Motorsport: Škoda brand ambassador in Norway
We look back at Norwegian driver John Haugland, who will celebrate his 80th birthday this year and is one of the leading figures in the brand’s 125-year motorsport history. Behind the wheel of Škoda cars, he has recorded 106 victories, finished in the Top 10 four times in World Championship races and remains a fan of the legendary 130 RS model to this day.
Motorsport
John Haugland
Škoda’s Ambassador in Norway
Scandinavia is a mecca for motorsport, and Škoda cars have long had a presence there. A Norwegian driver helped build their reputation, achieving success with the Škoda 130 RS special, among others.
Partnership and friendship
During his 25-year racing career, John Haugland was loyal almost exclusively to Škoda cars. He swears by his collaboration with the factory team and the friends he made there.
John Haugland (1946)
A former Norwegian rally and circuit racing driver who competed in Škoda cars between 1965 and 1990 and also worked as a dealer for the brand. He runs a school for drivers, which has been attended by Petter Solberg, Richard Burns and Roman Kresta, among others.
In the year when the Mladá Boleslav-based carmaker celebrates 125 years in motorsport, we are presenting some of its prominent personalities in Škoda Mobil. We can’t leave out Norwegian driver John Haugland, who is celebrating his own anniversary in September this year when he turns 80.
106
That is how many victories the Norwegian driver achieved with Škoda cars. He particularly values his three triumphs at the Rally Bohemia (formerly Rallye Škoda) in Mladá Boleslav and the three at the Barum Rally in Zlín. He also has over 30 starts in World Championship races to his credit.
54
Number of Škoda cars he drove during his career. He started with the Octavia TS model, achieved more significant successes with the 1000 MB and added to these with the 110 L, 120 S, and especially the Š 130 RS models. Later, he also competed with the Š 120 LS, Š 130 LR, Š 130 L and Favorit specials.
He drove numerous Škoda competition cars, finishing four times in the overall Top 10 of the World Championship events and claiming around 100 victories. He was particularly fond of the 1975 Škoda 130 RS model. “Compared with previous models, it is lighter, has a lower centre of gravity, wider track, better brakes and rear suspension. It’s a very pleasant car and easy to handle, especially on asphalt. It has the grip of a proper race car,” says Haugland, who bought one of the 130 RS cars himself after his racing career ended. He still takes it out for a spin today. “It brings back so many wonderful memories: the sound, the smell, the handling. It reminds me of the old days. It’s a great feeling, and it makes me feel younger,” enthuses the Norwegian driver. Even today, when he drives modern competition cars, he still swears by the more than 50‑year‑old machine. “Especially in terms of grip and speed in corners on asphalt,” he adds.
John Haugland took his Škoda 130 RS to last year’s Sosnová Classic event where he drove around the circuit with Andreas Mikkelsen.
From 1972, he served as a factory driver for the Škoda Motorsport team and competed not only in Norway and Scandinavia but also in Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in the world. He had excellent support from the Mladá Boleslav team. “The long history of Škoda motorsport is rooted in the genuine enthusiasm of the people in this team. We have to remember that when Ferrari and Porsche were just starting out in motorsport, Škoda had already been there for 50 years,” notes Haugland. Today, he admires the Fabia RS Rally2 special. He is also very familiar with the Fabia WRC model, which he drove for three days during a memorial event for driver Colin McRae. “I’m very proud of how well Škoda is doing in competitions. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of Rally2 cars. My brand!” He dreams of one day seeing Škoda cars compete in the highest class of the WRC.
130 RS
“In its day, it was the jewel among Škoda competition cars. It was much better than previous models and achieved a great deal of success. Over time, I drove six of these cars, and I now have the last one at home,” says Haugland.
Interview
How did you find working with the team in Mladá Boleslav at a time when Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain?
It wasn't difficult at all. Back then, we were all interested only in developing and driving competition cars; political issues were not a topic of discussion. I mainly dealt with Olda Horsák as a fellow driver and Leo Hnatevič as a chassis development engineer. They both spoke German, so we could communicate easily. The Velební brothers, who were engine designers, also spoke English. Later, I also had very good technicians and mechanics in Miloš Wágner and Jirka Šmíd. However, my mentor Karel Švábek was crucial for me; without him, I would not have competed in races with Škoda cars. He arranged everything for me. Petr Budín, the head of the motorsport workshop, also helped me a lot. Both became my best friends.
What came out of this collaboration?
Together, we modified the 130 RS model in 1979. We went through the car from front to back and improved all the small details, and as a result, we made it one second per kilometer faster. Thanks to this, we won the Škoda Rally and the Barum Rally in 1979 and 1980. The main change was that the engine was more controllable, had less power and more torque, and a wider power band. We were then able to change the gear ratios accordingly, which allowed us to reach a top speed of 170 km/h.
How difficult is it to maintain your Škoda 130 RS these days?
Keeping my 130 RS in working order is no problem; I basically drive it three or four times a year just to "keep it alive" and make sure everything is working. When I drove this car in Sosnová last year, I drove it at full throttle, so we had it serviced afterwards. However, the engine and transmission are the same as in the last rally in 1983 and work perfectly.