The new Skoda Fabia RE-X1 Electric Race Car – Teaser

These three gentlemen have left their mark on motorsport history, and they’re not finished yet. Hans-Joachim Stuck is a legend of Formula 1 and both Le Mans and DTM series, while Jan Kopecký and Andreas Mikkelsen are long-standing stars of international rally competitions. But as tends to be the case, they are a bit introverted and laconic, so getting them to talk about their impressions of the car out of them was a tough job. But who needs a lot of words when the driving tells you all you need to know? See for yourself in this video.

When the three racing drivers had tested the legendary veteran ŠKODA 130 RS, a state-of-the-art rally car in the shape of the FABIA Rally2 evo and a taste of the future in the form of the electric FABIA RE-X1, they became a bit more talkative and opened their hearts.

“Racing on snow is one of the most interesting disciplines for both drivers and fans. When snow drifts line the time trial course, driving on long spikes becomes an indescribable experience,” says Jan Kopecký on behalf of all of them.”

Back to their roots
Sitting behind the wheel of the 130 RS is today a truly retro experience – and the three drivers enjoyed it enormously. “It’s wonderful to see how far our sport has come. Having said that, the 130 RS is a fun and frisky car. I really enjoyed the drive,” says Mikkelsen, a recent winner of the Monte-Carlo rally in WRC2 category.

Jan Kopecký also views the legendary car as an iconic representative of the 120-year history of ŠKODA Motorsport. “The 130 RS models were outstanding cars, very fast and reliable. In 1977 Václav Blahna and navigator Lubislav Hlávka managed to come first in their class and twelfth overall in Monte Carlo. I’m proud that Pavel Dresler and I followed up this Monte Carlo success in 2018 by winning the WRC2 category of the world championships in the ŠKODA FABIA R5, ending up in tenth place overall.”

“It brought back a lot of memories. It was like going to my roots: you have to change gear manually, the car has a wonderful naturally aspirated engine, and there’s no power steering or electronic assistance systems. A brilliant experience, but these days I prefer modern cars. You know, I was once asked what the difference is between racing in my day and today. I replied that there’s only one difference: in my day sex was safe and racing dangerous. I think that sums it up perfectly,” laughs Stuck.

State-of-the-art winners
Then it was time to describe their experiences with more modern cars. “I was involved in its development right from the start and I was the first who took the car out racing. The ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo is one of the quickest and most reliable cars in its category. That is proven by its results in championships all over the world,” says Kopecký, who became the 2018 WRC2 category world champion in this Czech car.

“The car handles well, the gear changes are smooth, and hand-brake turns are a lot of fun,” added Mikkelsen, who has experience of the car’s predecessor, the FABIA S2000, which he drove to victory in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2011 and 2012.

Electric surprise
How did the experienced pros like driving the new all-electric car? For Andreas Mikkelsen, the ride in the FABIA RE-X1 was an entirely positive experience. “It’s fast! The powertrain gives the car a huge power output and great driving qualities. I like its power and acceleration without gear changes. Sure, you can feel the bit of extra weight when you’re driving, but overall I was very pleasantly surprised,” confided Mikkelsen.

The FABIA RE-X1 is the creation of Austrian company Kreisel Electric who, with the Czech carmaker’s support, based it on the ŠKODA FABIA Rally 2 evo. The car delivers a total power output of 500 kW (670 horsepower) and 880 Nm of torque. Needless to say, it has all-wheel drive. It weighs in at 1,300 kilos. And the specially modified battery gives it a range of 135 kilometres, which is enough for races.

“Fantastic experience. I really enjoyed driving all three cars on the snow. They are all fun, and each one has technical and performance specifications that are cutting-edge for their time. The 130 RS is a beautiful car from the old days and the FABIA RE-X1 is a modern electric car, so it was very diverse. If you asked me which my favourite is, I wouldn’t be able to tell you,” enthuses legend Hans-Joachim Stuck.

Видео The new Skoda Fabia RE-X1 Electric Race Car – Teaser канала The Wheel Network