Škoda Fabia R5/Rally2 evo

Lore & Background

After four years of success in the R5 discipline with the original Fabia, Škoda announced the Fabia R5 evo at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019. The car was showcased as an improvement over the 2015 Fabia in nearly all areas, most notably the power and response of the engine. Following many kilometers of testing, the Evo passed international homologation on 1 April 2019. It made its competitive rallying debut in the hands of Jan Kopecký at the third round of the Czech Rally Championship, Rallye Český Krumlov, winning the rally overall. Soon after, it made its World Rally Championship debut at Rally de Portugal, where it emerged victorious in the hands of Kalle Rovanperä.

Reader's Guide

The Škoda Fabia R5 evo (later Rally2 evo) represents a focused generational update of the successful Fabia R5, introduced after four years of dominance in the R5 category. Its development emphasized improvements in engine power and response, areas highlighted at its March 2019 unveiling. The car's rapid homologation and immediate competitive success—winning its first rally overall in the Czech Championship and its WRC debut in Portugal—underscored its effectiveness. The name change from R5 evo to Rally2 evo reflects the 2019 rule changes in the sport, but the car's engineering lineage remains tied to the facelifted Fabia production model. Its victories across multiple championships, including the World Rally Championship-2 Pro, World Rally Championship-2, World Rally Championship-3, and European Rally Championship, demonstrate its versatility and performance across different levels of competition.

Did You Know?

• The car was originally named the Škoda Fabia R5 evo before the 2019 rule changes prompted the Rally2 evo designation.
• Its competitive debut was at Rallye Český Krumlov, driven by Jan Kopecký, and it won the rally overall.
• Kalle Rovanperä drove the car to victory on its World Rally Championship debut at Rally de Portugal.