ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup: Sensation at the Season Finale in Lower Bavaria

• Central European Rally: Belgian guest driver Tom Heindrichs wins the 2024 Cup finale at World Rally Championship round
• Despite an “off” before the finish: Frenchman Anthony Rott secures Cup runner-up spot

What a debut for Tom Heindrichs with the Opel Corsa Rally Electric in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”! At the grand season finale as part of the Central European Rally, the 20-year-old half-brother of World Rally Championship leader Thierry Neuville celebrated his first victory in the world's first electric one-make rally cup alongside his co-driver Jonas Schmitz. Even though he received neither points nor prize money as a guest driver in the 100 kW (136 hp) Opel electric car, the young Belgian was speechless at the finish in Passau: “I never expected that! We quickly got used to the car and improved continuously. We dedicate the victory to the team around Philipp Reich and Johannes Fürst, who made this possible and were just as motivated as we were. We learned a lot and had a lot of fun in this great atmosphere. I take my hat off to Opel and ADAC. They have built a super cup here, a perfect entry-level platform for professional rally sport.”

Christian Lemke and Jan-Eric Bemmann crossed the finish line just 4.7 seconds behind the Belgians, taking full points for the overall ranking for the third time this season. “It was a tough rally. We missed the start yesterday on Saturday a bit. Today we were able to work our way forward again and take full points at the end. All in all, we can be very satisfied. The finale as part of the World Championship round was a great event, superbly organized. The stages were great, everyone was in a good mood, it was really great fun.”

In the overall standings, Lemke thus consolidated fourth place and even moved closer to the Spaniard Alex Español. His ambitions to win had already been dampened by off and the subsequent repairs to his Corsa Rally Electric in the first special stage. At least the Opel Spain driver recovered by winning the final “Power Stage”. Third place went to the young Dutchman Fabian Kamermans, who thus put himself in an excellent position in the three-way battle for a regular cockpit in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025, sponsored by the Dutch association KNAF, against his compatriots Hank Melse and Esmee Den Hartigh.

The brothers Anthony and Adrien Rott were on course for victory until the last special stage, but then slipped off the road in the “Power Stage” and fell back to 10th place. Driver Anthony Rott was therefore anything but satisfied with the day's result: “It was a very difficult rally that started well for us and went really well until three kilometers before the finish. Unfortunately, we then made a small mistake that cost us the win. What remains is a good performance over the entire season.” Despite the error, the Alsatians secured the runner-up title behind the Austrian Luca Pröglhöf, who was unable to take part in the season finale due to illness.

The Waldherr Motorsport team found an adequate replacement at short notice in Daniel Mayer. The 24-year-old Viennese took on the challenge without much preparation and finished fifth behind the German guest drivers René Noller/Stephan Schneeweiß. Positions 6 and 7 were secured by Johannes Wittenbeck and Maximilian Kugler as well as the French drivers Emma Chalvin and Amandine Borderie. In the year-end rankings, the 23-year-old FFSA Academy driver finished fifth as the best participant – level on points with Wittenbeck, who is ranked behind Chalvin due to poorer individual results.

Opel Motorsport boss Jörg Schrott drew a positive conclusion from the last Cup rally of the year: “The ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup presented itself very well against the impressive World Championship backdrop here in Hauzenberg. The 16 Corsa Rally Electric cars put on a good show for the approximately 90,000 spectators. The battle for victory was just as exciting as in all rallies of the season. We had numerous fast guest drivers and more than 30 enthusiastic guests from the Opel dealer organizations in Germany and Austria as well as our sponsor Total Energies on site. The atmosphere was very special. I am very happy with the finale and the entire season. Electric rallying works, it is fun and offers a perfect platform for a junior one-make cup.”

Final results ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” after eight rounds:

1. Pröglhöf              216 points.

2. Rott                     188.

3. Español               170.

4. Lemke                 154.

5. Chalvin                113.

6. Wittenbeck          113.

7. Pottier                  77.

8. Hangodi               66.

9. Baudet                 65.

10. Kamermans       61.

11. Melse                 37.

12. Bayer                 36.

13. Den Hartigh       36.

14. Felke                  13.

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup: Dominant Home Win for Luca Pröglhöf at Rallye Weiz

• Pröglhöf leads at halfway point of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”
• Austrian claims third win of season on home event at Rallye Weiz
• Strong performance from motorbike ace Matthias Walkner in Opel Corsa Rally Electric debut

Luca Pröglhöf celebrated his third win of the season in this year’s ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” at weekend. Even a heavy storm that struck Weiz Rally service park on Friday afternoon, damaged team tents and caused entire rally to be interrupted until next morning could not stop him. Alongside his co-driver Christina “Dina” Ettel, 24-year-old Austrian showed a phenomenal performance at his home rally, was the fastest in 10 of 11 special stages and had a lead of 2:11 minutes over runners-up, the Frenchmen Anthony Rott and Hervé Faucher, at the finish on Saturday evening. Third place went to Spanish duo Alex Español Jove/Patricia Sáiz Ruiloba.

“Mission accomplished,” rejoiced Pröglhöf, who increased his lead in overall standings to 31 points at halfway point of season. “We had prepared as best as possible, studied a lot of onboards from last year and made perfect pace notes. We quickly got into rhythm and were able to set a fast pace without having to take too many risks.” On ninth special stage, Austrian even set 10th fastest time in overall field in his Opel Corsa Rally Electric, which boasts 100 kW (136 hp) and 260 Nm of torque; Pröglhöf/Ettel left behind some all-wheel drive cars that were twice as powerful. “Downhill it's just fire away!” laughed Pröglhöf. “Opel Corsa Rally Electric handles fantastically, and after three years I trust myself and car so much that I can push myself to limit in these sections. It was great fun again.”

Rott was also happy with his performance again, but  Alsatian wants more: “We had prepared very well for Rallye Weiz after things didn't go so well here last year. I benefited a lot from Hervé's experience. We got a good feel for the changing grip conditions and felt comfortable in car. Now we hope that we can do a little better in Stemwede and put more pressure on our friend Luca.” With podium finish, Alex Español moved up to third place in the overall rankings: “It was a difficult rally, we struggled to find our rhythm on the first day. Congratulations to Luca, he was unbeatable here. But all in all, I am also happy with my performance.”

Fastest woman in field this time was Belgian Lyssia Baudet, with Frenchwoman Lea Sam-Caw-Frève in co-driver’s seat. Baudet, supported by Belgian automobile association RACB, finished fourth ahead of  French FFSA sponsored drivers Emma Chalvin/Emy Ailloud-Perraud, who thus retained their fourth place in the interim rankings. “First rally with Lea went really well,” said Lyssia Baudet happily. “Rally was very challenging due to constantly changing grip conditions, but we got better and better. Fourth place is great, but I won't be really happy until we can move up a bit.”

Austrian Matthias Walkner also made a great impression. Winner of the motorcycle classification of the 2018 Dakar Rally put on a brilliant performance alongside co-driver Thomas Haider in what was only his second car rally and was very fast as the pilot of the course car. “I have to say that this electric rally one-make cup works very well,” said Walkner. “We felt perfectly at home and had a lot of fun. I was pleasantly surprised at how well balanced Opel Corsa Rally Electric is. With every kilometre we got better at handling the car and built up more and more confidence. I'm looking forward to hopefully more!”

Journalist Reiner Kuhn and co-driver Ilka Minor also did well in their first outing in Opel Corsa Rally Electric – apart from lightly touching a wall in the first special stage. “After that, we took it a bit easier,” said the experienced rally writer with a smile. “When I got used to the car and became more confident, the fun increased. I achieved my goal and brought the car safely to the finish line.”

Fifth round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” will take place on August 9/10 as part of  ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg around Lübbecke.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” after 4 of 8 rounds:

1. Pröglhöf                              130 points.

2. Rott                                      99.

3. Español                               74.

4. Chalvin                               68.

5. Hangodi                              64.

6. Baudet                                48.

7. Lemke                                42.

8. Pottier                                38.

9. Melse and Wittenbeck       37 each.

11. Kamermans                     16.

12. Bayer                               14.

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup: Opel Corsa Rally Electric Masters the Rigours of the Vosges

• Exciting battle between electric rally teams at Rallye Vosges Grand-Est
• With victory, Austrian Luca Pröglhöf extends his lead in standings
• Locals Anthony and Adrien Rott move up to second place in overall classification

With his second win of the season, Luca Pröglhöf has extended his overall lead in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”. Alongside his co-driver Christina Ettel, the 24-year-old Austrian won at the Rallye Vosges Grand-Est ahead of the two local teams Julien Casale/Pierre Delorme and Anthony and Adrien Rott. In fourth and fifth place, two women's teams, Emma Chalvin/Emy Ailloud-Perraud (France) and Lyssia Baudet/Pauline Denis (Belgium), braved the adverse conditions on the challenging roads around Gérardmer. The skies opened their floodgates again and again, which made the choice of tyres a tricky matter.

Exciting duel between Pröglhöf and guest driver Casale was decided on the penultimate special stage by a puncture on the Opel Corsa Rally Electric of the 29-year-old from Merville, who is competing in the Stellantis Rally Cup France this season. The result of the fourth special stage on Sunday morning showed just how close it was at the top: after 26.02 extremely demanding kilometres, Pröglhöf and Casale were separated by just three tenths of a second.

“It was really tough,” said Pröglhöf. “We got off to a great start and were able to maintain a fast pace on both days without having to take unnecessary risks. You could see from the whole field how quickly you can get a puncture, and of course a bit of luck is also involved. But I really enjoyed the special stages again and we are of course delighted with our second win of the season.”

“I had a lot of fun with my first experience in the Corsa Rally Electric. The car is nice to drive and the Cup is well organized. The puncture was of course annoying, but we can live with second place. I hope we can come back at some point,” summed up Casale, who did not receive any points as a guest driver. The Rott brothers secured the 25 points for second place and moved up to second in the interim classification. “That's great, of course, we're happy to take the points,” said driver Anthony Rott happily. “Unfortunately, we damaged a shock absorber and the suspension on Sunday afternoon, which meant we could no longer fight for victory. I'm not entirely happy with our performance, but of course we're very pleased with the podium finish.”

Casale/Delorme were not the only team to be slowed by a puncture. Alizée Pottier and Manon Perrin in the second Corsa Rally Electric of the FFSA Academy had to change tyres twice on stage 5, as did the Hungarians Bendegúz Hangodi/Dániel Petrovszki, who had no fewer than five flat tyres in total.

Three Opel GSe models also attracted a lot of attention from spectators. Skilfully driven by French rally teams, the sporty Astra GSe ensured safety on the special stages as course cars ahead of the field of participants (combined values for Opel Astra GSe according to WLTP 1: weighted energy consumption 17.8 kWh electricity/100 km plus 1.3 l petrol/100 km; CO2 emissions 30 g/km; CO2 class B. With discharged battery: fuel consumption 6.2 l/100 km; CO2 class E).

[1] A vehicle's values not only depend on the vehicle's efficient use of fuel, but are also influenced by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors.

At the halfway point of the season, the teams of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup will travel to Styria in Austria in just under four weeks. The Rallye Weiz on July 12 and 13 will be the venue for a qualifying round of the world's first electric rally one-make cup for the third time.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” after 3 of 8 rounds:

1. Pröglhöf                               95 points.

2. Rott                                       72.

3. Hangodi                               64.

4. Chalvin                                 49.

5. Español                                48.

6. Lemke                                   42.

7. Pottier and Baudet             28 each.

9. Melse                                    25.

10. Wittenbeck                         23.

11. Kurstjens                            16.

12. Kamermans and Bayer    14 each.

ELE Rally: Exciting Night Shifts in ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup

• Round two of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”
• Opel Corsa Rally Electric returns to Netherlands after one-year absence
• ELE Rally around Eindhoven is especially challenging

After an exciting start to the season in early May at the ADAC Rallye Sulingen, the teams contesting the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” will travel to the Netherlands for the second round next weekend. The ELE Rally already hosted the world's first electric one-make rally cup in the 2022 season. The asphalt event around Eindhoven impresses with its demanding special stages and an unusual schedule that requires the young teams to work two night shifts in their 100 kW (136 hp) Opel Corsa Rally Electric.

Start of the first leg is on Friday (May 24) at 6:50 p.m., before the cars roll into parc fermé after four special stages and a final service at 11:02 p.m. The action continues on Saturday (May 25) from 12.45 p.m. with the restart of the second leg of eight special stages. The finish in Eindhoven will not be reached until 11:10 p.m. “Driving in the dark is always a special challenge. The co-driver’s instructions must be delivered spot-on to be really fast. The pace notes will therefore be of particular importance, especially for our young teams,” said Opel Motorsport boss Jörg Schrott.

After his first victory in Sulingen, Christian Lemke (23) finds himself in the role of the hunted for the first time: “An unusual role, but one that I’m very happy to take on,” he said. In the points standings, Lemke is only two points ahead of Austrian Luca Pröglhöf, who is aiming for his second cup win in the Netherlands. And Hungarian Bendegúz Hangodi, who is only a further two points behind, is also aiming high: “The podium finish in Sulingen was nice – but I’m going for the maximum!”

Lyssia Baudet

Three women starting in the Netherlands also have a lot of ambition. Lyssia Baudet (21), supported by the Belgian automobile sports association RACB, and her French competitors Alizée Pottier and Emma Chalvin from the FFSA Academy team, want to use what they learned on the opening round to really challenge their male colleagues. New to the cup are 19-year-old Fabian Kamermans and his co-driver Ashley de Boer. Kamermans is one of three drivers who are being evaluated by the Dutch organization KNAF for a regular cockpit in the Corsa Rally Electric for the 2025 cup season.

Two Dutch crews will also be making a guest appearance: Leo Kurstjens and Jan Gerssen will be in the Schmack Motorsport team, while journalist Dries van den Elzen and co-driver Marcel van Elven will be producing an extensive article for the Dutch car magazine “AutoVisie”. Timo van der Marel, who completed a full season in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup in 2021, is also piloting another Corsa Rally Electric as a “taxi driver” for media and VIP guests.

International Field in the 2024 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup

• Eight events in five countries: ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” heading into fourth season
• Season opener in Sulingen: With 15 teams and participants from eight nations
• Female power: Five female drivers compete with their male colleagues
• Participating for the second time: DTM champion Timo Scheider is once again involved in the electrifying hustle and bustle

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” is well-positioned at the start of its fourth season. 15 of the 100 kW (136 hp) Corsa Rally Electric are registered for this year's opener on May 3 and 4 at the ADAC Actronics Rally Sulingen (Lower Saxony). The field of participants in the world's first and only electric rally one-make cup impresses with its internationality and diversity. Athletes from eight different nations will compete. A total of ten new teams – including four pure female and several mixed teams – bring a breath of fresh air to the electrifying competition.

French motorsport association FFSA is once again using two Corsa Rally Electrics as part of its academy youth development programme. This year the cars will be occupied by Emma Chalvin/Emy Ailloud-Perraud and Alizée Pottier/Joanna Verdier. Also as part of a promotion for young talent, the Royal Belgian Automobile Sports Association RACB, in collaboration with Opel Belgium, has handed a ride to Lyssia Baudet/Pauline Denis. Pia Steffe and co-pilot Nina Spitaler will fly the flag for Austria, while the German Ann Felke has teamed up with male co-driver, Maximilian Kugler.

Constantly growing international interest in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup is also reflected in the commitments from the Netherlands and Spain. The Royal Netherlands Automobile Sports Association (KNAF) is using the cup as a platform for a comprehensive screening of young talent, in which three juniors will be used over the course of the season. 19-year-old Fabian Kamermans will be behind the wheel in Sulingen. From the Iberian Peninsula and with the support of Opel Spain, an all-Spanish team joins the electrifying competition.

As in recent years, the Austrian contingency is a force to be reckoned with. With Alfred Kramer, Pia Steffe and Luca Pröglhöf, three drivers from the Alpine country are involved in the thrilling hustle and bustle. Pröglhöf in particular has been one of the favourites, and not just since his first victory as part of the 2023 Central European Rally. Hungarian Bendegúz Hangodi has high hope for his debut season in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup.

Ambitious guest: DTM champion Timo Scheider returns

In addition to Pröglhöf, only the Germans Christian Lemke and Johannes Wittenbeck as well as the Alsatian Anthony Rott already have experience in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. And then of course there is Timo Scheider. The 45-year-old DTM (German Touring Car) champion of 2008 and 2009 will make his second guest appearance in the Corsa Rally Electric at the ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen. He hopes to improve on his impressive debut in 2021 when he finished fifth at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg. Scheider is an old acquaintance at Opel: he was already an Opel works driver in Formula 3 and DTM between 1997 and 2004.

“Positive development of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup continues in the fourth year. The field of participants is just as attractive as the calendar of events,” said Jörg Schrott, Head of Opel Motorsport. “The international awareness for our project is constantly increasing. The interest from all over Europe shows that we are on the right path with our innovative concept. The unique opportunities for advancement for our participants also contribute to this. With Calle Carlberg and Timo Schulz, the 2023 and 2022 Cup champions will start in the highly competitive Junior European Championship this season. With the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, the strong partners Opel and ADAC offer young rally talents a unique platform – and this year's field proves that this is also perceived by the protagonists."

Participants 2024 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup

Driver                                      Co-pilot

Christian Lemke (D)            Jan Bemmann (D)

Johannes Wittenbeck (D)    Luca Kiefer (D)

Anthony Rott (F)                    Adrien Rott (F)

Alizée Pottier (F)                   Joanna Verdier (F)

Emma Chalvin (F)                   Emy Ailloud-Perraud (F)

Luca Pröglhöf (A)                  Christina Ettel (A)

Bendegúz Hangodi (H)           Dániel Petrovszki (H)

Alfred Kramer (A)                  Jeannette Kvick (DK)

Lyssia Baudet (B)                 Pauline Denis (B)

Pia Steffe (A)                         Nina Spitaler (A)

Fabian Kamermans (NL)       Ashley de Boer (NL)

Ann Felke (D)                        Maximilian Kugler (D)

Axel Bayer (D)                Clara Bettge (D)

Timo Scheider (D)                 Jara Hain (D)

tba (E)                                tba (E)

 

Dates 2024 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe“

May 3/4               ADAC Rallye Sulingen (DRM) D

May 24/25         ELE Rally, Eindhoven NL

June 15/16         Rallye Vosges Grand-Est, Gérardmer F

July 12/13         Rallye Weiz A

August 9/10         ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg, Lübbecke (DRM) D

September 6/7         Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine F

September 28/29 Rallye Coeur de France, Vendôme F

October 17 to 20 Central European Rally, Bad Griesbach (WRC) D/A/CZ

Two new women's teams in ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2024

• French Motorsport Federation continues its promotion of young talent 
• Two FFSA women's teams take up challenge in Opel Corsa Rally Electric 
• Talents Emma Chalvin and Alizée Pottier are at beginning of their careers

French motorsport association FFSA (Fédération Française de Sport Automobile) is consistently continuing its promotion of young female rally drivers in ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe". In 2024 once again, two all-female teams will challenge their male opponents in world's first electric rally brand cup, following in footsteps of their successful predecessors Sarah Rumeau/Julie Amblard and Cindy Gudet/Jeanne Rey. With Alizée Pottier (23) and Emma Chalvin (22), FFSA is filling its two Opel Corsa Rally Electric cars with two promising rally talents who are still at beginning of their motorsport careers.

Alizée Pottier lives in Champfleur, a small town in Département Sarthe around 50 kilometers north of Le Mans, where she runs a communications and coaching agency. It was only two years ago that Alizée switched from rallycross to rallying and took her first steps as a co-driver before taking wheel herself for first time. Her co-driver Lou Murcia is only 26 years old, but has ten years of experience in rallying under her belt.

Emma Chalvin comes from Les Deux Alpes, a winter sports resort in Département Isère around 70 kilometers southeast of Grenoble. Like the first champion of  ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, Laurent Pellier, Emma works as a ski instructor during winter months. She also gained her first motorsport successes in rallycross. Her co-driver is Emy Ailloud-Perraud, with whom she already competed in her first rallies last year.

"Last year we were very impressed by consistency and professionalism with which FFSA promotes young talent," says Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott. "Cindy and Sarah with their co-drivers were a real enrichment for ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, both in terms of motorsport and character. I am convinced that Emma and Alizée will exactly follow up to their two predecessors. FFSA is an important and pleasant partner for us, and I am very pleased to be able to continue and intensify this cooperation. We are all excited to see how Emma, Emy, Alizée and Lou will perform in Opel Corsa Rally Electric, but I am sure that the boys will have to wrap up warmly."

Fourth season of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe" starts on the first weekend in May with  ADAC Rallye Sulingen. Eight events are scheduled, including three in France and one each in Netherlands and Austria. As last year, season finale will be held as part of Central European Rally, new World Rally Championship round with special stages in Germany, Czech Republic and Austria.

Opel Corsa Rally Electric: Thrilling Fights Against Alpine Backdrop

• Sixth round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” returns to France
• Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine offers picturesque scenery and demanding stages
• Title fight continues; fast local drivers aim for top placings

In the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup it is no time to relax. Only two weeks after the exciting ADAC Saarland-Pfalz Rallye, the world’s first electric one-make rally cup visits France for the second time. As on its debut last year, the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine south of Lake Geneva represents an especially attractive but also extremely demanding task for the teams and the 100 kW/136 hp Opel Corsa Rally Electric. The asphalt event against the beautiful backdrop of the highest mountain in the Alps poses tough challenges for the crews and their battery-electric cars, but also impresses with a unique ambience; the picturesque winter sports resort of Morzine will be converted into a rally venue this weekend.

A total of seven relatively long special stages over a distance of around 131 kilometres await the teams on both days of the rally (September 1 and 2). The slopes lead steeply uphill and downhill with fast, difficult passages that demand everything from the drivers and co-drivers.

Title-fight in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup could hardly be more thrilling. 23-year-old Swede Calle Carlberg took the lead in the standings for the first time with his second victory this season on the ADAC Saarland-Pfalz Rallye. However, his lead over Max Reiter (also 23) is currently only five points – anything but a comfortable cushion with a maximum 35 points available at each event and three rounds still to go.

Focus of the many enthusiastic French motorsport fans will be on their compatriots. In particular Sarah Rumeau (28) from the FFSA Academy team will be seeking to make up for her disappointment in Saarland and together with co-pilot Julie Amblard score her long awaited first podium. Her teammate Cindy Gudet (27), who will be partnered for the first time by Jeanne Rey on this rally, and Anthony Rott (23) from Alsace will also be aiming for top placings on home territory.

Standings 2023 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup (after 5 of 8 rounds):

1. Carlberg, 156 points.

2. Reiter 151.

3. Pröglhöf 105.

4. Rumeau 89.

5. Lemke 74.

6. Baur 62.

7. Van Hoof 56.

8. Gudet 46.

9. Tarta 39.

10. Callea and Wittenbeck, 27 each.

Opel Corsa Rally Electric Returns to Rallye Weiz

• Rallye Weiz is fourth round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”
• Close contest between leaders of world’s first electric one-make rally cup
• Fast French lady, Sarah Rumeau, eager for first Cup podium

A close title-fight has broken out in this year’s ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”, the world’s first electric one-make rally cup. Calle Carlberg (22, Sweden) has cut the lead of Max Reiter (23, Germany) in the standings to one point, following his first win in the Opel Corsa Rally Electric four weeks ago on the Rallye Vosges Grand-Est in France. “It can go on like this,” laughed the young Scandinavian. Ambitious Reiter – who does not like to finish second – is unlikely to agree.

In hot pursuit are two more aces who have not yet written off their own title chances: Austrian Luca Pröglhöf (23), who scored his first Cup-podium in France, and Sarah Rumeau. The 28-year-old fast French lady from the FFSA Academy, together with her co-driver, Julie Amblard, is eager to score her first podium. “We have often been close, and with a little luck it could have been at the Rallye Vosges. But I have the feeling the first podium is not far away,” said Rumeau.

Scene is thus set for close combat on the Rallye Weiz on July 14/15, where the all-electric rally cars are making their second appearance. Last year’s rally in the east of the Austrian Styria region, with its demanding stages, large crowds and beautiful scenery, already received an enthusiastic reception from the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup teams.

In addition, the Austrian rally legend, Manfred Stohl, who has competed in no fewer than 126 rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship in his successful career, will once again pilot a Opel Corsa Rally Electric as course car and VIP rally taxi.

Action starts with the first three special stages on Friday, July 14, at 3.40 p.m. Second leg starts the next day at 9.40 a.m. with another eight stages. First Cup car will cross the finishing ramp at 8.30 in the evening. Opel Corsa Rally Electric Teams will cover 129 kilometres of special stages in total.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2023 (after 3 of 8 rounds): 

1. Reiter 92.

2. Carlberg 91.

3. Pröglhöf 59.

4. Rumeau 57.

5. Lemke 45.

6. Van Hoof 38.

7. Tarta 31.

8. Gudet 30.

9. Callea 27.

10. Rott 26.

Rallye Vosges Grand-Est: Another Premiere for Opel Corsa Rally Electric

• Third round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” in France
• Standings leader Max Reiter is the target on Rallye Vosges Grand-Est
• “Home game” for quick French drivers Callea, Rumeau, Gudet and Rott

In the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” one premiere follows the next. After the successful debut of the world's first electric one-make rally cup in Switzerland at the Rallye du Chablais, the electric competition cars will return to France next weekend. Whereby the third round of the season on June 17/18 at the Rallye Vosges Grand-Est also represents new territory for the teams with their 100 kW/136 hp Opel Corsa Rally Electric. The rally centre in the small town of Gérardmer is only around 50 kilometres west of Colmar and a good 90 km from the German border.

A demanding task awaits the Cup teams in this round of the French Rally Championship at the foot of the Vosges. Eight special stages over 96 km are on the agenda; including the connecting stages, the electrified competitors must cover 509 km on Saturday and Sunday.

In terms of sport, the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” 2023 leaves nothing to be desired. The current overall leader in the Cup, Max Reiter, had to push hard in Switzerland in order to achieve his second win of the season, just ahead of his Swedish opponent Calle Carlberg. Reiter’s lead in the overall standings gives him little reason to relax. “It's going to be tight. We must continue to do everything we can to stay ahead in this evenly matched field,” he admitted.

The two championship leaders are likely to face tough competition, not least from the local heroes. The lightning-fast Terence Callea wants to make people forget his accident in Switzerland on home soil, and Sarah Rumeau has impressively proven in the first two rallies of the year that she, like her teammate Cindy Gudet from the FFSA Academy, is always to be reckoned with. The Rallye Vosges Grand-Est is a real home game for Anthony Rott from Alsace, who is also contesting his first season in the world's first one-make electric rally cup.

However, the German juniors are always good for a podium, as Christian Lemke proved at the Rallye du Chablais. “We've often been close, but it finally worked. We want to continue like this,” he said. And Joe Baur, whose speed has often been slowed by small setbacks, has defined a clear goal: “Finally complete a rally without any problems, and right at the front!” A sentence that could also come from the Austrian Luca Pröglhöf.

Points standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2023 (after 2 of 8 rounds):

1. Reiter, 65.

2. Carlberg 56.

3. Lemke 46.

4. Rumeau 35.

5. Pröglhöf 33.

6. Callea 27.

7. Tarta 23.

8. Rott and Van Hoof, 22 each.

10. Gudet 16.

11. Wittenbeck 9.

12. Baur and Oprea, 8 each.

14. Mendoza 4.

Electrifying Start to Rally Season in Northern Germany

• Exciting opening round to the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” 2023
• Max Reiter wins the cup classification as part of the ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen
• Newcomer Terence Callea on the podium, strong display from FFSA’s Sarah Rumeau

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe" celebrated a perfect start to 2023 campaign at ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen. 14 teams from seven nations offered thrilling rallying with several lead changes in their 100 kW/136 hp Opel Corsa Rally Electric. In addition, the spectators were treated to hotly contested battle between the cup veterans and ambitious newcomers.

In the end, Max Reiter, an old hand in the cup, prevailed. Rally had started anything but promising for the 23-year-old German with a puncture in the first special stage. But as a result, Reiter, and his co-driver Conny Nemenich turned things up a notch, took command from special stage 6 and finally secured victory by setting the best time in the eleventh and final stage. “After losing time on the first special stage there was no point in tactics, so we went on the attack. That worked great. I'm delighted that it worked out," said the 2021 runner-up who also finished third last year.

While Terence Callea (France), Luca Pröglhöf (Austria), Calle Carlberg (Sweden) and Cristiana Oprea (Romania) also suffered flat tyres in the opening stage, Sarah Rumeau (France) took advantage of the situation and became first woman to set a best time in a special stage since the creation of the ADAC Opel Rallye Cup in 2013.

27-year-old also subsequently demonstrated that the best time was by no means a flash in the pan and was a strong challenger in the FFSA Academy's Corsa Rally Electric. In the end, the two-time French Rally Champion and co-driver Julie Amblard took a respectable fifth place. “We actually coped better with the adverse external conditions yesterday than today. I still need to learn how to get the most out of the Corsa Rally Electric on dry asphalt,” said Rumeau. “All in all, I am satisfied with our debut in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. Now we will continue to work on the details to be even better going forward.”

After their problems on the first special stage, Callea and Reiter started chasing Rumeau. The lead finally changed for the first time on special stage 5 when rookie Callea edged past his compatriot to the lead. Ultimately, the Saintéloc driver finished second together with co-driver Enzo Mahinc – all the more remarkable given that the 26-year-old has only been involved in rallying since 2020. However, Callea has already demonstrated his enormous potential by winning the FFSA’s young talent series “Rallye Jeunes”, which has already produced rally idols such as Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier. “It was a very demanding rally, not least because of the bad weather on the first day. But I love that. I still lack experience to be able to go to the limit under all conditions. But the beginning was okay.”

Last year's cup runner-up Calle Carlberg, as always partnered by his father Torbjörn, also recovered after bad luck in the first special stage. He set fastest times on three stages and secured the last place on the podium.

“That was electric rallying at its best,” said Jörg Schrott, head of Opel Motorsport. “We didn't have any technical problems with our Opel Corsa Rally Electric and the field of participants was more competitive than ever. I was particularly impressed by Sarah Rumeau's great performance. In general: teams from seven nations, three all-female teams and competitive rally – we have a great field. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Second round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe" 2023 will take place at the Rallye du Chablais around Aigle on 2./3. June and thus celebrate its debut in Switzerland.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2023:

1. Reiter, 30 points

2. Callea and Carlberg, both 27

4. Lemke 20

5. Rumeau 16

6. Pröglhöf 15

7. Van Hoof 14

8. Rott 10

9. Tarta and Baur, both 8

11. Gudet 6

12. Oprea 5

13. Wittenbeck 3