When Skoda Motorsport lines up at this season's Rallye Monte-Carlo, it will remember the brand's legendary triumph at the same race 40 years ago. The works team's Skoda Fabia R5s will feature the same blue and red stripes as sported by the winning car from 1977 when it launches its title campaign at the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2).

Four decades ago, Vaclav Blahna (Czech Republic) and his co-driver Lubislav Hlavka (Czech Republic) won the class for cars with up to 1,300cc with their Skoda 130 RS. This shock success is one of the milestones in Skoda's 116-year motorsport history, the crowning moment of which came in the form of the world championship title in 2016.

With the world championship title, three continental titles, and 10 national titles in the Fabia R5, Skoda enjoyed one of its best years on rally routes around the world in 2016. Hopes are high that the Rallye Monte-Carlo will mark the start of an equally successful 2017.