German competitor in the top class: Armin Kremer to get behind the wheel of a 2017 Ford Fiesta WRC in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland

• German top rally driver to compete in the same WRC car as World Champion Sébastien Ogier
• Anniversary: Kremer made its German Rally Championship debut 15 years ago in a Ford WRC

Munich. The German rally fans are in for a sensation at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland (17 to 20 August): German top rally driver Armin Kremer will be competing on home turf in a latest-gen WRC car. The multiple German, European and Asia-Pacific Rally Champion hailing from Mecklenburg will drive an M-Sport 2017 Ford Fiesta WRC in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. Kremer was asked to participate by M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson: a few weeks ago, Wilson invited the veteran German driver to England to test the seat of the 380hp plus all-wheel car. All it took to convince both Kremer and the team was a quick roll-out.

For Kremer and the other WRC drivers, the 2017 ADAC Rallye Deutschland holds in store 21 Special Stages covering over 309km. Kremer's home event will be a mix of challenging roads - from the spectacular new city circuit in Saarbrücken to fast country roads in the Saarland to demanding asphalt roads in the Mosel vineyards to tough concrete tracks on the Baumholder tank range.

To prepare for the challenges of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, Armin Kremer will perform his test drives together with the M-Sport works pilots Sébastien Ogier and Ott Tänak in early August. Getting behind the wheel of the third-gen Ford Fiesta WRC, Armin Kremer is closing the circle: when the ADAC Rallye Deutschland was entered on the schedule of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2002, the then newly-crowned European Champion competed in the top class in an M-Sport first-gen Ford Focus WRC.

At the 2016 ADAC Rallye Deutschland, Armin Kremer and his co-driver Pirmin Winklhofer faced stiff international competition but held their ground in the WRC2. With a lead of more than one minute over the Skoda works drivers after Friday's Special Stages in the vineyards, they made it onto the podium as the best German crew.

Armin Kremer: "I'm overwhelmed and proud. It's a great honour and pleasure, and also a real challenge to compete in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland in the same car as four-time World Champion Sébastien Ogier. I'll do everything to show myself worthy of the trust M-Sport and Malcolm Wilson placed in me. It's early days yet for speculations about the standings. But I'm confident of getting used to the 2017 Ford Fiesta WRC quickly and finding the ideal setup together with the M-Sport drivers and engineers. Those who know me also know that all I want is get a good result and put on a great show for the German fans."

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson, OBE:
"It's great to welcome Armin back to the team for his home event. We've worked with him in the past and he is an extremely experienced driver - especially at Rallye Deutschland. It's fantastic to have a German driver in a Ford Fiesta WRC for his home event - particularly as the home of the road-going Fiesta is just up the road in Cologne. I'm sure that Armin will enjoy every minute of it. I also have no doubt that his vast experience of these unique roads will benefit the entire team."

Get your rally and day passes in pre-sale now

In addition to the four-day rally passes, the fans can now also buy day passes for Friday, Saturday or Sunday in pre-sale. On the day printed on the pass, passholders get access to all spectator areas along each Special Stage and the ADAC Rallye Deutschland Service Park. In 2017, fans can also buy self-print passes. They serve as proof of purchase to be redeemed for rally passes or day passes at the rally venue. Visit the official ticket shop on the web at www.adac.de/rallye-deutschland (go to the Tickets tab).

Pre-sale buyers will enjoy discounts and attractive packages, including the official ADAC Rallye Deutschland event guide. The same as last year, the pre-sale price of a rally pass package is EUR70 (EUR65 for ADAC members). Day passes are available for EUR35 exclusively in pre-sale.

The rally passes cover:

• Access to all Special Stages on all days
• Access to the Service Park on all days
• Access to the Shakedown on Thursday
• A spectator map providing all the essential information about the rally
• ADAC Rallye Deutschland lanyard
• ADAC Rallye Deutschland sticker
• ADAC Rallye Deutschland magazine (in German with essential information in English and French)

ADAC Rallye Deutschland information:
The ADAC Rallye Deutschland has a unique worldwide reputation. Its mix of hairpin stages in the vineyards, tough tracks on the Baumholder tank range and fast asphalt roads presents extreme challenges for both the teams and the drivers. Excellent driving skills and versatility are of the essence here. Diversity, high-class action and closeness to the fans are the ingredients that make the ADAC Rallye Deutschland such an attractive package for spectators as well. Year after year, this major event draws enthusiastic crowds from all over Europe, giving it a special, international atmosphere.