SKODA

FABIA RS RALLY2: it is the new model of the brand will compete in the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship

Through a spectacular and massive event, Skoda Motorsport presented the new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, the vehicle with which it will compete in the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship with the Toksport WRT team, in addition to having the support of the factory.

This car is based on the fourth generation of the Fabia, and as a successor to the Fabia Rally2 Evo, the most successful in recent years. It has a new engine and improved technology thanks to an extensive series of tests on all types of terrain.

Among the improvements, we highlight the advance in maneuverability, as well as the powertrain and electronics, and as the Skoda staff assures, “it is perfectly equipped to achieve victories and titles in the future for the client teams”.

Skoda Motorsport managing director Michal Hrabánek explained first-hand how this vehicle had become a reality: “Stopping means falling behind, which is especially true in motorsport.”

“That's why, when developing the new Fabia RS Rally2, we applied the experience acquired with the previous model and perfected every detail”, said the company's top manager. “Our goal was to evolve the most successful rally car in the world.”

“I am very proud of the entire team at Skoda Motorsport, who have strived to achieve this goal with great dedication,” continued Hrabánek. "I would also like to express my thanks to our fellows in charge of the series development phase."

“The fourth generation of the Fabia has provided us with the perfect foundation for the Fabia RS Rally2”, assured the director of Skoda Motorsport.

The Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 falls within the Rally2 category of the WRC, and to be a rival to beat, it has perfected its engine, developing a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine capable of generating 289 hp, taking the 2.0 TSI as a reference. of the EA888 units. The FIA ​​regulations for this class require these engines, and with new engine control software, a 32 mm restrictor and the 4 cylinders, it delivers a maximum torque of 430 Nm.

But that's not all, as the Czechs have increased the bodywork in length to give the car a longer wheelbase, which benefits weight distribution.

But if there's one thing that Mladá Boleslav's machine excels at, it's the brakes, more than necessary to scratch thousandths on the timer that can be fundamental when crossing the finish line. With discs that vary from 355 to 300 mm depending on the terrain, it is capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 700º C, and they are perfectly cooled thanks to the improvements made by the brand.

As if that weren't enough, the car has a safety cage made up of 35.8 meters of steel tubes to keep the pilots and co-pilots in the cabin safe, in addition to having a very protected fuel tank to minimize the risk of fire.

Regarding the chassis, the Fabia RS Rally2 lengthened the suspension travel, as well as the MacPherson studs, but the Czech engineers managed to reduce the friction of the shock absorbers, without reducing the efficiency of the fast sequential 5-speed shift, which is done through two four-wheel differentials and the durability of the components.

With all this, the vehicle made in the Czech Republic can reach a top speed close to 200 km/h, which is not to be overlooked considering that it is a WRC participant that must be versatile both on asphalt and on dirt and snow.

Aerodynamics were also not left to chance, and the Fabia RS Rally2 features an improved load where the drag force has almost doubled, and fits with the sporty models of the RS series, the Octavia RS and the Enyaq Coupe RS iV.

The aerodynamics specialist from the Technical Development department at Skoda Auto, Lukás Vojík, highlighted: “Some aerodynamic elements present in the production model also proved their effectiveness in the rally car”.

“Compared to its predecessor, with this model we paid more attention to aerodynamics and scrutinized every detail,” admitted Vojík. “Our main objective was to achieve greater drag force to achieve higher cornering speed and improve handling, while increasing the aerodynamic efficiency of the car.”

All these performance-enhancing details help a lot, but even the best and most experienced drivers fail, so accidents are the order of the day in competitions at the highest level. For this, Skoda has prepared a structure that absorbs all possible blows, with panels composed of five layers of carbon 280 and one of Kevlar 300, which is closest to the pilot and co-pilot to protect them from possible sharp fragments of carbon. It also has an energy-absorbing foam, which must be approved by the FIA, which is responsible for reducing the energy of the impact, and there is no lack of special competition seats, six-point belts and personal equipment, which includes the mandatory system. for the head and neck (HANS).

The last detail in terms of safety, although it is unlikely that flames will appear thanks to the wraparound cover on the fuel tank, the Fabia RS Rally2 has an automatic on-board fire extinguishing system, with easily removable polycarbonate side windows, in the cabin and engine compartment, and a manual fire extinguisher at the co-pilot's feet, although all of these can also be activated from outside.

In short, this Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 is the ideal car for customer teams that want to make their mark in the WRC thanks to its performance and its extensive 127 years of experience in the motorsport world.

Autonews