Given the direct quotes from Hrabánek, this sounds likely. At least they will stay in rallying as a provider of customer cars.
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I guess that we need to forget about Skoda and hope for Subaru to really step into it.
It looks like Skoda’s electric vehicles will for now at least be standalone models (apart from the Citigo) so a hybrid Fabia RS is possible, but not until the next generation road car.
Seems pretty obvious the FIA are going to have to introduce some kind of hybridisation to the top classes of rallying in the near future. Even F1 has been running hybrids of some type for years now.
But this Skoda to ETCR rumour might explain the driver cull at the end of last year and the huge scaling back of their WRC2 programme.
As late as about 1,5 years ago Skoda was seen as "almost certain" to join WRC (by me as well). Now we have rumors of moving out completely. Add to that Citroen "threatening" to leave next year if rule changes are not introduced and Ford not joining MSport even after winning 3 titles (2 driver + 1 manu) and having the 6 time champion in the car.
Wonder what all the people saying how WRC rules are perfect and FIA should not "destroy" them with changes think about it.
The top category will go hybrid from 2022, that is already decided, now how the system will be introduced is still in discussion.
VAG is very frustrated because they have heavily invested in the iD race car with low social media engagement, that is why they are desperately looking for another electric race series to promote their technology, cant blame them for that.
Maybe Skoda is stepping away to give VW room for a full WRC return in 2022, with a hybrid car. Despite the big announcements of future EV’s launches, VW is intensifying the use of mild hybrids systems on their ICE models, which will still be dominant during the next decade (at least).