Skoda unveils man it wants to rev up motorsport profile

Skoda has promoted Michal Hrabánek to run its motorsport division. He replaces Martin Muehlmeier, who is returning to Audi after three years at Skoda.

Hrabánek, previously a head of sales and marketing for technical development at Skoda, will report to Eckhard Scholz, who is the company’s board member for technical development.

Hrabánek will be responsible for developing the motorsport division’s strategy and in particular the new Fabia Super 2000, which Skoda unveiled as a concept rally car at the recent Geneva Motor Show.

Skoda celebrated 100 years of motorsport in 2001 and Hrabánek says: "Motorsport is an important part of Skoda’s history and ensuring continuity is a great challenge for me. We have a lot of work to do."

Last month, the main Skoda brand knocked Japanese marques off their perch as the motorist’s favourite vehicle in an influential survey.

The Octavia saloon polled top marks in the Auto Express Driver Power survey, which had been won by either a Honda or a Mazda since its launch in 2002.