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- The KenotekYpres Rally rings in the second half of the European Junior Rally Championships
- Emil Bergkvist intends to be in Ypres to defend his top position on the leaderboard in the FIA ERC Junior
- Marijan Griebel will use the Opel ADAM R2 to implement his skills on asphalt
Rüsselsheim / Munich. From the grit of the Azores to the asphalt of West Flanders. The KenotekYpres rally rings in the second half of the European Junior Championship (FIA ERC Junior) season. And the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team has a lot of ambition in the determining phase of the strongest Newcomer championships in Europe. After two victories in both initial races, the young Swede Emil Bergkvist (Torsåker) leads the entire FIA ERC Junior field in his Works Opel ADAM R2. Though his German team colleague Marijan Griebel (Hahnweiler) had a lot of bad luck in the final European Championship race on the Azores, failing to finish for the second time this season, because of the assessment mode, he still has very good chances. The evaluation mode assesses just four European Junior Championship races out of a total of six.
"I know the Ypres rally from last year, and I know what I have to expect", says ambitious Griebel, who is traveling to Belgium with copilot Stefan Clemens (Thailen). "I like the evaluation system, and I think it might work to my advantage. The competition will be even harder than last year because the level of the FIA ERC Junior Championships is so enormously high in 2015. However, we at the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team feel well prepared and know that we have - especially on asphalt - a very fast car. My aim in Ypres is to get onto the podium!"
The ADAC Opel rally team pilots have already demonstrated their high potential on asphalt several times. In particular with the double victory in April at the Ireland rally, and recently at the Wervik rally in Belgium, where Bergkvist and Griebel came in first and second in their classes; excellent preparation for the Ypres Rally. At the end of the race, only three seconds separated the two drivers.
Emil Bergkvist and his co-driver Joakim Sjöberg (Ösmo) also know exactly what is expected of them. "Marijan will be very strong in Ypres", said the Junior EM leader who turned 21 on the 17th of June. "I am looking forward to a wonderful rally and a new challenge. After the Azores fiasco we are firmly resolved to push for podium positions in Ypern. We're all acutely aware of how hard fought this field will be. But we also know since Ireland that our ADAM R2 is capable of victory on asphalt if we all put in the work. My priority aim is naturally to defend my position at the top of the leaderboard, and with this strong field, it pays only to be offensive. And this is the plan."
The first stage of the KenotekYpres Rally, which has over 17 evaluation checks and is 253 WP kilometres long, starts on Friday (26th of June) at 16.15, and the podium finish in Ypres will be at 22.30. The restart will take place the following day from 10.20, and the vehicles will cross the finish line in Ypres town centre from 22.30. Eurosport will broadcast daily reports on the KenotekYpres Rally. Rally fans can find a live timing at www.opel-motorsport.com.
Photo: ADAC-Motorsport