The field of participants for the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup 2023 is taking promising shape. At present, those responsible at Opel Motorsport and ADAC Motorsport are expecting 15 Corsa-e Rally to take part. And no less than three of them will be piloted by all-women crews!
The Romanian duo Cristiana Oprea/Alexia Parteni, who already enriched the world's first electric rally one-make cup last year, will be joined this season by two French crews who will compete as part of the FFSA Academy, a development program of the French Automobile Sports Association. And clearly not under the Olympic motto of "being there is everything."
Sarah Rumeau (28) celebrated her second title in the Ladies classification of the French Rally Championship last season. Her co-driver is Julie Amblard, who also has plenty of rally experience. The second Corsa-e Rally in FFSA design is driven by Cindy Gudet. The 27-year-old has gained an excellent reputation as a hillclimb racer. Five French championship titles speak for themselves. This year, Cindy will again contest selected rounds of the French Hillclimb Championship in her Revolt prototype, provided they do not clash with the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. Gudet's co-driver will be the experienced Cécile Marie.
"We're going to pull several levers," says FFSA President Nicolas Deschaux. "We will create championships exclusively for women, as has already been done successfully with the Sprint Girls in autocross or, for the past two years, in rallycross. The FFSA will carry out communication actions to open up motorsport, which is not exclusively dominated by men, in all areas: Caregivers, volunteers, race directors.... This is the sense of the awareness actions that the FFSA Women's Commission is already carrying out, for example by taking primary school girls to the 2023 Easter races in Nogaro, where they will meet women in different functions. The third lever, which is hoped to have the strongest impact in terms of the number of female athletes and in which the most investment will be made, is the professional sector. This season, in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, FFSA will support two young women, Sarah Rumeau and Cindy Gudet, who we believe have great potential for the future; they could play this role as ambassadors in the future."
Caroline Diviès, Chair of the FFSA's Women's Commission and Director of the Nogaro circuit, adds: "Women in motorsport are not negligible in France, but they could be even more represented. Their participation at all levels of motorsport - as competitors, commissioners, in the federations, etc. - is very often linked to a family tradition. This plan to feminize the FFSA is intended to generate interest in our sport on a broader scale by elevating female participation in one of the few competitions where men and women compete in a completely mixed way, and by giving it media exposure."
The two new female e-Cup drivers are looking forward to the season, which includes eight exciting rounds in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland, starting with the ADAC Rally Sulingen on May 5-6. "Being called up to the FFSA Academy is an opportunity and a reward," says Sarah Rumeau. "With my co-driver Julie Amblard, it will be very important to be competitive right away, which means being at the top of the standings! The goal will be to fight against the guys."
Cindy Gudet, on the other hand, is entering new territory in rallying and, accordingly, is setting herself less ambitious goals: "Even though I will contest a few rounds of the French Mountain Championship, my priority is the new challenge in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. I wanted to get to know something other than hillclimb racing, and by putting its trust in me, the FFSA is offering me a great career opportunity to professionalize myself. My co-driver Cécile Marie already has many years of experience in rallying, and I'm looking forward to starting the season alongside her."
