Opel Corsa Rally Electric: Scandinavian Victory in French Alps

• Sixth round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” in France
• Calle Carlberg wins Rallye Mont Blanc Morzine and slightly extends lead
• Max Reiter takes second place ahead of Frenchwoman Sarah Rumeau

As at last year’s premiere, Rallye Mont Blanc Morzine in 2023 was once again the scene of exciting battles in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”. With his third win of the season, Calle Carlberg was able to pull away slightly from his pursuers at head of  world's first electric one-make rally cup. Asphalt event at the foot of the highest mountain in the Alps also saw another tough duel between 23-year-old Swede and his rival Max Reiter (also 23, from Germany). After seven special stages over a total of 131 kilometres Carlberg took victory by 17.4 seconds.

After Carlberg, as always with father Torbjörn as co-driver, had won first three stages on Friday, a puncture on Scandinavians' Opel Corsa Rally Electric reshuffled cards around four kilometres from end of SS 5. But with a fantastic best time in 29.1-km-long stage on Saturday morning, Carlberg converted his 7.8 second deficit over Reiter and his co-driver Conny Nemenich into a lead of 14.5 seconds.

Carlberg defended his lead in the final, 20-km-long “Power Stage” and was beaming from ear to ear at finish in Morzine: “This win feels fantastic! We simply enjoyed the rally. That is the difference from last year: I have a lot of confidence in the cockpit, I am relaxed and I just look forward to every special stage. It is clear to me that there are still two tough rallies ahead of us and nothing has been decided in the title fight, but the trend is positive!”

In overall standings, two rounds before end of season, Carlberg is now 11 points ahead of Reiter, who is far from conceding defeat. “Rallye Mont Blanc was another beautiful event, maybe even a little more demanding than last year. We are still approaching everything calmly, having fun in car and we will try to shorten gap at the Rallye Stemweder Berg so that we can then hopefully turn things around in final round (WRC Central European Rally).”

After a strong performance, Sarah Rumeau and co-driver Julie Amblard finally celebrated their long-overdue first podium in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup at their home event. With second-fastest time on longest stage of rally, just 1.3 seconds behind Carlberg, 28-year-old once again demonstrated her enormous potential. “We finally did it,” said Rumeau happily. “Rally went great. We had a big fight with Max. Of course we would have liked to come second, as we were only two seconds behind before last stage. But when we hit a stone in Power Stage and feared a puncture, we decided to settle for podium place. It is nice that we are closer to top here again. And we are not done yet…” Just beaten by  fast ladies, Luca Pröglhöf/Christina Ettel and Christian Lemke/Stephan Schneeweiß finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Special guest: Miss France in Opel Corsa Rally Electric

To delight of teams and fans, Miss France 2021, Amandine Petit, paid a visit to Opel Service Park. She was chauffeured in Opel Corsa Rally Electric over demanding special stages of rally by Rumeau and first electric rally cup champion, Laurent Pellier. “Two days as a guest of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup were an incredible experience,” beamed the 25-year-old. “I admit I was a bit nervous at first, but I quickly realised that Sarah and Laurent had everything under control. From then on I was able to enjoy spectacular rides in Opel Corsa Rally Electric.”

Seventh and penultimate round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” 2023 will take place on September 29/30 as part of  ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg around Lübbecke in Germany.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup (after 6 of 8 rounds):

1. Carlberg, 191 points.

2. Reiter 180.

3. Pröglhöf 126.

4. Rumeau 114.

5. Lemke 91.

6. Van Hoof 76.

7. Baur 72.

8. Gudet 46.

9. Mendoza 43.

10. Tarta 39.

Opel and ADAC extend partnership in Electric Rally Racing

• New sub-brand, new name for cup: ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”
• Opel as a pioneer: First electric one-make rally cup enters its third season

Opel has reaffirmed its commitment to world's first electric one-make rally cup, previously known as ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, which has been renamed and will be called ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe". Like Opel's future, the brand's motorsport activities are electric. That is why name of new sporty sub-brand GSe (Grand Sport electric) can now also be found in title of electric racing series. ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe" will also be even more international in the 2023 season: A total of eight events in four countries (Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland) are on the calendar. In addition, Opel and ADAC have extended their existing agreement until 2024.

“Opel and the ADAC created world's first electric one-make rally cup together. This pioneering spirit has set a powerful and important example in international rallying. We will continue and further develop this innovative racing series together – in line with our sporty GSe top models and our strategy of becoming a fully electric brand in Europe by 2028,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl.

“Innovative concept of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup is a prime example of how to successfully combine work with young talents and electric motorsport. ADAC is a pioneer for more sustainability in motorsport, and with early extension of our cooperation with Opel we are sending a strong signal for electrifying rallying,” added ADAC Sport President Dr. Gerd Ennser.

Rüsselsheim-based carmaker and Europe's largest automobile club have been cooperating in motorsports for over a decade and, in addition to the successful one-make cup projects ADAC Opel Rallye Cup and ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, this partnership has also produced ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. Junior Team represents the second pillar of joint talent development programme – and has an impressive track record. In 2022, Laurent Pellier celebrated fifth title for ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team in FIA Junior ERC Rally Championship (JERC) in Opel Corsa Rally4. One year earlier, Frenchman was crowned first ever champion of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup.

"Cooperation between ADAC and Opel is a prime example of successful talent promotion," said Jrg Schrott, head of Opel Motorsport. “Both partners share a common philosophy and strategy. Around 120 drivers from 19 nations have taken their first steps in professional rallying since 2013 season in ADAC and Opel one-make cups. Best of them made it into ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team and caused a real stir at European level. Five JERC driver titles by Emil Bergkvist, Marijan Griebel, Chris Ingram, Mārtiņš Sesks and Laurent Pellier speak for themselves. I am pleased with early extension of our agreement. It gives the participants and teams more planning security.”

One of several highlights on 2023 racing calendar is the season finale at the Central European Rally around Passau, where cup participants will compete in their 100 kW/136 hp battery-electric Opel Corsa Rally Electric as part of FIA World Rally Championship. At same time, the 2022 Cup Champion Timo Schulz will try to follow in Laurent Pellier's footsteps in Opel Corsa Rally4 in Junior European Championship.

Dates ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe"

May 5/6                    ADAC Rallye Sulingen                                                        D

June 2/3                   Rallye du Chablais, Aigle                                                   CH

June 17/18               Rallye du Vosges Grand-Est, Gérardmer                           F

July 14/15                 Rallye Weiz                                                                       A

Aug 18/19                 ADAC Saarland-Pfalz Rallye, St. Wendel                        D

Sept 1/2                    Rallye Mont-Blanc, Morzine                                             F

Sept 29/30                ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg, Lübbecke                      D

Oct 27 to 29             Central European Rally, Passau                                      D/A/CZ

Dates Junior European Rally Championship 2023

19.-21.05.                 Rally Poland, Mikołajki                                                     PL

16.-18.06.                 Rally Latvia, Liepāja                                                         LV

06.-08.07.                 Royal Rally of Scandinavia, Karlstad                               S

28.-30.07.                 Rally di Roma Capitale, Fiuggi                                          I

18.-20.08.                 Barum Czech Rally Zlín, Zlín                                           CZ

06.-08.10.                 Rally Hungary, Nyíregyháza                                             H

ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team is European Champion

• Barum Czech Rally Zlín: Fifth round of the 2022 European Junior Rally Championship
• Fourth win of the season: Laurent Pellier clinches EC title with Opel Corsa Rally4
• ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team celebrates fifth JERC triumph overall since 2015

With his fourth victory of the season, Frenchman Laurent Pellier gave the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team its fifth title win overall in the European Junior Rally Championship (JERC) at the Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Thanks to an outstanding performance, the 27-year-old Pellier and his co-driver Marine Pelamourgues (24) gave the assembled European junior elite no chance in their Opel Corsa Rally4 and dominated the fifth round of the 2022 JERC season almost at will. Pellier/Pelamourgues were the fastest in eleven of the thirteen special stages. Although they had already been ahead by 43.9 seconds after the first stage, the Opel crew did not let up and set fastest times in all six stages on Sunday. In the end, their lead over Italy's Andrea Mabellini in the Renault Clio Rally4 was 1:32.1 minutes. The only serious title rival left before the Czech JERC round, Spaniard Oscar Palomo (Peugeot 208 Rally4), was even 2:23,3 minutes behind at the finish in Zlín. It was the fourth win of the season for Pellier after triumphs in the Junior European Championship rounds at Gran Canaria, Poland and Italy.

In addition to the performance of Pellier/Pelamourgues and the entire team, it was the Opel Corsa Rally4 celebrating its debut season, which contributed to this success in particular. The 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine produces an impressive 156 kW (212 hp) and maximum torque of 290 Newton metres.

"That was a rally straight out of a picture book," beamed Pellier, who had been promoted to the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team after winning the title in the world's first electric rally one-make cup, the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, last year. "Whole team did an outstanding job. Marine performed as flawlessly in the right seat as the Stohl crew did in the service park – so it was business as usual. And the Corsa Rally4 is simply a great rally car. I'm delighted with this title win and thank everyone who made it possible - first and foremost those responsible at Opel Motorsport and ADAC, as well as Manfred Stohl and his great squad!"

"Laurent has proven this season what an outstanding rally driver he is," praised Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott. "It wasn't just his four victories, but above all the way he handled the accident in Latvia that particularly impressed me. He and Marine absolutely dominated the JERC season in the Corsa Rally4, which was also a credit to Stohl Racing. My personal thanks go to the team boss. Manfred Stohl was a guarantor for success with his experience and enthusiasm. Here, for example, we were certainly the only ones who made the right tire choice for every special stage. Manfred exemplifies to his team how to achieve success in rallying - a real leader figure. " And what makes the Opel motorsport boss particularly happy: "That we have once again proven that the joint promotion of young talents by ADAC and Opel works. Opel is the only manufacturer in the world that offers young rally drivers such opportunities. And when such a commitment pays off like this, it simply makes you proud."

New champion Laurent Pellier thus joins a remarkable line-up of JERC title winners from the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. With Emil Bergkvist (Sweden), Marijan Griebel (Germany), Chris Ingram (England) and Mārtiņš Sesks (Latvia), four top talents from the joint Opel/ADAC talent pool were crowned Junior European Rally Champion between 2015 and 2018.