Škoda Fabia R5 for Hermen Kobus

12-08-2015

Also coming season intensive cooperation with Kroon-Oil

Almelo, August 10, 2015

Kobus Tuning is starting the rally season 2015/2016 full of confidence with its new weapon, the Škoda Fabia R5. The brand new car is making its debut in the Staden rally on August 14 and 15. The launch of the next step in Hermen Kobus’career: competing with the best in Europe. Also the cooperation with Kroon-Oil will be continued. Also during next season the team can rely on the products of the Dutch lubricant manufacturer.

After a pause of half a season, finally Hermen Kobus and Erik de wild finally can drive their Škoda Fabia R5. The long-awaited Fabia R5 promises to become Skoda’s most reliable and successful rally car. It is logical why Hermen Kubus can’t wait to show his skills on the first trials with this magnificent car.

“I have been able to test the car when I collected it at Škoda Motorsport and it immediately felt good” Hermen laughs. “Maybe the engine doesn’t make it the fastest car of all R5s but the chassis and brakes are phenomenal. The potential of the Fabia R5 has become clear already. Loix won in Ypres on his debut with the new Škoda and in Finland Lappi dominated the WRC-2 race, clocking fantastic times. Its top speed is 20 km/h higher than the Ford Fiësta S2000. As a pilot I will need some kilometres to make use of the full potential of the car, but I am confident and ready!”

Intensive collaboration

For Hermen Kobus the Škoda Fabia R5 is a logical next step after the Mitsubishi colt, the F2-title with the Renault Clio R3 and three successful years with the Ford Fiësta S2000. Kroon-Oil and Kobus tuning have gained much experience with each other and the S2000. Also with the R5 Kobus fully relies on the high-quality lubricants of Kroon-Oil. After cooperating with Kobus since 2010, the Fabia R5 is a step forward for Kroon-Oil too. In rally sports, in which Kobus Tuning is active, technique and lubricants are tested to the limit. The R5 is therefore a unique opportunity to test the lubricant at a high-level in racing and achieve even better results in the future.

Leon ten Hove, Marketing Manager of Kroon-Oil: “I am proud of the way we cooperate with team Kobus. To be able to compete at this level between professionals and with limited resources is quite an achievement. Hermen has shown that he is talented and during the past few years, together we have grown to the present level. That Kobus Tuning is fully relying on our quality and expertise shows that we have proven ourselves during the past few years."

International ambition

After the debut in Staden, Belgium, the next race will be in Zlin, Czech Republic, once an important race in the European Championship. “Before racing in Barum we first go to Czech Republic for testing together with Škoda Motorsport. There we will try to fine-tune, because I have ambitions in Barum.. It’s a fast but also technical track and it should be ideal for me. Moreover, it is a nice preparation with a view to 2016….After Barum, we are going to present the Fabia R5 on Dutch soil in our home ground, The Hellendoorn Rally. To our loyal partner Kroon-Oil this is an important venue and also we would like to convince Škoda Holland to join our project in 2016.. If everything goes according to plan, we will start one week later in the East Belgian Rally, the second last race of the Belgian Championship. The track of Sankt-Vith is fantastic and the final stages are in the dark. I was on stage twice before in Sankt-Vith and this time I will compete with the same arms against Freddy Loix, but also against Kris Princen, Vincent Verschuren and the other Belgian teams. Hopefully Junior world Champion Stéphane Lefebvre will be there too as extra reference point…”

Participation in the Barun Rally Zlin is already a sign of Hermen Kobus and Erik de Wild’s ambitions.