Great anticipation ahead of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland

• Press conference with rally stars at the German event of the FIA World Rally Championship

Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) is all set to keep the race exciting by aspiring to win the title he achieved in the Rallye Finland also in Germany. This is the message the 29-year-old brought home at the official press conference a few days before the ADAC Rallye Deutschland (21 to 24 August 2014). In addition to Latvala, the WRC stars Thierry Neuville (BEL), Kris Meeke, Elfyn Evans (both GBR) as well as ADAC Stiftung Sport (ADAC sport foundation) grantees Marijan Griebel and Fabian Kreim (both GER) were fielding the questions of a great number of media representatives in the Frankenturm in Trier. The interviews also included the Clerk of the Course Alfred Rommelfanger and ADAC Director Motor Sport & Classic Motoring Lars Soutschka who provided information about the current state of preparations and the innovations in place for the mass event.

The unanimous tenor among the press conference attendants was their anticipation of the upcoming 12th edition of the German FIA WRC event. ADAC Director Motor Sport & Classic Motoring Lars Soutschka declared all the necessary preparations for the event as successfully completed: “The stage is all set, we are ready for kick-off. The fans can look forward to exciting rally days at top level. The Clerk of the Course Alfred Rommelfanger and our entire team have made it their task to further develop also this year’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland by including some innovations to enhance the attractiveness of the event for both fans and drivers.”

The official show start of this year’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland will take place at Trier’s Porta Nigra gate on Thursday evening (21 August 2014). “The historic Roman gate as an evening backdrop to the WRC high-tech rally cars - what a fabulous experience. For fans to get even closer to the rally stars, we added an autograph signing session to this year’s programme. All the top drivers will be there for the fans at Hauptmarkt in Trier from 19:00h to 19:30h. This will be followed by the official part at 20:30h at the Porta Nigra,” said Clerk of the Course Alfred Rommelfanger.

One of the most important innovations of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland is the completely new Waxweiler Special Stage on Friday (22 August 2014). It will take the teams on a selective course through the hilly Eifel landscape to the Belgian border region. A highlight specially for Thierry Neuville: “This ‘home game’ as it were, is a great motivation. The stage is just a stone’s throw away from my home. I’m therefore quite confident that lots of Belgian fans will be around to cheer us on.

A spectacular asset for the ADAC Rallye Deutschland will be the additional Sprint test on the military range Baumholder on Saturday (23 August 2014). The layout of this section allows the spectators to get a view of nearly the entire 3.03km range ensuring a maximum of rally action without having to move to another spectator area. In addition to the Sprint, the legendary over 40km long Special Stage of the Panzerplatte programme remains the crown jewel of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. Kris Meeke would not hide his respect of the Panzerplatte: “You have to be really careful there, the boulders lining the road make the stage quite tricky.” Elfyn Evans has good memories of the Panzerplatte: “In 2013, I was able to score the best time in the WRC2 series. I look forward to the new Sprint, it’s reason for double joy.”

Also rather excited about the ADAC Rallye Deutschland are the young German riders Marijan Griebel and Fabian Kreim. The two ADAC sport foundation grantees will compete for the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior team. They won last year’s ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup which will again feature at the 2014 German event of the FIA WRC. Marijan Griebel: “This is my fourth time at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. The atmosphere with all the fans along the course is quite something - and what’s more, a lot of my friends and friends of Alex Roth, my co-driver, will be there to watch, since we both grew up around here, me coming from Hahnweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate and Alex right from Trier.” After his introduction in 2013, it is Fabian Kreim’s second appearance at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland: “This is only my second rally season and I try to learn as much as possible. A world championship event like the ADAC Rallye Deutschland is ideal for rally driving experiences.”

Visitors of the 2014 ADAC Rallye Deutschland may look forward to a big line-up: 89 teams have registered, among them are 21 German teams which would not miss out on this home rally at world championship level. 17 world rally cars will compete altogether. There will also be 22 Opel/Vauxhall ADAM Rallye Cup cars, competing at the ADAC Opel/Vauxhall Rallye Cup within the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. The hub of the four rally days will be the Service Park on the Trier fairgrounds. This is where teams get their vehicles ready with the fans right there. At the Service Park you will also find the fan shops, the info point, food and refreshments, sanitary facilities, as well as a medical station and other services. The podium ceremony at the Porta Nigra in Trier on Sunday (24 August 2014) is the crowning culmination of the German event of the FIA WRC.

Here is a selection of the most important comments from the press conference

Lars Soutschka (ADAC Director Motor Sport & Classic Motoring):
“For some years now, the ADAC Rallye Deutschland has been offering a very attractive rally package: spectacular rally action, wonderfully varied stages, perfect spectator-friendliness, high safety level and an exemplary environmental commitment. Being the organiser we aim at constantly developing this highlight event. In 2014, we not only added a new Special Stage to the programme, but we also developed a completely new dimension with the Panzerplatte Sprint. I am sure the spectators will love it. For the first time, fans can watch the event live on site and at the same time they will be able to enjoy and view an almost entire Special Stage from one single location. That’s quite unique!”

Alfred Rommelfanger (ADAC Rallye Deutschland Clerk of the Course):
“Excitement in the organisation team is palpable indeed with the rally start being nearly up; twelve months of preparation will now culminate in four high-profile rally days! In addition to innovations in rally racing, planning focused on spectator-friendliness and safety where we have taken a variety of measures. Take the new Michelin shuttle busses, for instance, which will operate courtesy of ADAC, the FIA and Michelin. They will take the fans from the Trier Service Park to the most attractive spectator points. This service is free for rally pass holders. Another example is the safety video which we made with Thierry Neuville; in it, he explains what spectators of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland should be aware of to be able to fully enjoy rally action in absolute safety. The video is also available on the ADAC Rallye Deutschland website and we are pleased that many have clicked on it so far.”

Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen Motorsport):
“Naturally, it always is a good feeling to start the next rally with wind in the sails from a previous win - however, Finland was yesterday and what counts now is Germany. I’m totally motivated to keep the race for the title heating up. It would be great for the Volkswagen motor sport team if we could celebrate our first home win here. We are perfectly geared up for it and look forward very much to the great show at the Panzerplatte. Although we have to be absolutely concentrated on this Special Stage, we will still catch something of the tremendous atmosphere. I welcome the new Sprint test on the Panzerplatte. It is perfect for rally fans as they get extra action and for us drivers it is a good opportunity to warm up for the Panzerplatte Special Stage that is on the agenda immediately afterwards.”

Thierry Neuville (Hyundai Shell World Rally Team):
“I really look forward to the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. Not only because I came in second here last year, but because I’m fond of the character of the Special Stages. Many of them have sections where you get proper stadium atmosphere. The ambience is just fantastic and I hope for the same support from the German and Belgian fans as last year - that was just wonderful. Needless to say, I’ m also excited about the new Waxweiler Special Stage which virtually runs past my doorstep. That will surely be an emotional experience for me.”

Kris Meeke (Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team):
“The ADAC Rallye Deutschland is extremely challenging. You have to be able to adjust to changing conditions very quickly. There is a great variety of directional changes that make it difficult to find a steady rhythm. Exact recce notes and good co-driver team work are much more essential here than they are in some other rallies. And although we drive on asphalt all the time, it is never the same ground. Especially the solid surface on the Panzerplatte is a real challenge for the drivers’ concentration. Moreover, the narrow vineyards with their hairpin bends will not pardon any mistakes.”

Elfyn Evans (M-Sport World Rally Team):
“This is my third time at ADAC Rallye Deutschland and I’m really looking forward to it. I had a really good event in Germany last year and so did my co-driver Daniel Barritt; We were able to secure second place in the WRC2 category and came sixth in the overall standings. This would be a super result for the whole team this year too, but we aren’t under any pressure to do the same. This is our development year, so we always concentrate on an event stage by stage - gradually increasing our speed and gaining the experience that will be so vital to going well next year. Especially in Germany with its ambitious itinerary, these are the best tactics at this point in my career. The weather plays a major role too, since some of the passages get even trickier when it’s raining.”

Marijan Griebel (ADAC OPEL Rallye Cup driver and ADAC sport foundation grantee):
„For a German rally driver, the ADAC Rallye Deutschland is THE event. When I started in 2011, I could hear the fans’ cheering on the Panzerplatte even in the car - that’s extremely motivating! Apart from the Special Stages, I look forward in particular to the Show start at the Porta Nigra in Trier. That’s where drivers also have time to watch and enjoy the surrounding spectacular. The domestic WRC rally is also a good opportunity to stand up as a young driver to a high-profile international environment. As far as young talent sponsorship is concerned, I would obviously like to show that being in the ADAC Opel/Vauxhall Rallye Junior team and being an ADAC sport foundation grantee is perfectly justified.”

Fabian Kreim (ADAC OPEL/Vauxhall Rallye Cup driver and ADAC sport foundation grantee):
“For me, the ADAC Rallye Deutschland is the absolute highlight of the year. The simple fact that I am sitting next to Jari-Matti Latvala, Thierry Neuville and the other WRC stars here and now is a great honour for me. As regards the rally itself, I look forward most to the Special Stages in the vineyards and on the Baumholder Panzerplatte - this is where you can win lots but also lose everything. My personal goal at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland is to get as near the top as possible and to improve my driving.”