The fourth round of DRM defense is held in the vineyards.
The German Rally Championship hits its midpoint in a vineyard setting. The third annual Rallye ADAC Mittelrhein is the fourth of seven scheduled DRM events, with more than 80 teams taking part. In the top class DRM, 23 RC2 cars race for second place in the picturesque Eifel-Mosel region.
Germany's best drivers face robust international competition from Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Marijan Griebel and co-driver Tobias Braun, a winning team driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, look to continue their winning streak after winning the previous two races at the Hunsrück and Sulingen. In anticipation of a triumph at his hometown rally, Griebel said, "I've won the Rallye Mittelrhein for the past two years and the last two DRM stops, a third win would mark a double hat-trick. The field of over 20 RC2 cars is incredibly competitive, but I feel absolutely at home here. These stages are unlike any other!"
Griebel's top rival, Julius Tannert, is on a mission to spoil Griebel's streak with co-driver Pirmin Winklhofer. Tannert finished second in the most recent stop in Idar-Oberstein and now dreams of a podium finish in the Mosel. "It's Marijan's second home rally in a row. We have to take points from him to close the gap in the championship," Tannert explained.
Third place in the overall standings goes to Dennis Rostek and Stefan Kopzcyk, also driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Nico Knacker and Thomas Puls in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 and Carsten Mohe, with new navigator Clara Bettge in the Renault Clio Rally3, complete the top five.
Excitingly, the 2022 German Rally Champions, Philip Geipel and Katrin Becker, are set to make their season debut in a new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. "The car is very different from my last one, with many alterations. We're in the process of getting used to it, but Katrin and I know the ins and outs of the Rallye Mittelrhein since we've raced it twice before," Geipel pointed out.
Benjamin Kässer, sitting in second-place overall, retains the white shirt in the DRM2 class. Tobias Braun and Marijan Griebel, in the Škoda Fabia Rally2, follow in second, with Dutch duo Jorrit van der Steen and Janneke van der Steen placing third in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.
The DRM2 class for front or rear-wheel-driven cars has Tom Käßer and Stephan Schneeweiß leading by a 35-point margin. Piloting a Peugeot 208 Rally4, they aim to score more points in the Mosel. "This is our second DRM event, and we're gunning for table leaders Kässer," Schneeweiß stated. Max Schumann and Kevin Lennartz attack in a Renault Clio Rally4. "It'll be difficult to beat the leaders; the Rallye Mittelrhein boasts unique characteristics that are some of the most challenging in rallying," Schumann admitted. Simone Andersson and Jörgen Jönsson, a Swedish duo in the DRM Masters special classification, are poised in third place with a 10-point deficit.
In the DRM Masters special classification, Dennis Rostek is undefeated with three wins under his belt. Driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, he's the favorite on the Mosel, although the internationalized DRM Masters field has 11 competitors, including some from Denmark. Oliver Bliss, who has proven himself undefeated in the DRM Trophy so far, runs in a Škoda Fabia R5, ready for domination. "The Rallye Mittelrhein will present its own unique challenges," Bliss commented before the race.
Walter Gromoller began the 2024 season as the favorite in the DRM Classic. However, technical issues with his Opel Ascona 400 hindered his lead and reduced it to only two points. At the Rallye ADAC Mittelrhein, he needs to fight to maintain his position with René Meier against tenacious chasers Ingo Höppner and Sabrina Rieck in their Mercedes Benz 500 SL.
The DRM Nationals, a broad sports category with different performance classes from NC1 to NC9, sees a three-way tie at the top. The team of John Macht and Michael Teufel, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9, are the shared leaders in the strongest class NC1, having achieved a win and a second place. Macht spoke about the upcoming event, "I haven't competed in the Rallye Mittelrhein before. It's a challenging rally, having been a former WRC event, but it's also exciting. I haven't watched any onboard footage of the stages as it can be quite nerve-wracking. We'll inspect the stages and let things unfold." Equally high in the NC6 class is the team of Ulf Semmelhack and Peter Kroll, also driving a Toyota GR Yaris. Andreas Dahm and Paul Schubert, in the Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2, trail in third position with 54 points, having scored a second place and a win in the NC1.
The ADAC Mittelrhein Rally is scheduled for a new timetable. Unlike before where it took place on Fridays and Saturdays in the DRM, it will instead occur on the 15th and 16th of June. On the second day at 10:00 am, the race starts from the industrial area of Föhren through the Eifel, covering approximately 85 kilometers. The stage is filled with challenging turns that are often bordered by walls and vineyards, confusing hills, intersections, and fast speeds along the Mosel. The event is expected to elicit excitement from the many fans in attendance.
On Sunday at 9:00 am, the Bergweiler round course takes center stage, featuring about 47 kilometers and four timing points. The competition's top three in each class will drive to the finish line in the Föhren industrial park around 1:00 pm, where the award ceremony for the ADAC Mittelrhein Rally will take place. Approximately 3,000 motorsport spectators from across Germany and abroad are anticipated.
The highlights from the German Rally Championship can be watched exclusively on n-tv, free-to-air television. "PS – DRM Deutsche Rallye-Meisterschaft", a magazine about the championship, will air on n-tv on Sunday night after the rally events. To access the show at a later time, you can find it within n-tv's media library or on the streaming service RTL+.
DRM Deutsche Rallye-Meisterschaft Highlights Schedule
Rallye ADAC Mittelrhein + Hunsrück Rallye
- Sunday, June 16, 2024, 7:15 pm
- Monday, June 17, 2024, 6:15 am (Repeat)
ADAC Saarland-Pfalz Rallye
- Sunday, June 30, 2024, 11:15 am
- Sunday, June 30, 2024, 7:15 pm (Repeat)
ADAC Rallye Stemweder Berg
- Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11:15 am
- Sunday, August 11, 2024, 7:15 pm (Repeat)
ADAC Ostsee-Rallye
- Sunday, September 8, 2024, 11:15 am
- Sunday, September 8, 2024, 7:15 pm (Repeat)
Read also:
During the fourth round of DRM defense, competitors navigate through the vineyards of the Eifel-Mosel region. At half time of this rally, Marijan Griebel and Tobias Braun, leading in the top class DRM, aim to secure their third win in a row.
