Skoda privateer, Jan Kopecky could be poised to switch to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2008, when the Czech manufacturer makes its debut in the series with its all-new Fabia Super 2000.

Kopecky, who has been competing in the FIA World Rally Championship again this season with a Skoda Fabia WRC car - like he did in 2006, has had some very solid results over the last two years, including taking two fifth places, his most recent on the Rallye Deutschland back in August.

Asked about the future recently, he said that while he doesn't know what he will be doing next year, he is very committed to Skoda.

"I'm not entirely sure what my plans will be, but I know that the future for Skoda is in Super 2000," he explained.

"I will do whatever they want to do, so it could be that I do the IRC next year, which I am sure would be very interesting."

Kopecky's most recent outing in the WRC in Spain last weekend meanwhile ended in disappointment when he went off the road in the third test and had to retire from the event.

"As a result of the climactic conditions, Friday's leg was very demanding. Understandably, the selection of tyres was very difficult and it was impossible to select such tyres, which would ensure good traction throughout the entire special stages," he noted.

"In the first two special stages I was happy with the times we ran, although our Skoda Fabia WRC was not exactly tight in long turns. This is why we changed the car's setup in the service zone, but those were not fundamental changes.

"On the third stage, I unfortunately hit a rock in one of the turns and our car lost contact with the road surface. The ensuing situation was impossible to correct and as a result we went off the track.

"Our Skoda Fabia WRC car ended up on the roof under the road level. Filip [Schovanek - my co-driver] and I both escaped unharmed."