Rally2 (ex-R5) News

**Sal yet again** · 8th August 2022, 14:55

Other than the recent fuel related issues with some examples of the existing car you would expect the Fabia once again to be the class of the field. I had heard some drivers preferring the E1 to the E2 handling wise however results speak for themselves.

They know what they are doing and you only have to look at ewrc results to see which car is winning weekend after weekend. Ford other than in the UK, MSports home market and in the Canary Islands are way behind leaving Hyundai and VW to pick up the pieces.

**Jarek Z** · 8th August 2022, 15:52

Originally Posted by Sal yet again

They know what they are doing and you only have to look at ewrc results to see which car is winning weekend after weekend.

Have a look at the first 12 cars in the Italian gravel championship

https://www.rallylink.it/pdf/classifiche/2022/cirt.pdf

**logic** · 8th August 2022, 16:25

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

You'd think with the time it's taken producing the new car Skoda would've timed the full competition launch better.

The publicity at their home rally of Barum as the part of the Czech championship and a round of the ERC would've been a great platform.

It is not that easy when your suppliers, supplier is backlogged and cant supply any one.It is just how things are at this point.

RS · 8th August 2022, 19:22

Originally Posted by mknight

Well a year ago Hyundai was late (twice delayed I think), and when finally competing the car was both unreliable and slow. Took at least half a year to be competetive.
Surely something Skoda wants to avoid.

Actually I wonder which recent R5 was both competetive and reliable when released?
Polo wasn't reliable
C3 wasn't competetive besides smooth tarmac.

Creating a good R5/Rally2 car seems really difficult due to the cost restrictions and requirement for many ‘off the shelf’ parts to be used. Especially considering that the spec is largely locked in apart from a few jokers being allowed you’d think the manufacturers would put more effort into properly testing their cars prior to homologation, but only Skoda seem to bother. They certainly did more testing with the new Fabia than Hyundai (and maybe the others too) did with their Rally1 cars.

**mknight** · 8th August 2022, 21:43

Originally Posted by Jarek Z

Have a look at the first 12 cars in the Italian gravel championship

https://www.rallylink.it/pdf/classifiche/2022/cirt.pdf

At " normal" slow to medium gravel Fabia seems clearly best and it is the most allround for combined championships.

On other specific surfaces it's not so clear to me. Polo still seems to be great on smooth and fast gravel/snow. C3 on tarmac (specially smooth one). Fiesta on wet/slippery tarmac. Maybe not enough starts for new i20 to judge.

**wyler** · 9th August 2022, 09:29

Originally Posted by Jarek Z

Have a look at the first 12 cars in the Italian gravel championship

https://www.rallylink.it/pdf/classifiche/2022/cirt.pdf

honestly, italian gravel championship is not that much of a reference...

**mknight** · 15th August 2022, 18:54

Meeke seemingly testing new Fabia in Greece.

Last moment changes or planned tests that got delayed?

**Co-driven** · 16th August 2022, 19:42

Planned tests.

Apparently car was homologated in August, but due to shortage of spare parts they won't use it in Acropolis.
Lindholm should be testing in Greece also.

But, from what I heard, car still has some particularities and is a bit different to drive than the current one.