- Pure excitement: Timo Schulz, Ioan Lloyd and Tom Dufour are separated by just five points ahead of the ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally this coming weekend
- Uncompromising rally action: Thanks to innovative charging infrastructure, the full rally distance will be covered on all-electric power
Opel is once again demonstrating its technological leadership and pioneering role in electric one-make rallying: As was the case at the previous Cup rounds in Weiz and Stemwede, the Opel Mokka GSE Rally – with up to 207 kW (281 hp) – will tackle all 14 special stages, totalling 154 kilometres, in the border region between Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, thereby featuring in the rally’s overall standings. This is made possible by the new mobile charging infrastructure, which enables so-called ‘remote charging’ outside the service park between special stages.
“Our remote charging system is a real game-changer for electric motorsport. We are impressively demonstrating the Opel Mokka GSE Rally’s huge potential over the full special stage distance and can enable our teams to cover even more competitive kilometres. I also expect that, at the ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally, our best car will ultimately finish amongst the Rally4 entries. In sporting terms, the current season is surpassing all previous ones. The top three are separated by just five points – anything is possible. It’s going to be incredibly exciting,” said Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott.
Tight title race, fierce competition: ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup as global talent factory
With his fourth win of the season at the historic Rally Sanremo in Italy, Timo Schulz has taken the lead in the standings. The German, alongside co-driver Maresa Lade, heads into his home event at the ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally with a razor-thin three-point lead over Ioan Lloyd. Welshman Lloyd and his co-driver Sion Williams, winner of the Rallye Vosges Grand-Est, lie in second place. Tom Dufour is positioned directly behind them. The Frenchman finished second for the fourth time alongside Alex Dubois in the ‘hot seat’ of the Mokka GSE Rally in Sanremo and is therefore keen to secure his first victory in the world’s only international electric rally one-make cup.
It is mathematically possible, but unlikely, that the title could be decided early at the ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally. For that to happen, Schulz would need to have a lead of at least 35 points at the finish, which would require Lloyd and Dufour to retire. Purely mathematically, the top six drivers in the provisional standings still have a chance of claiming the crown in the 2026 ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup.
Furthermore, strong guest drivers are adding to the line-up of regular crews from nine nations. Among others, last year’s ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup champions, the Belgians Tom Heindrichs and Jonas Schmitz, are making an electrifying comeback.
The sixth round of the ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup gets underway on Friday, October 30, at 16.20 CET, before the cars roll into the parc fermé at around 22.55 CET after six special stages. Following a short night’s rest, the action continues on Saturday morning from 8.55 CET. The final Power Stage (special stage 14) will decide the outcome from 18.20 CET. Rally fans can find live timing at www.adac.de/motorsport.
ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup standings (after 5 of 7 races)
1. Timo Schulz (D) 136 points
2. Ioan Lloyd (GB) 133
3. Tom Dufour (F) 131
4. Alex Español (E) 81
5. Claire Schönborn (D) 76
6. Dante Johansson (S) 70
7. Thyrsa Eertmans (B) 54
8. Valentino Ledda (I) 41
9. Fabian Kamermans (NL) 35
10. Max van Empel (NL) 22
