After a successful and promising premiere at the Monte Carlo Rally in January and a second-place finish at Rally Azores in May, Skoda Motorsport has announced that it will appear at the next IRC event when the Belgium Ypres Rally takes place from June 18th to 20th.

Finland's Juho Hanninen and Czech driver Jan Kopecky will drive the factory team's Fabia S2000s, while Francois Duval will run a private Skoda Fabia entry through the Rene Georges team.

The Head of Skoda Motorsport, Michal Hrabanek, explained that the team had initially planned to appear next in Russia. However, the reputation and nature of the Belgian event changed their decision.

"We changed our mind because the rally in Belgium is one of the most important events in the IRC calendar, with many top-class drivers on the start line and an excellent setting," he said.

"Last but not least, the event is going to be another premiere for the Fabia Super 2000 as this will be the vehicle's first exclusively asphalt rally," Hrabanek added.

More than 20 Super 2000 entries from seven different manufacturers are expected to take the start of the Belgium Ypres Rally: a record for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.