2000 to 2002 and now moves from Ingolstadt to the Skoda WRC squad at Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic. The appointment indicates that Skoda will draw more and more on the resources available elsewhere in the Volkswagen Audi Group.

The 40-year-old Muhlmeier commented: "This year Skoda is preparing a big challenge in the World Rally Championship. Our brand has a great motorsport heritage but no one can live looking only to the past. Our objective is to make swift and precise development to enable us to quickly reduce the gap to the leading WRC teams."

Skoda's limited programme of 2004 WRC events with the Fabia WRC is scheduled to begin with the Acropolis Rally in June.

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