Exciting Start to 2024 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup

• Thrilling start to ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” 2024 in Sulingen
• Christian Lemke celebrates his first cup victory ahead of Luca Pröglhöf and Bendegúz Hangodi
• Strong performance by two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider in the Opel Corsa Rally Electric

With 15 vehicles, participants from eight nations, including 14 women in the cockpits, and the much-celebrated first victory of Christian Lemke at the season opener of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” in Sulingen. After an exciting battle on more than 100 kilometres of asphalt, the 23-year-old was 14.7 seconds ahead of the Austrian Luca Pröglhöf, who is one of the favourites for the title in 2024, not least since his victory in last year's season finale. Third place went to the Hungarian Bendegúz Hangodi, who caught everyone's attention with a best time in the first special stage.

At the finish, the joy of winner Lemke and his co-driver Jan-Eric Bemmann knew no bounds: “I don't have the words to describe my feelings! Since the shakedown on Thursday, I had a great feeling in the car and the new tire compound from Michelin,” said the Cup veteran, who already competed in the first season world’s first electric rally one-make cup in 2021. “The good gave us confidence so that we could attack straight away. Driving through these treacherous stages with the Opel Corsa Rally Electric was great fun. And now I’m just happy!”

Luca Pröglhöf and co-driver Christina Ettel were also happy with their start to the season: “On the first day, after a six-month break from rallying, I initially drove a bit too cautiously. But the night test was really good for me and I quickly regained confidence in the car. Today I started the day well and am completely satisfied with how everything went.”

Third-placed Bendegúz Hangodi and his co-driver Dániel Petrovszki travelled from Hungary to northern Germany with high expectations. Hangodi said: “The podium finish is great, even though I had the feeling that my performance got better as the rally progressed, but the results didn’t. It was nice to see that we have the potential to fight for the championship. And that is the clear goal. I should be happy with my debut but I am a perfectionist.”

Impressive appearance by DTM champion Timo Scheider

Timo Scheider also left a really strong impression. In his second guest start in the 100 kW (136 hp) Corsa Rally Electric, the 45-year-old DTM champion from 2008 and 2009 mastered the demanding special stages at the ADAC Rallye Sulingen brilliantly and ultimately took fifth place overall, which even he did not necessarily expect. Perfectly guided by his 24-year-old co-driver Jara Hain, the former Opel works driver Scheider himself gave a taste of his driving skills in the infamous military area in the Eickhofer Heide (formerly the IVG site) and set the third fastest time on the winding asphalt on Saturday.

Scheider was satisfied at the finish: “I was aware from the outset that the leaders in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup would be extremely close together, with experienced people fighting against young rookies for every tenth. That's why I'm really happy with our performance. From the first special stage we were able to continuously improve. Jara and I were a great team, she led me through the rally brilliantly. Of course, a big thank you goes to Opel for giving me the chance to be here. I have to admit, the passion to do more with it has been ignited.”

Opel Motorsport boss Jörg Schrott added: “What a great start to the fourth season of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. We experienced a thrilling rally and I am delighted for Christian Lemke. This year's field is exciting, lots of young people, almost half of them women, all fast and in a good mood. What more do you want?"

The second round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” will take place on May 24/25 as part of the ELE Rally around Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

Results ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe“ / ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen:

1. Christian Lemke/Jan-Eric Bemmann (D)             1:12,17,3 h

2. Luca Pröglhöf/Christina Ettel (A)                         +14.7 sec

3. Bendegúz Hangodi/Dániel Petrovszki (H)           +20.1 sec

4. Anthony Rott/Adrien Rott (F)                                +37.7 sec

5. Timo Scheider/Jara Hain (D) (Gaststarter)          +46.5 sec

6. Alex Español Jove/Lorena Romero (E)               +1:18.1 min

7. Axel Bayer/Clara Bettge (D)                                 +2:11.1 min

8. Hank Melse/Joep van Heugten (NL)                    +3:15.0 min

9. Lyssia Baudet/Pauline Denis (B)                         +3:28.2 min

10. Emma Chalvin/Emy Ailloud-Perraud (F)            +4:26.3 min

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe“ after 1 of 8 rounds:

1. Lemke	31 points
2. Pröglhöf	29 points
3. Hangodi	27 points
4. Rott	21 points
5. Español	19 points
6. Bayer	14 points
7. Melse	12 points
8. Baudet	10 points
9. Chalvin	8 points
10. Pottier	6 points
11. Felke	5 points
12. Steffe	4 points
13. Wittenbeck	3 points

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

!NEW! Opel at Nürburgring 24 Hours Race – The legend lives on

Nürburgring 24 hours: ten Opel Astra OPC Cup cars compete in the world’s toughest endurance race on June 21 and 22. 

There are venues that hold an outstanding place in their respective sports. Without a doubt, the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife is one of the world’s most famous motor racing circuits – especially when the legendary ADAC Zurich 24h-race takes place there for the 42nd time on June 21 and 22, 2014. Opel, one of the most successful marques in the race at the “green hell,” will be represented by ten Astra OPC Cup cars, alongside numerous privately owned race cars.

Opel Astra OPC Cup - Racing car

Successful racing cars from Rüsselsheim have a long tradition in the 36-year history of the VLN endurance racing championship. Nine champions have driven to victory in an Opel, with the Rüsselsheim-based manufacturer responsible for 17 outright wins. With 594 class victories, Opel is the third most successful brand. The overall victory at the 2003 24 hours by Manuel Reuter, Timo Scheider, Marcel Tiemann and Volker Strycek in their Opel Astra V8 Coupé remains a memorable moment in motor racing.

Opel Astra V8 Coupé winning the 24 hours race at the Nürburgring in 2003.

Last year, Opel revived this grand Nordschleife tradition with its Opel Astra OPC Cup. The racing version of the Astra OPC, which has been optimized for the 2014 season to combine high performance and professional technology at an affordable price, provides the technical basis for the Cup models.

Opel Astra OPC Cup - Racing car

However, the 24-hour race on the Nordschleife is more than just an extremely demanding race. It is also the site of one of the largest events in international sports and attracts some 200,000 fans every year to a gigantic party for everyone lucky enough to be there.

The tension increases: The legendary ADAC Zurich 24h-race takes place on the Nürburgring for the 42nd time.

The 42nd ADAC Zurich 24 hours starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2014.