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Mladá Boleslav, 11 December 2013 – The FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and promoter Eurosport have honoured ŠKODA works drivers Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (CZ/CZ) as European Champions. 2013's top drivers were presented with their trophies, in recognition of their outstanding performances over the course of the season, at a ceremony in Paris. Four days prior to this, the successful duo had also been honoured by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

"With three continental titles to our name, the 2013 season could hardly have been better for ŠKODA," said ŠKODA Motorsport Director Michal Hrabánek. "Of all our achievements, the success in the ERC really stood out. Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler made their mark on the ERC season and not only displayed their own extraordinary ability. They also showcased the performance of the Fabia Super 2000 in a wide range of conditions. We are extremely proud of everyone in our team."

With six wins (Austria, Canary Islands, the Azores, Romania, Czech Republic, and Croatia) from eight ERC starts this season, the Czech pairing secured the European Championship title at the Rally Croatia, with races to spare. The ŠKODA works duo of Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN) also won the season finale in Switzerland. Freddy Loix/Frédéric Miclotte (B/B) added another ERC success for ŠKODA, winning the round in Belgium. Alongside the European Championship title, ŠKODA drivers also claimed overall victory in the continental championships in the Asia-Pacific region (APRC) and South America, as well as six national titles.

The ERC title is Kopecký's biggest international success so far. The Czech driver won seven rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) between 2009 and 2012, and ended the year in the runner-up spot on four occasions. The 31-year-old contributed significantly to the success of the Fabia Super 2000. In 2008, Kopecký took part in the first tests with the newly developed S2000 car and he has played a major role in the development of the successful four wheel-drive powerhouse from the Czech Republic since.

"The season went fantastically well for us. Everything came together perfectly," said Kopecký. "My team did a great job. It makes me hugely proud to have been involved in the development of the Fabia Super 2000 since the word go, and now to have achieved the biggest success of my career. I would also like to say a special thank you to my co-driver Pavel Dresler, with whom I have had the great pleasure of working for the last two years."

As well as its six wins – including at their home event in the Czech Republic – the pairing of Kopecký/Dresler also finished runner-up in Corsica and third in Poland to claim a further two podiums in the ERC. The ERC title is also the biggest success of Dresler's career so far. "We are extremely happy to win the European Championship title so convincingly in only our second season together," said 27-year-old Dresler. "Jan and I are blending well and our team always ensured the Fabia Super 2000 was perfectly prepared."

The European Championship-winning duo will go in hunt of its next title in the APRC in 2014. ŠKODA will also line up with its own works team in the ERC again. "Given the great year we enjoyed in 2013, we are very optimistic about the future," said Hrabánek. There will also be a successor to the successful ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 motorsport project when development begins on the ŠKODA Fabia R 5 in Mladá Boleslav next year. In line with FIA regulations, the new R 5 rally car will be equipped with a 1.6-litre turbo engine. "Entering the R 5 class is a logical step for ŠKODA. As it stands, we are assuming that the new car will be homologated by mid-2015," said Hrabánek.

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