The fight for the crown in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSE” has never been so close. After five of seven rounds, the two leaders in the overall standings are separated by just four points. After his victories in the two opening events, Spain's Alex “Sito” Español still tops the standings – but with three wins in a row, Belgium's Tom Heindrichs has closed in on the Opel España driver. This means that the penultimate round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg this coming weekend could be decisive: Can one of the two title rivals gain a lead before the season finale at the Central European Rally? Or – more likely to be the case – can fans expect a real heart-stopping finale at the World Rally Championship event around Passau?

Especially as three other drivers still have at least a mathematical chance of winning the title in the world's first electric rally one-make cup: Germans Kilian Nierenz and Christian Lemke are still within striking distance, trailing Español by 30 and 43 points respectively. Dutchman Fabian Kamermans has 54 points to make up on the overall leader – with a maximum of 70 points still up for grabs, this is a difficult but not impossible task. In any case, all three drivers want to use the asphalt competition around Lübbecke to close the gap to the top of the table.

The Austrian Marcel Neulinger, who is getting stronger and stronger, and the Frenchman Anthony Rott are always good for a podium finish and could therefore tip the scales in the title fight. The Alsatian seemed to be dogged by bad luck this season, but finally secured his long-overdue first podium finish of the season at the Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine.

ADAC Sports President Dr. Gerd Ennser will be competing in the Corsa Rally Electric.

In addition to the Opel Corsa Rally Electric competing in the race, three other Rüsselsheim rally cars will be in action at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg. As part of the development program, Opel racing legend Volker Strycek will once again be driving the new 281 hp Opel Mokka GSE Rally as the lead car. The electric powerhouse is the first rally car developed in accordance with the FIA eRally5 regulations, which will come into force in 2026.

In one of the Corsa Rally Electric cars in which he won the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup in 2022, Timo Schulz from Saarland will chauffeur VIP guests at racing speed over selected special stages. And in another lead vehicle, ADAC Sports President Dr. Gerd Ennser will enjoy his second driving experience in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup after the 2024 Rallye Mont Blanc. Once again, his son Fabian Ennser, who himself was active in the former ADAC Opel Rally Cup for several years, will be his co-driver in the 136 hp electric Corsa.

The speedy electric cars will have to complete a total of twelve special stages covering 108 kilometers at the ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg. The start will take place on Friday (September 26) at 5:10 p.m. with four special stages, the last two of which will be completed in the dark. It will not be before 10:36 p.m. when the Corsa Rally Electrics roll into the parc fermé for the night. After a short night, the cars will leave the service park at 7:16 a.m. the next morning for the first special stage of the day, which will start at 8:05 a.m. The finish line after the final “Power Stage,” in which the top five can earn five, four, three, two, or one extra point, will mark the end of the event in Lübbecke on Saturday evening at 6:24 p.m.

Rally fans can follow the electric action via live timing at www.adac.de/motorsport or www.opel-motorsport.com.

ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSE” standings after 5 of 7 rounds:

1. Español 145 points. 2. Heindrichs 141. 3. Nierenz 115. 4. Lemke 102. 5. Kamermans 91. 6. Neulinger 70. 7. Wittenbeck 59. 8. Jungnickel 49. 9. Rott 44. 10. Eertmans and Steitz, 42 each.