The 2018 ADAC Rallye Deutschland with many new highlights and classics

• Official Show Start, exciting prologue and podium ceremony at St Wendel
• Two days in the Mosel vineyards with an XL Special Stage on Sunday
• Almost 100 spectacular SS kilometres at Panzerplatte

Variety galore - this is what the ADAC Rallye Deutschland stands for and what the official 2018 itinerary fully confirmed when it was presented to the media. On this occasion, Norbert Heinz (Chairman of the Regional Club Board of ADAC Saarland e.V.) welcomed, amongst others, Klaus Bouillon (Saarland Minister of the Interior, Building and Sport) and Peter Klär (mayor of St Wendel). Friedhelm Kissel (ADAC Rallye Deutschland Clerk of the Course) and Jutta Kleinschmidt (ADAC Rallye Deutschland brand ambassador) were also among the attendants and ready to answer the journalists' questions.

The fans of the German FIA World Rally Championship event can look forward to many exciting innovations. This year (16 to 19 August), the agenda of the WRC stars includes 18 Special Stages (SS) covering some 330 kilometres in the Saarland and its neighbouring regions. Just as last year, the Service Park on the lakeshore of Bostalsee in the northern Saarland is the hub of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

Official Show Start, exciting prologue and podium ceremony at St Wendel

The new highlights presented by Clerk of the Course Kissel include the Show Start and podium ceremony of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, which will take place at St Wendel for the first time. On Thursday evening (16 August), the teams will present themselves to the public at the opening ceremony in the town centre. Afterwards, they will drive to the nearby Wendelinuspark, the start of the first Special Stage - a compact circuit stage with a real arena feeling. On the final day (19 August), the ADAC Rallye Deutschland will return to St Wendel. Right after the final Power Stage, the Bosenberg SS, which finishes just outside the town, the podium ceremony will take place in the centre of St Wendel.

Two days in the Mosel vineyards with an XL Special Stage on Sunday

At this year's ADAC Rallye Deutschland, we will see the crews tackle more of the hairpin turns typical for the Mosel vineyards than ever before: after the Stein and Wein SS and the Mittelmosel SS on Friday (17 August), the rally will return to the narrow vineyard service roads on the final day (19 August). The Grafschaft SS is 29 kilometres long and will be tackled twice in the morning, which is an enormous challenge to the drivers' stamina and concentration.

Almost 100 spectacular SS kilometres at Panzerplatte

We will see another innovation on the Baumholder military range: while the crews would do sprint tests in the previous years, they will take on the real challenge of competing in a middle-distance race this year. One of the highlights in the recce notes for the tough 10-kilometre route is the (in)famous Gina jump. Another one is the extremely challenging, long Panzerplatte stage. This year, the SS on the military range will be almost 100 kilometres long. Spectator-friendliness at Panzerplatte is as unique as it used to be - thanks to a perfect view and interesting support events.

Klaus Bouillon, Saarland Minister of the Interior, Building and Sport: "The ADAC Rallye Deutschland is a great event that affects our state positively in many respects. The pictures will go around the world and beautifully advertise the scenic diversity of our region. I am very happy that last year's debut in the Saarland was such a great success and I am confident that this will also be true for 2018. The innovations we have heard about are indeed very promising."

Peter Klär, mayor of St Wendel: "It is a great honour for our town to host both the start and the finish of the 2018 ADAC Rallye Deutschland. The people of St Wendel are sports enthusiasts and very experienced in hosting international sport events. We look forward to the ADAC Rallye Deutschland and extend a warm welcome to all spectators."

Friedhelm Kissel, ADAC Rallye Deutschland Clerk of the Course: "We always aim to take the ADAC Rallye Deutschland to new levels every year. This is what we have done also in 2018: in addition to the innovations at the rally's start and finish in St Wendel, we acted on the drivers' suggestions and increased the proportion of the vineyard stages. The Grafschaft SS will be a real test in the vineyards. For the spectators, this means intense excitement until the finish of the final Power Stage."

Jutta Kleinschmidt, ADAC Rallye Deutschland brand ambassador: "The itinerary of the 2018 ADAC Rallye Deutschland once more emphasises the high level of this sport event. It is absolutely no walk in the park - neither for the WRC stars nor any other participant. Spectator-friendliness rises every year, and it is always a special experience for the fans. I wish all spectators great fun and look forward to shaping the ADAC Rallye Deutschland in the coming years."

Draft schedule*:

Thursday, 16 August
Shakedown St. Wendeler Land
Show Start St. Wendel
SS 1 St. Wendel (Super Special Stage)

Friday, 17 August
SS 2 Stein und Wein 1
SS 3 Mittelmosel 1
SS 4 Wadern-Weiskirchen 1 (Super Special Stage)
SS 5 Stein und Wein 2
SS 6 Mittelmosel 2
SS 7 Wadern-Weiskirchen 2 (Super Special Stage)

Saturday, 18 August
SS 8 Arena Panzerplatte 1
SS 9 Panzerplatte 1
SS 10 Freisen 1
SS 11 Römerstraße 1
SS 12 Arena Panzerplatte 2
SS 13 Panzerplatte 2
SS 14 Freisen 2
SS 15 Römerstraße 2

Sunday, 19 August
SS 16 Grafschaft 1
SS 17 Grafschaft 2
SS 18 Bosenberg (Powerstage)

*subject to authorisation

Get your rally and day passes in pre-sale now!

Passes for the ADAC Rallye Deutschland are available from the official ticket shop on the web: go to www.adac.de/rallye-deutschland (under the Tickets tab) to get your four-day rally passes or day tickets (Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday). Pre-sale buyers will enjoy discounts and an attractive package offer that includes the official event magazine. Just like 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. During the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, the regular price for a rally pass will be EUR80 at all on-site sales points.

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.