ADAC Rallye Deutschland in Anticipation of Start in Cologne

• WRC driver presentation for the fans in front of the Cologne cathedral
• The Lord Mayor of Cologne, Mr Roters, looks forward to the ADAC Rallye Deutschland
• Says Citroёn star Mikko Hirvonen: “Cologne will be a spectacular show for the fans.”

Munich/Cologne 15 July 2013 – Five more weeks to go until Cologne, the metropolis of the Rhine, becomes the hub of the WRC world. The show-start of the 2013 ADAC Rallye Deutschland will take place in the heart of Cologne on 22 August 2013. The only German event in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) will bring the best rally drivers to down-town Cologne. WRC aces such as Sébastien Ogier, Mikko Hirvonen and the German newcomer Sepp Wiegand and their high-tech rally cars will present themselves on Roncalliplatz, right next to the Cologne cathedral. The fans are in for a superlative show.

In a press conference at the German Sport and Olympic Museum in Cologne on 15 July 2013, attended by many journalists, ADAC presented the schedule for the driver presentation at the Cologne cathedral and shared information on the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. The Lord Mayor of Cologne, Mr Jürgen Roters, ADAC Motor Sport President Hermann Tomczyk, Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team) and ADAC Rallye Deutschland Clerk of the Course, Alfred Rommelfanger, took the journalists’ questions.

Lord Mayor Roters looks forward to having the rally drivers in the heart of his city: “For Cologne, the ADAC Rallye Deutschland is a welcome attraction. We look forward to being part of this world-class motor sport event this year. The citizens of Cologne are enthusiastic motor sport fans. For them, it is an unprecedented opportunity to meet the world’s best rally drivers in the flesh and up-close.” ADAC Motor Sport President Hermann Tomczyk is full of anticipation as well: “We have nurtured the idea of bringing the ADAC Rallye Deutschland to a big city for some time. I am glad we could make this idea come true this year. Our intention behind this is to address the broader public and share the fascination of rally-racing with more fans. As an important media centre, Cologne is predestined to attract the attention of fans from all over the world to the German WRC event. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the City of Cologne and all parties involved for their efforts and good cooperation.

Presentation of the drivers and their rally cars at the Cologne cathedral – admission is free!
The show-start of the 2013 ADAC Rallye Deutschland will take place right next to the famous cathedral in the heart of Cologne on 22 August 2013. Starting 14:30 hours, the spectators will be welcomed to the great stage on Roncalliplatz, where they will have the opportunity to learn what they want to know about the ADAC Rallye Deutschland in short interview sessions. It will be worth their while to be there early. Admission will be free.

The official part of the event will commence with the playing of the German anthem. From their staging areas on the square, the rally cars will file one by one in the order of the current WRC standings to the show start podium where the drivers, co-drivers, teams and vehicles will be introduced. Some drivers will give brief interviews. The spectators will be really up-close and able to experience rally participants and their cars against the impressive backdrop of the cathedral.

Star Citroёn driver Mikko Hirvonen seemed enthusiastic about the rally kick-off in Cologne: “Such a great idea to have the ADAC Rallye Deutschland kick-off here in Cologne. I look forward to it because it will be a great show for the fans and an extraordinary experience for the drivers. It is a nice change from the ordinary to bring the rally cars right into the centre of a big city.”

Next to the WRC and WRC 2 drivers, drivers and cars from the German rally championship DRM, ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup and the CITROËN DS3 R1 TROPHY will roll onto the show start podium. Then the drivers will pass through the crowd in single file to leave Roncalliplatz.

First Special Stage in the Cologne metropolitan area
Melting into everyday traffic, the WRC cars will drive a short distance up the Rhine to their next destination: from a regrouping on Harry-Blum square in Cologne, they will depart at 16:15 hours on a preset route to arrive at 17:53 in the Blankenheim area southwest of Cologne for the start into their first Special Stage.

Held for the first time, this Special Stage will offer the Cologne rally fans the unique chance to watch the best rally drivers live and in action in the vicinity of Cologne. This will be a memorable event for motor sport enthusiasts and a challenging first stage for the drivers in the German World Rally Championship event. After a 23.54km Special Stage on asphalt, the drivers will head for the greater Trier area where another first in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland will await the drift artists: the Sauertal Special Stage which they will be facing the same evening.

“The kick-off in Cologne certainly is the main innovation in the 2013 ADAC Rallye Deutschland. I can promise the fans that we are well-prepared and that the whole rally will be a unique experience – last not least thanks to the efforts of our 3,000 volunteer helpers,” said Clerk of the Course, Alfred Rommelfanger.

This year, the ADAC Rallye Deutschland will comprise a total of 16 Special Stages. ADAC expects this highlight of the international racing calendar to be attended again by some 200,000 spectators.

Schedule of the Cologne drivers’ presentation
14:00 hours
Start of the supporting events.

16:00 hours
Official start of the drivers’ presentation on Roncalliplatz. Presentation of the first driver on the podium by the Master of Ceremonies including a short statement from the driver. At 1-minute intervals, the drivers will roll onto the podium for a brief introduction. After the introduction the drivers will leave Roncalliplatz single file and head on a preset route in regular traffic to Harry-Blum-Platz.

Approx. 17:50 hours
The last competitor leaves the show start
podium heading for Harry-Blum-Platz.

18:00 hours
End of the drivers’ presentation.