Pedders Rally Team and the Fabia chase for the laurels in Australia

Škoda Fabia rally cars are collecting trophies literally all over the world—including far-off Australia. A long-time participant in the Australian Rally Championship, Pedders Rally Team, has acquired a brand-new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 for the 2025 season. And their ambitions are nothing short of championship glory in this highly competitive and closely followed series. 

The Australian Rally Championship (ARC) is a historic competition, with the 2025 EROAD Australian Rally Championship marking its 58th season. For Pedders Rally Team, this year is even more special, as the family-run team celebrates 50th anniversary of competing in Australian rallying.

Not only are they one of the championship’s most enduring participants, but they are also amongthe most ambitious ones. This is confirmed by their plans for the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, as Scott Pedder, the 2014 Australian Rally Champion, (and since 2019 a member of the Australian Rally Hall of Fame) readies himself to attack the title again this season.

How Deep Are Rallying Roots in Australia? 
The Australian Rally Championship is one of the oldest national rally series in the world. Rallying in Australia has a rich history, dating back to early trial events including the Redex Reliability Trial and later, the Round Australia Trials in 1995 and 1998. Throughout ARC’s history, major manufacturers have entered factory-backed teams, and some of Australia’s greatest rally driver shave left their mark. Legends like Ross Dunkerton, Greg Carr, Colin Bond, Wayne Bell, PossumBourne, Neal Bates, Cody Crocker, Chris Atkinson, and Simon Evans have all made history.Today’s generation includes Eli Evans, Harry and Lewis Bates, Molly Taylor, and—of course—myself.

How Popular is rallying in Australia?
Although the ARC operates in the shadow of its bigger motorsport sibling, V8 Supercars, the series remains strong. In 2024, ARC reached over 1 million people through local social media (out of Australia’s 25 million residents – Ed. note), and over 10,000 spectators turned up for each of the events.

What do spectators like so much about competitions?
Australia is a huge country! Although we are one country, the six competitions that make up the ARC each have unique characteristics. All are primarily gravel rallies, but they range from the dry, bumpy tracks of Western Australia to the rainforests of Queensland and the damp, red clay roads of Victoria.

What’s your family’s connection to motorsport? 
In 2025, our family business, Pedders Suspension&Brakes, celebrates its 75th anniversary. Meanwhile, Pedders Rally Team marks 50 years in Australian rallying. My father, Ron, and myuncle, Bill, first competed in 1975. Over the past five decades, the Pedder family has been involved in every aspect of rallying—from competitors and officials to sponsors, fans, spectators and supporters. You could say we are part of Australia’s rallying elite.

You have a 2017 Fabia Rally2 in your team. How are you satisfied with it? 
The 2017 specifications Škoda Fabia Rally2 is an incredible vehicle. Just last year, we won Rally Queensland and finished the season as the second-fastest crew, with the second-most stage wins, despite competing against newer, factory-backed Rally2 cars. The car remains with our team and is available for hire to other drivers.

Why did you decide to get a new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2? 
The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 was our only choice. Škoda has a legacy of building fast, reliable cars, and their customer support is outstanding. Working with Škoda Motorsport feels like being part of a family. This season, we’ll even have Škoda Motorsport engineers supporting us during events.

The new car represents a leap forward in performance. How excited are you? 
Extremely excited! We have four days of testing before our first event, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel. Even last year’s car was phenomenal, so it’s hard to imagine an even better vehicle.

What are your goals for the 2025 season? 
Our goal is to win the championship. At the same time, we want to promote our family business and, of course, have a great time doing it!