Strong Partnership: Marijan Griebel Back at Opel Motorsport

• Lots of experience: 2016 European rally champion tests electric Opel Corsa-e Rally
• Long relationship: Former works junior Griebel becomes Opel Motorsport rally representative
• Good connections: Griebel assists young drivers of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup

Marijan Griebel and Opel Motorsport are tackling new projects together. The rally driver has enjoyed close ties with Opel since 2013 and in 2016 he was European Junior Champion in an Opel ADAM R2. The 30-year-old will contribute to the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup as Opel rally representative and test driver. Griebel has already provided valuable input to the development of the Opel Corsa-e Rally and will accompany the young teams as driver liaison officer at rounds of the world’s first all-electric rally one-make cup.

“With his professionalism, his talent, his experience and his ability to work in a team, Marijan has the best prerequisites to support our projects”, explains Opel Motorsport Director, Jörg Schrott. “He knows all the aspects that are important for a one-make rally cup. On the one hand, the cup car should offer good pilots a platform to demonstrate their talent and recommend themselves for higher tasks. However, the car should not overwhelm inexperienced drivers either. Marijan knows exactly what a good one-make cup car should do.”

Griebel has already completed test drives in the Opel Corsa-e Rally and is enthusiastic about the car’s potential. “With the spontaneous torque of 260Nm and the Torsen differential, the Corsa-e Rally comes out of corners really well, reacts immediately to the driver’s inputs and is very agile. I think the Corsa-e Rally is ideal for a one-make cup.”

Griebel’s rally career has close links with the Opel brand. In 2013, Griebel was the first titleholder of the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Cup and progressed to the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team the following year. In 2014, the Opel Junior clinched the division title in the German Rally Championship in the works Opel ADAM R2. In 2016, by winning the FIA ERC Junior U27 title, Griebel became the first German to win a European rally championship since 2001. In addition, between 2014 and 2016, the Opel works driver celebrated three class wins in a row in the ADAM R2 at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, the German round of the World Rally Championship.

“Marijan is not only a long-time friend and partner of Opel Motorsport, but also the best example of the successful promotion of young talent by Opel and the ADAC. We are proud to have accompanied his successful career for such a long time”, says Jörg Schrott.

The start of the new ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup is scheduled for spring 2021. On November 20-21 this year, registered participants will take part in an official test as part of the ADAC Rallye “Rund um die Sulinger Bärenklaue.”