Stemweder, Germany, June 14th 2022- Round three of the Opel e-Rally Cup, rallying’s first all-electric promotional formula, once again provided a tense and exciting weekend of racing action, with a cut-throat battle between the eleven crews competing on the ten stages, two having been cancelled.
It was an incredibly close contest all weekend, with the rally leader never more than seven seconds ahead of the second-placed driver! Swedish driver Calle Carlberg was first off the mark, grabbing the early lead in winning the opening stage. He remained first at the end of SS2, before Max Reiter grabbed the lead from him on the third speed test. The German then held onto the lead until the finish to claim his second win of the season. However, Carlberg continued to push, putting Reiter under real and constant pressure. Two further fastest times on the eighth and tenth stages ensured he finished as runner-up, just 3.3s behind Reiter. Dutch driver Timo Van Der Marel, winner of the second round, took the final podium spot, 9.4s back.
“It was a very close contest, with just seconds in it,” said Max Reiter at the finish, clearly relieved to have held on for victory. “We had to give everything right to the last metre and we’re pleased that it went so well. We have increased our championship lead a little, but we certainly can’t afford to rest on our laurels.” Second-placed Carlberg was unable to hide his disappointment: “We wanted to win here. In the end, it was also a question of mentality. In this cup, you have to drive right on the limit on each stage. And I think we were a little bit too cautious on the Power Stage.” He will get a chance to bounce back when the Opel e-Rally Cup next returns to action on 14-16 July in Austria at Rallye Weiz!
Victorious at the opening round of the Opel e-Rally Cup in his Opel Corsa-e Rally before experiencing more mixed fortunes at round two, Max Reiter returned to winning ways in Germany this weekend. His second win of the season strengthened his hold on first place in the overall standings. He increased his lead over his closest rival Timo Schulz, who finished fourth this weekend, to fifteen points.
