Sulingen, Germany, May 9th 2022 - After a highly successful opening season where honours went to French driver Laurent Pellier, the second edition of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup – rallying’s first all-electric promotional formula – kicked off this weekend at Rally Sulingen in Germany.
Some upgrades have been introduced on the Opel Corsa-e Rally for this year, notably the addition of a self-locking differential ensuring its 136 hp of power is transferred more effectively to the wheels and a new version of the car’s software delivering improved thermal management of the battery. This year’s line-up features eleven crews, with six different nationalities represented (German, Romanian, Finnish, Swedish, Austrian and Dutch) and no fewer than five ‘old hands’ from last season making a return. In fact, two of them, the German crews of Christian Lemke – Sarah Marleen Storch and Joe Baur – Paul Gehbauer, were quickest off the mark, matching each other’s time to share the opening stage win. Both then dropped several minutes on the following stage, however, allowing their compatriots Max Reiter – Lina Meter to move ahead and grab the lead.
It was a lead that they would not give up, reaching the finish some 22.7 seconds clear of their nearest rivals to record a commanding win, collecting five stage wins (one tied) in the process. The German crew of Schulz – Preissmann, who were making their debut in the cup, finished as runners-up whilst the rookie Swedish crew of Carlberg-Carlberg also sprang something of a surprise to snatch third place from under the noses of the local crews. After the opening round more than lived up to expectations, the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup competitors will be back in action on 20-21 May at the Eindhovensche Rally in the Netherlands.
