Rally Dakar bike star tries out a ŠKODA FABIA R5

And there was no better person to supervise this test and teach Matthias a bit about what it takes to succeed in the world of rallying than Raimund Baumschlager, 11-time Austrian rally champion and owner of the BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing team.

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

“I am an absolute car-nut and it has always been a very big dream for me to test a rally car,” said Matthias Walkner. “The fact that I now have the opportunity, with the support of ŠKODA Austria, to test in a top car like the FABIA R5, is a dream. Of course, the bike remains my priority in the near future, but looking beyond that, I can definitely imagine a life on four wheels.”

As the 2015 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion and off the back of a second place finish at 2017 Rally Dakar, Walkner came into this test with plenty of experience in rally conditions. But as he admitted himself, driving a top rally car like the FABIA R5 brings many new challenges.

Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM. Rally Dakar 2017. (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)

“There are definite parallels between racing a bike and a car,” said Walkner after the test. “Sticking to the quickest route, finding the fastest line and the right braking point. But, of course, there are many differences too and I still have a lot to learn from ‘Grandmaster’ Raimund.”

It seems that Raimund Baumschlager was impressed with what he saw in Walkner during the test and spotted a bit of potential in the bike rider.

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

“Like all top athletes, Matthias is very capable of learning and was able to immediately put my tips and instructions into practice,” said Raimund Baumschlager. “He is also very brave on the track. He has no problem with late braking and no respect for higher speeds. But somehow, I expected that from him!”

So, perhaps the worlds of two-wheel and four-wheel racing aren’t so far removed after all. And this will not be last time Matthias gets behind the wheel of a FABIA R5. Further testing time is already scheduled and there are even plans for him to take part in the ŠKODA Rallye Liezen (29th to 30th September) with so called zero car, which opens the road for the competing cars.

That will be a very different challenge, but with his track record, no-one would bet against Walkner impressing again. And who knows, maybe there will be a future for him on four-wheels as well as two.

Certainly, we will be keeping a keen eye on his performance and future progress.

Matthias Walkner tests BRR's ŠKODA FABIA R5

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, Thomas Zeltner, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Matthias Walkner / Raimund Baumschlager, ŠKODA FABIA R5, BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing Team. Testování 2017 (Photo: Harald Illmer)

Gallery

So, perhaps the worlds of two-wheel and four-wheel racing aren’t so far removed after all. And this will not be last time Matthias gets behind the wheel of a FABIA R5. Further testing time is already scheduled and there are even plans for him to take part in the ŠKODA Rallye Liezen (29th to 30th September) with so called zero car, which opens the road for the competing cars.

That will be a very different challenge, but with his track record, no-one would bet against Walkner impressing again. And who knows, maybe there will be a future for him on four-wheels as well as two.

Certainly, we will be keeping a keen eye on his performance and future progress.