Three-Way Battle for the Title in the Season Finale of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup ‘powered by GSE’

• Sixth round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg
• Dutchman Fabian Kamermans celebrates first victory in the Opel Corsa Rally Electric
• Alex Español increases lead over Tom Heindrichs

Fabian Kamermans secured his first victory in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup ‘powered by GSE’ at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg with a dominant performance and thanks to a perfect tyre choice. After twelve special stages over around 108 kilometres, the Dutchman and his co-driver Stefan Müller were 11.1 seconds ahead of the German duo of Kilian Nierenz and Milena Raithel. The Bavarians, for their part, pipped Spaniards Alex "Sito" Español and Borja Odriozola by a mere 1.7 seconds. Español thus increased its lead in the overall standings over the Belgian Tom Heindrichs by eight points. The brother of World Rally Champion Thierry Neuville and his co-driver Jonas Schmitz finished fourth in the asphalt rally around Lübbecke.

At the season finale from October 16 to 19 as part of the Central European Rally, which is part of the World Rally Championship, three drivers still have a chance of winning the title: Español leads Heindrichs by twelve points, while Nierenz is 29 points behind and has to hope that his rivals are off the pace. At the World Championship round around Passau, a maximum of 35 points are still up for grabs.

The right choice of tyres sets the course for victory at the Rally Stemweder Berg

A preliminary decision for victory at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg, which is part of the German Rally Championship, was already made in the third special stage on Friday evening. As the only ones in the field, Kamermans/Müller had the right nose and put their Opel Corsa Rally Electric on rain tyres. Promptly, it began to rain immediately before the start of the stage, whereupon the Dutch duo built a significant lead of 18.6 seconds.

But even after that, Kamermans did not merely manage his lead but consolidated his advantage with three more special stage best times. “The first win feels great. Of course, the perfect tyre choice on Friday evening played into our hands. It was clear that we had to keep our concentration and still continue to attack. In the second stage on Saturday morning, we had a real moment of shock, but then we approached the rest of the rally as if it had only just begun. That was the key to this victory. To win here after the last rally, in which pretty much everything went wrong, is just great," said Kamermans.

Even though his title chances are likely to be only mathematical in nature, Kilian Nierenz was highly satisfied with second place, the fourth podium finish this season: “We started the rally perfectly with two best times. The rain on Friday evening surprised us as much as everyone except Fabi. He was simply smarter there. On the second day I made a few mistakes, so we are all the more happy about this second place. It was close, it was exciting, and it was a lot of fun again. Our goal now is to secure third place overall at the finale."

Third-placed Alex Español set three stage best times, including those in the final Power Stage, and was pleased with the increased lead in the overall standings: “Like most others, we made the wrong tyre call on Friday evening. So the plan for the second day was clear: full attack, take as many points as possible. That worked out great, and the fact that we were able to win the Power Stage at the end and take the five bonus points gave us a little more breathing space in the standings. Nevertheless, we will go into the Central European Rally fully focused, as we have done in all previous rallies. Because that's the only way you can win the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup."

ADAC Sports President Dr. Ennser enthusiastic, Fabian Vettel excited

As part of the development program, Opel racing legend Volker Strycek once again piloted the new 207 kW (281) hp Opel Mokka GSE Rally as the lead vehicle over the special stages of the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg. The electric powerhouse is the first rally car being developed according to the FIA eRally5 regulations, which come into force in 2026.

For the second time after the 2024 Mont-Blanc Morzine Rally, Dr. Gerd Ennser took part in a Cup race. Alternating with his son Fabian, the ADAC sports president drove an Opel Corsa Rally Electric as a preceding vehicle and enjoyed the experience: "The ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup is unique. For the ADAC, it is important that electrification in motorsport progresses. I've been a big rally fan since I was young and always thrilled when I have the opportunity to be active in a rally car myself. I'm not as competitive as the boys anymore – but it's still a lot of fun!"

First and foremost, fun will also be the focus of a prominent guest driver in three weeks. As part of the season finale of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, Fabian Vettel (26) will make his rally debut. The brother of four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel will share the Corsa Rally Electric with experienced co-driver Gino Kruhs at the Central European Rally.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup ‘powered by GSE’ after 6 rounds:

1. Español        172 points

2. Heindrichs    160 points

3. Nierenz         143 points

4. Kamermans   121 points

5. Lemke           109 points

6. Neulinger        88 points

7. Wittenbeck      71 points

8. Rott                 63 points

9. Jungnickel       57 points

10. Eertmans       52 points

11. Steitz             42 points

Fastest All-electric Opel: Impressive Opel Mokka GSE Revealed

• OMG! GSE: New Opel Mokka GSE brings high-performance rally feeling to serial production
• Peak power: 207 kW (280 hp), 345 Nm torque, 200 km/h top speed, from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds
• GSE highlights: Opel Mokka GSE Rally-inspired design plus special suspension and 20-inch wheels

High-performance, all-electric serial production models are what Opel has teased under the ‘OMG! GSE’ abbreviation. And the brand with the Blitz is once again keeping its promises: Opel recently announced that the Opel Mokka GSE 1, inspired by the prototype Opel Mokka GSE Rally, will go into serial production. Now Opel is showing the first pictures of the exciting high-performance model. The new Mokka GSE will be nothing less than the fastest battery-electric Opel – packed in a unique GSE and rally design and equipped with specific technology.

“The new Opel Mokka GSE brings motorsport energy to the streets. After five years pioneering in electric motorsport with the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, we have put our best engineering, power, and handling into a car made for daily thrills. With its striking design, sharp handling, and outstanding performance, the Opel Mokka GSE is made to turn heads and thrill the driver. We can't wait to get it into the hands of our car loving community soon,” said Rebecca Reinermann, Vice President Marketing of Opel and Vauxhall.

OMG! GSE power: 207 kW (280 hp), 200 km/h and special GSE technology

Above all, the new Opel Mokka GSE impresses with its strong performance. With a peak output of 207 kW (280 hp), the serial production electric car will be just as powerful as its motorsport counterpart. And with an immediate torque of 345 Newton meters, it accelerates just as uncompromisingly. From a standing start it can reach 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds – and with a top speed of 200 km/h, it will soon be the fastest all-electric Opel. Mokka GSE drivers can choose from three distinct drive modes: In ‘Sport’ mode, the electric car is set up for performance and delivers its full power; in ‘Normal’ mode it reaches up to 180 km/h and in ‘Eco’ all settings are trimmed for the greatest possible efficiency. The Mokka GSE stores its energy in a 54 kWh lithium-ion battery.

Its kerb weight of less than 1.6 tonnes, which is exemplary for a battery-electric vehicle, and the sophisticated technology, which was also inspired by the rally prototype, also contribute to the exceptional performance. For example, the Opel Mokka GSE has front-wheel drive with Torsen multi-plate limited-slip differential as well as a chassis with specially designed axles and new double hydraulic shock absorbers. All high-voltage components of the standard Opel Mokka GSE, such as the motor, inverter, battery or wiring harness, come from the Opel Mokka GSE Rally. The steering system, chassis and brakes have also been designed to be particularly sporty and optimised thanks to Opel's experience in electric rallying.

OMG! GSE design: Arouse emotions with GSE and rally accents

The new Opel Mokka GSE also confidently conveys its ‘inner values’ to the outside world. While the well-known and successful Opel Mokka already turns heads with its characteristic design, new colours, new cockpit and top technologies, the new Opel Mokka GSE shows at first glance: It can be even faster and more exciting and emotional! GSE-specific inserts inspired by the rally prototype adorn the compact electric car on the front apron and at the rear. Safe contact with the road is ensured by the wheel-tyre combination specially developed for the Opel Mokka GSE. The new aerodynamically optimised 20-inch alloy wheels combined with the Michelin Pilot Sport EV 225/40 R20 tyres are only available for the Mokka GSE at Opel. Within the strikingly designed rims in GSE design, the yellow GSE brake calipers stand out.

 And finally, the yellow and black GSE lettering on the front and sides make a further clear statement.

This claim is also confirmed by the interior of the new Opel Mokka GSE. Grey/black, white and yellow are the predominant colours. The driver and co-driver sit on special Alcantara GSE sports seats with integrated headrests, which optimally integrate the driver into the vehicle. A white line that extends across the centre of the covers and yellow stitching give the seats their characteristic look. Furthermore, Alcantara door inserts are further proof of the attention to detail. 

The steering system, which was newly developed for the Mokka GSE, and steering wheel, flattened at the top and bottom, promise direct feedback while aluminium sports pedals await acceleration and braking commands.

The necessary information is provided to the driver by the 10-inch digital driver information display that can be customised in many ways and the central colour touchscreen. This contains GSE performance data, G-force display, acceleration values, battery management data and much more. The displays were also designed in the typical GSE style. The new Opel Mokka GSE is characterised by a technically high-quality and highly dynamic design down to the smallest detail, both inside and out.

With all these components, the standard Opel Mokka GSE will also deliver true OMG! GSE moments in everyday use in the future! Further information on the world premiere and market launch of the new Opel Mokka GSE will follow shortly.

[1] All data are provisional. Vehicle not yet homologated and not yet available.

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025: Exciting Battles at Season Opener

• Kick-off at the ADAC Rallye Sulingen: Spaniard Alex Español celebrates first win of the season
• Top placings: With Christian Lemke and Kilian Nierenz, two German drivers finish on the podium

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup has made a successful start to its fifth season at the ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen. After an exciting battle, which was sometimes decided by fractions of a second in the Opel Corsa Rally Electric, the Spaniard Alex "Sito" Español and his co-driver Borja Odriozola prevailed. After around 108 kilometres of special stages and two special stage best times, the Iberians were 8.1 seconds ahead of the Germans Christian Lemke/Jan-Eric Bemmann and the newcomers Kilian Nierenz/Milena Raithel. “That was a great start,” said a delighted Español. “In the first special stages we had to find our speed first, but from Saturday morning the confidence was back. That was a hard piece of work, so we're all the happier with the win.”

Last year's Sulingen winner Christian Lemke was also satisfied with his start to the season: “We worked a lot over the winter – in terms of cooperation in the cockpit as well as in the car set-up. All of this has borne fruit. We didn't risk anything on the last stages. Sito drove a great rally, and the competition is extremely strong again. The goal has to be to pick up points regularly in order to hopefully be among the front runners at the end of the season." Elsewhere, newcomer Kilian Nierenz was beaming: “It just went great. We didn't expect to challenge for the lead and even win the Power Stage in the end. We gave everything and are now really happy. Of course, we will continue to do our best.” Fourth place went to the winners of last year's Cup final at the Central European Rally, the Belgians Tom Heindrichs and Jonas Schmitz.

Close together: Strong field of participants promises exciting season

Balance in the field of 15 Opel Corsa Rally Electric was remarkable. In addition to the four drivers already mentioned, the Frenchmen Anthony and Adrien Rott as well as the Austrian Maximilian Lichtenegger and his German co-driver Pascal Raabe each achieved a special stage best time. Guest driver Sebastian Lange was also strong. The winner of the 2024 ADAC Clubsport Rally Sprint and his Cup-experienced co-driver Paul Gehbauer made their mark with a fifth and sixth fastest time, among other things, but slipped into a ditch twice and thus out of the standings.

Aoife Raftery and Hannah McKillop made a successful debut in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. The Irish, who otherwise compete in the Junior European Championship, got along better and better with the Corsa Rally Electric, which was new to them, and finished eighth in the end. “It was not only our first rally in the Cup, but also our first rally in Germany. There was a lot to learn,” admitted Raftery. “I was surprised by the good performance of OCorsa Rally Electric, especially the high grip level that the car offers. It's important to take the speed with you and let the car run. We will benefit from this experience in other rallies. We felt very comfortable in the Cup. Everything is well organised, all crews have the same material, so everything is fair. It was a great experience.”

Opel Motorsport boss Jörg Schrott drew a thoroughly positive conclusion from the start of the fifth season of the world's first electric rally one-make cup: “15 teams from seven nations fought an exciting battle. Above all, I was impressed by the numerous newcomers, even if in the end the veterans prevailed again. Our new charging infrastructure worked perfectly, as did the vehicles. This start to the season has whetted the appetite for more."

Second round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025 will take place on May 23/24 as part of the ELE Rally around Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup after 1 of 7 races:

1. Español                                30 points

2. Lemke                                  29

3. Nierenz                                 27

4. Heindrichs                            22

5. Kamermans                          18

6. Wittenbeck                           14

7. M. Neulinger                        12

8. Raftery                                 10

9. Jungnickel                             8

10. Rott                                     6

11. Steitz and Lichtenegger   both 5

Emotional, Electric, Exciting: Opel Motorsport Looks Back on Successful 2024 Rally Season

• Electrifying fourth season of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”
• Luca Pröglhöf becomes first Austrian to lift title in electric rally cup
• Diverse field: Teams from eight countries, eight female drivers

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” has once again turned heads on the international rally scene in its fourth season. Up to 16 of the near-production, 100 kW (136 hp) Opel Corsa Rally Electric once again provided exciting rally sport and battles for position for tenths of a second in the world's first and to date only electric rally one-make cup. The diversity in the field of participants was greater than ever: teams from eight nations (Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands), including a total of eight female drivers, set standards. With the two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider and the Austrian motorcycle legend Matthias Walkner, two seasoned motorsport pilots made guest appearances and tested their skills against the up-and-coming talents. Especially Scheider impressed by finishing a remarkable fifth place at the start of the season as part of the ADAC Rally Sulingen.

In his second season, Luca Pröglhöf proved to be the driver to beat. Alongside his co-driver Christina Ettel, the 25-year-old Austrian from Sittendorf near Vienna celebrated a total of four victories this season and thus clinched the title before the grand finale at the Central European Rally. For the second time, the Opel Corsa Rally Electric took part in this round of the FIA World Rally Championship and demonstrated its strong performance in front of 125,000 spectators and international media. The other victories in one of the eight cup races in five countries were celebrated by Christian Lemke (Germany), Alex Español (Spain), Jérôme Chavanne (France) and Tom Heindrichs (Belgium), half-brother of the newly crowned rally world champion Thierry Neuville.

Eight female drivers in the field also attracted a lot of attention: Emma Chalvin and Alizée Pottier (both France), Esmée Den Hartigh (Netherlands), Pia Steffe (Austria), Lyssia Baudet (Belgium), Hannah Jakobsson (Sweden) along with the Germans Claire Schönborn and Ann Felke pushed their male rivals throughout the season. With Chalvin, Baudet, Schönborn and Felke, four Opel drivers were invited to the international “Beyond Rally” women's screening in Poland which is hosted by the promoter of the World Rally Championship. Both Baudet and Schönborn not only qualified for a place at the Junior World Championship stage at the Central European Rally, but will even fight for a cockpit for the entire Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) 2025 next February as part of a shootout at the Rally Sweden.

ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team: Big challenge for Luca Pröglhöf

With his brilliant performances, this year's ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup champion Luca Pröglhöf qualified for promotion to the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. There he will try to follow in the footsteps of his successful predecessors in the Junior European Rally Championship (JERC) next season. A total of five Junior European Championship titles by Emil Bergkvist, Marijan Griebel, Chris Ingram, Mārtiņš Sesks and Laurent Pellier testify to the high ambitions of ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. In the 2024 JERC season, the 2023 and 2022 Cup champions Calle Carlberg and Timo Schulz also caused a stir with second and fourth places overall.

Opel Motorsport boss Jörg Schrott's expectations for the upcoming rally season are therefore high: “The international perception and interest on the part of organisers and teams in ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup have grown steadily over the past four years. We are already working hard on the 2025 season. With seven attractive events in five countries and a once again very international field, the fifth season of our innovative Cup also promises a lot of excitement. With Luca Pröglhöf, a promising talent is once again promoted from the Cup to ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. I'm excited to see how Luca and Dina will do in the fight against the best youngsters in Europe. We are looking forward to the coming rally season, which will once again bring many challenges for Opel, but hopefully also successes.”

Opel Presents Eye-Catching Opel Corsa Rally Electric in Gamescom Look

• Trade fair highlight: Unique Opel Corsa Rally Electric on display until Sunday, August 25 at Gamescom in Cologne in Hall 10.1, stand B031
• Electrifying: Rapid Opel rally car demonstrates fascination of electric rallying
• ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup as pioneer: World’s first all-electric one-make rally cup is now in its fourth season

Emotional, all-electric and full of energy – this is the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” and the Opel Corsa Rally Electric. How the rapid electric car combines locally emissions-free rallying with show character is demonstrated on rally special stages, and now also at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. At the world's largest trade fair for computer and video games as well as consumer electronics, the Opel Corsa Rally Electric is an extraordinary eye-catcher. It can be admired in a special “Gamescom look” at the ADAC stand B031 in Hall 10.1.

Coloured entirely in yellow, black and white, Opel Corsa Rally Electric is once again a unique show car. Bright yellow wheels and brake calipers increase the wow effect and make the fully electric rally car an absolute eye-catcher. The creatives at @blackfishgraphics are responsible for the unmistakable design.

The “Gamescom Special Edition” demonstrates what is possible: progressive design paired with production technology and state-of-the-art motorsport components. Opel Corsa Rally Electric thus continues Opel's pioneering achievements. With the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”, the manufacturer and the automobile club have launched the world's first electric one-make rally cup and successfully established it in the rally scene. The international cup is currently in its fourth season and inspires fans and spectators as much as the participants.

Anyone who wants to experience the “Gamescom Opel Corsa Rally Electric” live can do so until Sunday, August 25. The trade fair is open to visitors daily until 8 p.m.

ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg: Overall Leader Luca Pröglhöf Wins After Tough Fight

• Around Lübbecke: Fifth round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”
• Season victory number four: Austrian Pröglhöf extends his lead in the overall standings
• Electrifying experience: Actresses Gesine Cukrowski and Lina Helfrich thrilled by the ride in the Opel Corsa Rally Electric

Luca Pröglhöf is unstoppable in the 2024 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe”. Perfectly guided as always by co-driver Christina Ettel, the 25-year-old Austrian celebrated his fourth win of the season at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg and extended his lead in the overall standings to 42 points. “That was hard work,” sighed Pröglhöf, who had started the fifth of eight rallies of the season feeling unwell. “We had to give everything from start to finish and couldn't afford to make any mistakes. But that's how I like it best – fighting hard and celebrating hard at the end.”

In fact, the Austrian had to work much harder for his triumph than he did in his home victory in Weiz. In addition to the leader of the rankings, who was the fastest in four of the 10 special stages over a total of 101 kilometres, Christian Lemke put in an impressive performance with four best times. In the end, the 24-year-old and his co-driver Jan-Eric Bemmann crossed the finish line in second place, 12.9 seconds behind Pröglhöf, and thus jumped up to fourth place in the overall table. “After the setbacks of the last rallies, this second place is really good,” said the winner of the season opener in Sulingen. “We showed that we have the speed to fight at the front if everything goes right.”

Second in the rankings remains Frenchman Anthony Rott, who climbed onto the winners' podium again with his brother Adrien in third place. “I'm satisfied, but not extremely satisfied. There's still a little bit missing, but we're getting closer,” commented the Alsatian. Fourth place went to Spaniards Alex Español Jove/Daniel Rivera De La Red, who, like the Rotts, also set a best time. Johannes Wittenbeck also drove a strong rally. The German and his co-driver Maximilian Kugler got off to a perfect start in the rally with the second fastest time in SS1 and maintained a fast pace, which ultimately gave them the best result of their cup career with fifth place. “Simply fantastic,” beamed Wittenbeck. “We were well prepared and had agreed for the first time that I would not find out any times, but would just drive at my own pace. I could feel in the cockpit that things were going really well. We are very happy!”

Kilian Nierenz and Milena Raithel came sixth, although they did not receive any points as guest starters on their debut in the world's first electric one-make rally cup. “It was great fun! The car is super, we got better and better and felt right at home in the cup right from the start. We definitely want to be there next year,” said Nierenz.

Claire Schönborn also made an impeccable debut in the cup. The 25-year-old German, who has made a name for herself as a fast hill climb driver, made an excellent start to her first rally alongside her experienced co-driver Lisa Kiefer, finishing sixth in the first special stage. On the second day, the rally novice also completed the demanding asphalt stages without making any major mistakes and ended up in eighth place. This made Schönborn the second-best woman in the field behind the Belgian Lyssia Baudet and her co-driver Lea Sam Caw Freve.

Enthusiasm from actresses Gesine Cukrowski and Lina Helfrich

Actresses Gesine Cukrowski and Lina Helfrich were enthusiastic about their visit to the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg, which was marked by many strong impressions in the Opel service park as well as at the spectator points along the rally special stages. The highlight for mother and daughter was the ride alongside Opel racing legend Volker Strycek in the right seat of the VIP Corsa Rally Electric, which as course car drove ahead of the cup participants on the special stages.

The sixth round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” will take place on September 6 and 7. The teams will then meet at the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine at the foot of the highest mountain in the Alps.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” after 5 of 8 rounds:

1. Pröglhöf                                165 points.

2. Rott                                        123.

3. Español                                 96.

4. Lemke                                   71.

5. Chalvin                                  68.

6. Hangodi                                64.

7. Baudet                                  63.

8. Wittenbeck                           53.

9. Pottier                                   38.

10. Melse                                  37.

11. Kamermans                       16.

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: Exciting Water Sport in Netherlands

• Second round of ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” 2024
• Austrian Luca Pröglhöf wins at ELE Rally around Eindhoven
• Exciting fight for leadership of world’s first electric one-make rally cup

Exciting guest appearance of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” on the ELE Rally in the Netherlands ended with victory for the Austrian Luca Pröglhöf. After 12 special stages made even more challenging by the adverse weather conditions, the 24-year-old and his co-driver Christina Ettel were just 8.8 seconds ahead of the Spanish duo Alex Español Jove/Patricia Sáiz Ruiloba. The third-placed French brothers Anthony and Adrien Rott continued their upward trend and celebrated their first podium in the world's first electric one-make rally cup. The French women's crew of Emma Chalvin/Emy Ailloud-Perraud were happy to finish in fourth position.

“I’m really happy about winning this really challenging rally,” beamed Pröglhöf. “On the first day I was a bit too cautious because of the heavy rain. On Saturday the feeling in the car was good right from the start. The night stages on both days were particularly challenging, it was fun and showed that the teamwork between Christina and I works well.” With the victory, Pröglhöf also took the overall lead in the cup standings.

After the third from last stage, Pröglhöf and Español shared the lead with the same time. But then the Spaniard lost 17 seconds on the following stage and was unable to make up the deficit before the finish. “We made a bit of a mistake there,” Español admitted, “but I am still satisfied with our performance. We have improved since the opening round and now we get more out of ourselves and the car. The Corsa Rally Electric and the cup are great fun.”

With the best times on stages 5 and 8 and a sparkling performance throughout the entire rally the Rott brothers proved that they have finally reached the top of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. “I hope the trend continues,” laughed driver Anthony. “It’s super tight up there. But we feel that we can keep up. Things went very well, especially in the rain.”

Emma Chalvin was also all smiles after her fourth place: “I’m really happy with our rally. The ultimate goal in these adverse conditions with wet, mud and darkness was to keep the car on the road and not make any serious mistakes. Of course, we also benefited from some of our competitors' mistakes, but as the saying goes: to finish first, first you have to finish. So Emy and I tried not to take unnecessary risks.”

Two teams that were on the podium at the start of the season in Sulingen were unlucky. Hungarians Bendegúz Hangodi and Dániel Petrovszki were in the lead when they slid off the road into the same muddy ditch that had previously claimed the French women Alizée Pottier/Joanna Verdier. By the time the cars got back on the road, a penalty of 20 minutes had been imposed on both teams.

After their best time on stage 1 the opening-round winners Christian Lemke/Jan-Eric Bemmann continued to fight for the top positions when their car rolled out on stage 5 with a problem caused by water ingress. Although the error was found in service and easily remedied, more than 10th place overall and third in the final Power Stage were no longer possible.

Third round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” takes place on June 15/16 at the Rallye Vosges Grand-Est around Gérardmer, not far from the French-German border.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” after 2 of 8 rounds:

1. Pröglhöf      60 points.

2. Español        48.

3. Rott               45.

4. Hangodi       44.

5. Lemke          42.

6. Chalvin         27.

7. Pottier and Kurstjens, 16 each.

9. Kamermans and Bayer, 14 each.

11. Melse          12.

12. Wittenbeck  9.

13. Baudet         8.

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.