- ADAC sport foundation beneficiary Marijan Griebel on the road to success at the
ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup
Munich/Trier, 24 July 2013 – The world’s best rally drivers will hit the tarmac again at this year’s
ADAC Rallye Deutschland. In addition to watching seasoned WRC stars like Sébastien Ogier or
Mikko Hirvonen, spectators can also look forward to the speed drifts of a new, young generation
of rally drivers at the German WRC event. This is a particular characteristic of the ADAC OPEL
Rallye Cup, a new single-brand cup created in 2013 and starting into the second half of its
season at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. 24-year-old Marijan Griebel, who is on the roster of the
ADAC Stiftung Sport (ADAC sport foundation), is among the favourites.
Rally youngster Marijan Griebel looks forward to the ADAC Rallye Deutschland
The ADAC Rallye Deutschland is something like a home game for Marijan Griebel, who hails
from Hahnweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate. The same goes for his long-time co-driver, Alex Rath,
from Trier. Marijan Griebel already started at German WRC events “close to home” in 2011 and
2012, creating quite a stir with his wins in different categories (2011: Division 5; 2012: Division
6) of the German Rally Championship (DRM). In both of these years, he was also German rally
champion in the respective division.
Incited not least by these achievements, ADAC decided to take Marijan Griebel on the roster of
the ADAC sport foundation. “The ADAC sport foundation is a great institution: It allows me to
focus first and foremost on rally driving. Drivers supported by the foundation also benefit from
valuable practical support for a successful career in motor sport. This includes various fitness
sessions, technical workshops, and applied media training”, says Marijan Griebel.
This season, Marijan Griebel is competing in the newly created ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup and has
been extremely successful so far: Four races into the season, he is leading the Junior category
(drivers under 27 years of age) and is number 2 in the overall classification. In early July, Griebel
scored his first ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup win at the ADAC Rallye Niedersachsen – a perfect
rehearsal for the upcoming race at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.
The Police Superintendent, starting for ADAC Central Rhine, has set high goals for his “home
game”: “Being out there with the WRC stars is something special, of course. You can’t really
learn a lot from the pros as a driver since you have to focus completely on your own rally, but the
whole atmosphere is just unique. After our win at the ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup, we certainly want
to be in the top ranks again. My co-driver and I know the Special Stages of the ADAC Rallye
Deutschland better than most of our competitors – that is definitely an advantage in addition to
the extra motivation we get from our home crowd.”
The ADAC Rallye Deutschland will host the fifth of eight 2013 ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup events.
However, in contrast to the WRC drivers, the 24 ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup participants will not
drive all 16 Special Stages of the German WRC event. After the start of the rally in Cologne (22
August 2013), the Opel drivers will complete a total of ten Special Stages until Saturday
afternoon (24 August 2013).
The ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup
The ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup has brought new excitement to the German rally scene this season.
The new single-brand cup, in which participants compete in identical Cup models of the Opel
ADAM, provides an excellent motor sport stage, especially for young drivers. The professionalism
of this joint Opel/ADAC rally project is instantly evident from the cup teams’ appearance.
Identically designed rally cars and team apparel and a separate hospitality area for drivers,
teams and guests underscore the high standard of this programme for the promotion of young
drivers.
The ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup is a single-brand cup with its own separate standings. Attractive
prize monies and an additional, specially awarded “Rallye-Junior” classification for drivers up to
27 years of age are in store for successful drivers and teams. In a final test after the end of the
season, the best Rallye-Junior may qualify for special further support from ADAC and Opel
during the next season.
The ADAC sport foundation
Since 1998, the non-profit ADAC sport foundation has fostered the careers of young, talented
racers, played an active part in improving motor sport safety and helped victims of serious
accidents. Members of the honorary Board include ADAC Motor Sport President Hermann
Tomczyk, two-time Rally World Champion Walter Röhrl and the German motor sport legend
Hans-Joachim Stuck.
In 2013, the foundation is supporting a roster of 29 young talents both in four and two wheel
racing. Drivers successfully supported by the Foundation in the past include Formula 1 World
Champion Sebastian Vettel, Timo Glock, Nicolas Hülkenberg, René Rast, and Adrian Sutil.
The official magazine of the 2013 ADAC Rallye Deutschland:
With its 100 action-packed pages about the German WRC event, the official magazine of the
ADAC Rallye Deutschland is second to none. Buy it and read all about the drivers, the teams, the
itineraries, spectator hot spots, and the WRC Rules and Regulations. Detailed maps, exciting
background stories, exclusive interviews and many fascinating rally topics round off this
indispensable companion for fans at the event and at home. The official magazine of the ADAC
Rallye Deutschland is now available for €5.00 at well-stocked newsagents or at
www.adac.de/motorsport, www.adac-rallye-deutschland.de, and www.adrenalin-verlag.com.
Tickets to the ADAC Rallye Deutschland:
The German “flat rate” for rally fans: Five days of unadulterated rallying, including access to
each and every spectator area at the Shakedown and every Special Stage. The passes also grant
access to the Service Park, where the fans can watch the mechanics at work and meet the rally
drivers. They also include a spectator map covering all essential information and showing the
best viewing spots, a pass lanyard and an ADAC Rallye Deutschland decal. The passes are
available for €69.00 (€64.00 for ADAC members) + shipping and handling through the Ticket
Shop at www.adac-rallye-deutschland.de. Call the ticket hotline at: ++49 (0)261-13 03 66.
Tickets for one Special Stage or the other only are available starting at €15.00.