Skoda to power MRF's APRC title dream

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In a bid to regain their lost glory at the continent’s premier rally event — Asia Pacific Rally Championship — Team MRF has joined hands with Czech Republic-based Skoda Auto.

The new deal means the only Indian representative at the APRC will part ways with Japanese auto majors Mitsubishi with whom MRF had a successful campaign by winning three championships (2003, 2005 and 2010) in 10 years.

Katsuhiko Taguchi, who won the title for MRF in 2010, could also leave the Chennai-based team as the veteran Japanese is a protégé of Mitsubishi.

The Skoda deal is expected to take MRF closer to the reigning champions Proton, whose Neo Sataria S2000 machines are known for their lighter weight and superior pace. Gaurav Gill will spearhead the MRF attack in Skoda Fabia S-2000 when the new season begins at Rally of Whangarei on March 30.

Team principal Anthony Rodricks says the change was inevitable with prominent manufacturers such as Mitsubishi and Subaru being virtually out of rallying across the world.

"The focus is now on the Super 2000 cars, a category promoted by the FIA in recent years. This switch will now make Team MRF competitive with the Proton S 2000 cars, which were competing with an advantage over our unmodified Mitsubishi Evo Xs during the last few years," he added.

The fact that the Skoda has won the World Rally Championship (S class) and the International Rally Challenge last year will put enormous pressure on the Proton development team.

“The S2000 Fabia is a purpose built, modified rally car. With the same body shell as the road car, the S2000 is heavily modified to accommodate a racing engine, sequential gearbox, and new suspension.

Compared to the Mitsubishi Evo X it is about 300 kg lighter and 400mm shorter. It brakes better and is more nibble. The S2000 cars do not have a turbo charge so there is less torque from the engine but these cars do not have a restrictor so they rev to 8500 rpm. The Skoda S 2000 is powered by a 2.0 litre engine which produces 270 bhp,” Rodricks explained.

The change would also give Delhi rallyist Gill another chance to win the APRC title that he narrowly lost to his teammate Katsuhiko Taguchi in 2010 due to a pedestrian error. No Indian has ever won an FIA international rally title till date.

2012 APRC Calendar: 1. Rally of Whangarei (New Zealand, March 30 & April 1); 2. Rally New Caledonia (April 28 & 29); 3. Queensland Rally (May 26 & 27); 4. Malaysian Rally (July 14 & 15); 5. Rally of Hokkaido (September 15 & 16); 6. Rally of China (October 26 & 28).