ADAC Opel Rally Electric Cup 2024: Chance for Pröglhöf to Lift Title

• Rallye Coeur de France: Seventh round of the 2024 ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe“ season on September 28 and 29
• Up for grabs: Austrian Luca Pröglhof can take the take in penultimate race
• Strong opposition: Two guest drivers from France and Belgium

The battle for the 2024 title in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe" could be decided at the Rallye Coeur de France over the weekend of September 28 and 29. Austrian Luca Pröglhöf travels to the penultimate round of the season of the world’s first electric rally one-make cup with a lead of 41 points over the Frenchman Anthony Rott. If the championship leader does not lose more than six points to his opponent from Alsace at the asphalt event around Vendôme, he can pop the champagne corks as early as Sunday evening. Spaniard Alex Español only has a theoretical chance of winning the title as sits 67 points behind the current leader.

“I have prepared as well as I can for the Rallye Coeur de France because I would obviously like to win the title early,” said Luca Pröglhöf, who, as always, will have his trusted co-driver Christina Ettel by his side. “I will try to drive my own race again, not look at times and concentrate fully on our performance. We don’t want to put any pressure on ourselves because a rally can be over quicker than you’d like. The main goal is to finish and take points. If we manage to win the title early, even better, because then we would not be under any pressure in the final race of the season. The Rallye Coeur de France is new for everyone. We are in good spirits and looking forward to it!”

Meanwhile, Christian Lemke and his co-driver Jan-Eric Bemmann, who have already collected 30 points for a race win twice this year, will be fully focussed on their individual victory. And there are also two strong guest drivers: 20-year-old Frenchman Arthur Roché usually starts in the Stellantis Rallye Cup France and is in fourth place in the interim standings. Tom Rensonnet has much more international experience. The 26-year-old Belgian is currently ranked 5th in the FIA Junior World Championship. Rensonnet and his French co-driver Manon Deliot will pilot the Corsa Rally Electric used by Opel Belgium and the Royal Belgian Automobile Club RACB, which Lyssia Baudet normally drives.

The Rallye Coeur de France takes place around the small town of Vendôme, 180 kilometres southwest of Paris. A total of eight special stages over 100 kilometres await participants on both rally days. The action starts on Saturday (September 28) at 11:32 a.m. with four tests before the 100 kW (136 hp) rally electric cars roll into the parc fermé at around 5:30 p.m. Day 2 will start at 10:37 a.m. with four more special stages. The finish in Vendôme should be reached at 6:46 p.m. Motorsport fans can follow the electrifying events in central France via live timing on www.opel-motorsport.com.

Standings ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup “powered by GSe” after 6 of 8 rounds:

1. Pröglhöf                  189 points.

2. Rott                          148 pts

3. Español                   122 pts

4. Lemke                     105 pts

5. Chalvin                    80 pts

6. Wittenbeck             73 pts

7. Hangodi                  66 pts

8. Baudet                    65 pts

9. Pottier                     50 pts

10. Melse                    37 pts

11. Kamermans         33 pts

12. Bayer                    20 pts

13. Felke                     13 pts

14. Den Hartigh         12 pts