After the compulsory comes the freestyle. As Calle Carlberg has already secured the title in the Junior European Rally Championship at the Barum Czech Rally Zlín in mid-August, the 25-year-old Swede and the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team can look forward to the JERC season finale in Croatia with a degree of calm. Carlberg, who will once again be listening to the instructions of his regular co-driver Jørgen Eriksen at the asphalt rally around the Croatian capital Zagreb, still wants to end his successful season on the podium. His Austrian teammate Luca Pröglhöf and his co-driver Christina Ettel are aiming for another top-five result in the second factory Opel Corsa Rally4.

“The JERC championship title is in the bag, but we still have another important event ahead of us to end the season on a high note,” says Calle Carlberg. "It will be a great pleasure for me to be able to drive the Corsa Rally4 in Croatia without any pressure. The special stages look fantastic, and we can set our own pace without any constraints. All year long, it was about attacking on the first loop and then trying to manage a lead. Now I can just enjoy the rally and go full throttle in every stage. It has been a pleasure to drive for Opel for the past two years, and if this is my last event with the team, I want us all to have fond memories of it. Thank you, Opel!"

Carlberg's successor as champion of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSE,” Luca Pöglhöf, is burning with ambition. In preparation, the 26-year-old from Sittendorf and his co-driver competed in the Rally Kumrovec three weeks ago, which included two special stages that will also be driven in the JERC final. Second place in the class gives Pröglhöf confidence: "We feel well prepared because, on the one hand, we have an almost complete set of notes and, on the other hand, we have a well-functioning basic setup for the Corsa Rally4. We will try to repeat the good stage times we achieved at the Rally Kumrovec in the European Championship race. And since I haven't been able to win a JERC trophy this season, I would like to pick one up at the final..."

Rally Croatia comprises ten special stages covering 180.7 kilometers. The ceremonial start in Zagreb will take place on Friday (October 3) at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, six special stages are scheduled between 9:23 a.m. and approximately 5:30 p.m. The decision will be made the following day from 9:10 a.m. with four more stages. The finish in Zagreb will be reached from 3:20 p.m. A total of 14 Rally4 cars are registered, including nine in the Junior European Championship. Rally fans can follow the JERC season finale via live timing at www.opel-motorsport.com and www.adac.de/motorsport or via the paid live stream at www.rally.tv.