Skoda Deutschland commits to four IRC rounds

Skoda Auto Deutschland will enter a brace of Fabia Super 2000s on selected rounds of this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Seven-time German champion Matthias Kahle, 42, and rising star Mark Wallenwein, 24, will contest Barum Czech Rally Zlin in late August followed by the Mecsek Rallye in Hungary in mid-September. Kahle will also take part on RACMSA Rally of Scotland in October and the season-closing Cyprus Rally, where Wallenwein could return to the line-up in a second entry.

“I am happy to come back to the international rally scene again,” said Kahle, who won last year’s German title in a Fabia S2000 and will be co-driven by Peter Gobel. “But of course it will be a difficult task because the teams in the IRC are very evenly matched and the top ones have a big advantage in experience. I look forward to the gravel rallies because I enjoy to drive on that surface very much.”

Wallenwein already has prior IRC experience after contesting Rallye Monte-Carlo in January. He finished 21st alongside co-driver Stefan Kopczyk after being delayed on stage eight with a damaged wheel.

Skoda Auto Deutschland has run a rally team since 2001. Confirmation of its IRC bid brings the number of Skoda importers actively involved in the series to four and further increases the total number of manufacturer importers participating in the IRC.