Skoda duo start 2012 in style

8th January 2012

Skoda's factory Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen kicked off their 2012 seasons with a one-two finish in Austria's Janner Rallye, the opening round of the European, Czech and Austrian championships.

Three-time IRC runner-up Kopecky won by 40 seconds as Hanninen lost ground running first on the road in heavy snow on both days - fighting back to the front on Friday only to lose ground again yesterday.

Mitsubishi man Beppo Harrach completed the podium, with Red Bull Skoda team boss Raimund Baumschlager in fourth in another Skoda Fabia S2000.

Other World Rally Championship figures in action included home hero Manfred Stohl, who was seventh in a Mitsubishi, and former Pirelli Star Driver Martin Semerad, who rounded out the top 10.