• Excitement before the start of the Junior Rally European Championship in Poland
• Opel youngster Timo Schulz well-prepared for his JERC debut in the Corsa Rally4
• Schulz wants to continue the success story of the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team

The Rally Poland around Mikołajki in north-eastern Poland will see the season opener of the Junior European Rally Championship (JERC) 2023 next weekend. As the defending champions, the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team will once again take on the challenge laid down by the bestyoung rally drivers on the continent. Opel’s JERC commitment represents the second level of the successful talent promotion programme of ADAC and the German carmaker. This long-standing partnership has already produced five junior European champions in Emil Bergkvist (Sweden, 2015), Marijan Griebel (Germany, 2016), Chris Ingram (Great Britain, 2017), Mārtiņš Sesks (Latvia, 2018) and Laurent Pellier (France, 2022).

After extensive preparation for the season, Timo Schulz (23) wants to follow in the footsteps of his successful predecessors. The young German qualified for higher honours by winning last year’s edition of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup "powered by GSe" and is now taking the next steps in his development in the Opel Corsa Rally4. The 156 kW/212 hp customer rally car has been causing a stir on a national and international level since 2021.

Together with his experienced co-driver Michael Wenzel (46, Mehlingen), Schulz has prepared meticulously for the season. In addition to gravel coaching with ex-Opel factory junior Julius Tannert, this also included testing at gravel rallies in Hungary and France. “The test phase was extremely important to develop the right feeling for the Corsa Rally4 on gravel, especially as the first three JERC runs all take place on loose surfaces. Now I feel optimally prepared for the start of the season in Poland. Working with Michael in the cockpit is great, and I feel like I’m in good hands with Manfred Stohl and his team," said Schulz.

Jörg Schrott, head of Opel Motorsport, is delighted with the professional approach taken by his protégé. “Timo approaches the matter with a lot of diligence and zeal, but also very pragmatically. We are all aware that he lacks experience on gravel and that he will be up against tough competition in the JERC. He will need time to fulfil his potential and that of the Corsa Rally4. We will give him that time. But Timo has already shown on several occasions how promising he is. I have no doubt that he will continue his development and we will support him to the best of our ability,” said Schrott.

The Rally Poland is the second oldest rally in the world, only topped by the Monte Carlo Rally. Held for the first time in 1921, the gravel spectacle has been taking place around the small town of Mikołajki since 2005. The 79th Rally Poland covers a total distance of 919 kilometres, including 16 special stages over 182 kilometres.

Dates Junior European Rally Championship 2023

May 19 to 21 Rally Poland, Mikołajki PL

June 16 to 18 Rally Latvia, Liepāja LV

July 06 to 08 Royal Rally of Scandinavia, Karlstad S

July 28 to 30  Rally di Roma Capitale, Fiuggi I

AUG 18 to 20 Barum Czech Rally Zlín, Zlín CZ

OCT 06 to 08 Rally Hungary, Nyíregyháza H