First images of Praga’s new all-carbon R1 revealed ahead of 2021 UK expansion

Praga Cars has released the first teaser images of its new Praga R1, the successor to the car that secured overall victory in this year’s Britcar Endurance Championship with seven wins from nine races.

The images were revealed during the first presentation on day 1 of the MotorsportDays Live Virtual. Praga Cars UK Managing Director Mark Harrison and Praga Cars’ factory driver, Ales Jirasek, announced the first official details of the car which will make its competitive debut in the world’s first dedicated Praga racing category as part of the Britcar Endurance championship.

Full details of the €195,000 2021 turbocharged Praga R1 will be announced in January with production slots already committed through until March. The car will feature a larger fuel cell, a significantly revised aero package, improved safety features, and enhanced driver adjustments, including in-car pedal adjustment, to make it even better suited to endurance racing and even more attractive to racing drivers and team owners. Designed to allow for a minimal operational crew, the Praga R1 offers proven race-winning motorsport technology in an affordable package.

Further expanding its UK presence, Praga Cars also announced the creation of a new British headquarters for the brand, ahead of the biggest year in its UK motorsport history to date. The Praga UK HQ is planned to open in Spring 2021 and will become the new home for Praga’s motorsport operations in the UK, offering a showroom, race car preparation, state-of-the-art sim facilities, and office space for motorsport-related businesses. Full details of the new headquarters will be announced in early 2021

R1 dealer and Praga racing services provider VR Motorsport will support the Czech marque’s significant motorsport expansion in 2021, as it marks its third year in the Britcar Endurance championship with the creation of the world’s first dedicated Praga race category. Current plans could see up to 12 cars line up on the grid next year, accounting for all early production of the new R1.

Mark Harrison, Praga Cars UK Managing Director, said: “Today is a significant day for Praga as we reveal the first images of the new Praga R1 from our first ever regional headquarters outside of the Czech Republic ahead of its race debut next season. I have yet to meet anyone who does not love the look of the R1, and the silhouette of the current generation car remains unchanged, but make no mistake, this car represents a significant step forward in terms of performance and usability.”

“We are excited to finally be sharing some of the work that has been going on behind the scenes in preparation for our biggest year to date. Our new UK headquarters is a significant statement of intent and reflects the scale of our plans. I was really pleased therefore that we were able to give a brief look inside our new HQ during our MotorsportDays Live Virtual presentation and that Ales Jirasek, our development driver, was also able to join us virtually from the Czech Republic to give us his views of the new car.”

Ales Jirasek, Praga Cars’ R1 factory driver, said: “I have the great privilege of driving the new Praga R1 on track and we have been getting some good testing mileage on the car. We have a new aerodynamic package, and the car feels great and very stiff. We have a lot of new set up options and adjustments that the drivers can now make, whatever their level of experience and preference. The larger fuel tank will allow the R1 to do longer stints and, combined with the new front headlights for night stints, the new R1 is set up really well for endurance and 24 -hour racing. The new turbo improves also power through slow corners and feels great right now to drive. Despite this difficult year for everyone, we have some big things coming and, for sure, 2021 will be the year of Praga!”