This year S?KODA #auto is celebrating the 125th #anniversary of its foundation in 1895.
Since then, many vehicles have earned a special place in the history of the company. One such model is the S?KODA Sport, which took part in the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1950. In the latest feature on the S?KODA storyboard, a #racing legend shares his impressions of the car: Hans Joachim Stuck, former Formula 1 driver, 18-time Le Mans contender and two-time winner of the famous endurance race, takes a ride in the S?KODA Sport. In addition, Michal Velebny?, head of the restoration workshop at S?KODA and grandson of the then chief design engineer Josef Velebny?, reports on his very special relationship with the S?KODA Sport.
Car enthusiasts’ hearts will beat faster right from the start of the new video on the S?KODA Storyboard. A sunlit mountain landscape can be seen just before the sound of an engine breaks through the panorama. It is the engine of the S?KODA Sport, the historic #racing car that S?KODA sent to Le Mans in 1950. At the wheel: Hans-Joachim ‘Strietzel’ Stuck, Formula 1 driver,
18-time Le Mans contender and two-time winner of the endurance classic on the Sarthe.
The 600-kilogram S?KODA Sport with its water-cooled 1.1-litre four-cylinder engine has lost none of its appeal: #hansjoachimstuck says: “Driving this car is unbelievably fun, it really is fantastic”. At the same time, the experienced motor sportsman can appreciate what it meant for the drivers at that time to compete in a 24-hour race in such a vehicle and pays tribute to the “heroes of yesteryear” for their achievements.
Michal Velebny?, head of the restoration workshop at S?KODA, speaks about the vehicle from another exciting perspective: As the grandson of Josef Velebny?, who was responsible for developing the S?KODA Sport as the chief engineer at that time, he rebuilt the vehicle with the help of a friend.
On 24 June 1950, the car was well prepared for its mission in Le Mans: After 13 hours of #racing Va?clav Bobek and Jaroslav Netus?il had fought their way to second place in the <1,100cc class. However, a minor technical defect knocked the car with the number 44 out of the race on its 115th lap: The locking element of a crankpin had snapped, and it was not possible to repair it on site.
