Škoda will not develop a Rally2 WRC Kit for its Fabia RS Rally2 in 2027, citing a lack of development lead time.
On Tuesday the FIA unveiled its Rally2 WRC Kit for competition in both the 2027 and 2028 World Rally Championship seasons, offering manufacturers the opportunity to add a new front bumper, front fenders and a rear aerodynamic device to their Rally2 cars.
Costing no more than €7500, the idea is to bring further performance parity between WRC27 cars and Rally2 machines next year.
M-Sport has confirmed to DirtFish it will develop a Kit for the Fiesta Rally2, however Toyota – the only current manufacturer developing a WRC27 car – won’t homologate one for its GR Yaris Rally2 because it will already have a top-class product, and Hyundai has told DirtFish the Kit is not its priority.
Škoda has been a key player in the Rally2 market ever since the category’s inception, but its head of motorsport Michal Hrabánek confirmed to DirtFish that the Czech marque won’t be introducing a Kit for its Fabia RS.
Hrabánek said: “At Škoda Motorsport, we fully support all efforts to shape an exciting future for rallying. However, the timeline for the Rally2 WRC Kit is very short, and the ongoing discussions have made advance planning difficult. We will therefore continue with the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 next season.”
The only other manufacturer currently in the Rally2 class is Lancia, which introduced the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale this season. DirtFish has contacted parent company Stellantis for comment.
