Suligen, Germany, May 10th 2023 - The Opel e-Rally Cup, the world’s first all-electric one-make rally cup, entered its third season this weekend with a line-up of fourteen driver pairings, featuring three all-female crews, from seven different countries.
The schedule features eight events, including trips to France, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. However, this weekend, the season kicked off in Germany at Rally Sulingen. Swedish driver Calle Carlberg, runner-up last year, was expected to be among the front-runners, but in the tough weather conditions on the opening day it was the French driver Sarah Rumeau, two-time women’s French Rally Champion, who was first out of the blocks to claim the stage win on SS1. She held the lead until SS5 when she was unseated by her compatriot Terence Callea, a former winner of the FFSA’s Young Drivers’ initiative (Rallye Jeunes), who held the lead for the next two stages. However, he was unable to hold off the in-form
Max Reiter, the 23 year-old German fighting back strongly after being held up by a puncture on the first stage. Reiter, who finished third overall in 2022, racked up four stage wins to make him the rally’s best performer and secure victory in style. He finished some 15.2s ahead of Terence Callea, who nonetheless made a successful debut in the Cup, and Calle Calberg (22.0s back), who recovered well after a difficult start. Meanwhile, early leader Sarah Rumeau finished fifth, a promising result on her maiden outing in the series. The Cup next returns to action in June at the Rallye du Chablais in Switzerland.
Max Reiter’s win obviously takes him to the top of the Cup standings, followed three points back by Terence Callea and Calle Carlberg, who will undoubtedly both be serious challengers for the rest of the season.
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