Škoda Sport Shines at Le Mans Classic on 130th Anniversary
Škoda Sport first roared into the 24 Hours of Le Mans 75 years ago, and the lovingly restored historic sports car captivated crowds again at the 2025 Le Mans Classic as Škoda celebrated its 130th anniversary.
On 24 June 1950 at 16:00, racing driver Václav Bobek sprinted across the pit lane, slid behind the wheel of car number 44 and launched into his opening 13.65-kilometre lap. “Every time we climb into this original cockpit on this iconic circuit, we picture the Bobek–Netušil crew taking the start in 1950. It’s a truly special moment for Škoda and for us,” said Stanislav Kafka and Michal Velebný, the enthusiasts who have repeatedly returned the car to Le Mans.
The sleek two-seater from Mladá Boleslav cut an unusual figure on a grid already divided by the Iron Curtain. Engineers combined hand-shaped aluminium panels with proven Škoda 1101 Tudor running gear, then tuned the package for endurance. Through the night, the Škoda Sport climbed to second in the up-to-1,100 cm³ class and fifth on the performance index, averaging 126 km/h, before an innocuous broken piston-pin circlip ended the charge; race rules barred on-the-spot repairs, so lap 121 became its last.
During development, the team extended the wheelbase to 2,150 mm for greater stability, drilled cooling apertures into the grille for the front drum brakes and installed twin auxiliary headlights to pierce the darkness. Despite carrying tools and spares, the car weighed just 700 kg. Its water-cooled 1,089 cm³ four-cylinder produced 50 hp at 5,200 rpm, propelling the lightweight special to 140 km/h while sipping only 12 litres per 100 km from a bespoke petrol-ethanol-acetone blend—allowing fewer refuelling stops than rivals.
The car’s gritty 1950 performance secured permanent legendary status for Škoda Sport and its drivers, Bobek and Jaroslav Netušil. Only two examples were built, and this survivor spent decades hidden before restorers unearthed it and, over the course of six years, revived it with as many original components as possible; its aluminium skin still carries battle scars from Le Mans. The rejuvenated racing special returned to the circuit in 2022 and, over the weekend of 3–6 July 2025, thundered to 36th on the performance index, paying tribute to Škoda’s endurance-racing heritage and its milestone 130th anniversary.
