Ioan Lloyd Celebrates First Win in ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup

• Welshman Lloyd pips Tom Dufour at the turbulent Vosges Grand-Est Rally
• Claire Schönborn is the second woman to make it onto the winner’s podium in the Rally Cup
• First round winner Timo Schulz misses out on victory shortly before the finish

Breathtaking scenery, treacherous asphalt and a true thriller: The second race of the ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup 2026 as part of the traditional Rally Vosges Grand-Est was spectacular for spectators and drivers alike. The thrilling competition between German championship leader Timo Schulz, French talent Tom Dufour and Welshman Ioan Lloyd was at the centre of the electrifying action around Gérardmer. The three drivers pushed the new Opel Mokka GSE Rally to the limit and impressively demonstrated the enormous potential of the electric rally car.

Timo Schulz and his co-driver Maresa Lade started full of confidence after their opening victory at the ELE Rally. Frenchman Tom Dufour – together with co-driver Alex Dubois – put the 2022 champion under constant pressure with his aggressive driving style – which led to mistakes on both sides. In the end, the Welsh duo of Ioan Lloyd and Sion Williams pounced and took the win victory thanks to a consistent performance. “To finish first here in France in front of this crowd is a very special feeling and makes us very proud,” beamed 23-year-old Lloyd. “It was a very intense, challenging weekend. The many cuts made life very difficult for everyone. We are still learning something new from every kilometre in the Mokka GSE Rally. We are all the happier about this victory.”

The fact that the old motorsport saying ‘to finish first, you first have to finish’ is still valid was proven by Timo Schulz and his co-driver Maresa Lade. Sporting a comfortable lead, they slid off the track in the penultimate special stage, thus bringing their previous series of successes to an abrupt end. “The hard asphalt is very unforgiving, and you can’t afford the slightest mistake. We had everything under control until the wheels locked up when braking for a fast left shortly before the end. We slid into a ditch and that was it,” said Schulz. “That was an absolutely crazy weekend! Tom showed incredible speed and really pushed us. That’s exactly what a real title fight should look like.”

The demanding special stages and the uncompromising pace of cars took their toll during the entire race. Dufour/Dubois set the fastest time in the first special stage on Saturday, but followed up with a mistake in the following special stage. Fortunately for them, the French duo made it back to the service area in Gérardmer, where their mechanics managed to get their Mokka GSE Rally ready for the next stage. In the end, the efforts were rewarded with 2nd place. “The rally was extremely difficult, and we suffered one or two setbacks. Nevertheless, we can be satisfied. The pace was really good and the second podium in a row is a nice success,” said the 20-year-old Dufour.

Elsewhere, Claire Schönborn became the second woman to secure a podium finish by putting on a consistent performance and finishing third. “I still can’t believe it,” beamed the 26-year-old. “The rally here was a real up and down. Yesterday I had a hard time getting into the rhythm, but today we were able to do a lot better. The last times were as I had hoped. We also had one or two wake-up calls, but we got through without any serious blunders. I’m very happy.”

The high pace in the field impressed Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott: “On the one hand, the Rally Vosges Grand-Est is a great event with exciting special stages that demand everything from drivers and vehicles. On the other hand, the level of the talent on display in the Cup this season is unprecedented. It’s fun to watch how everybody is fighting for every tenth of a second. Mistakes are part of rallying and are part of the learning process for a young driver. Our Mokka GSE Rally did a great job and demonstrated its competitiveness.”

Results Rally Vosges Grand-Est/F

1. Ioan Lloyd/Sion Williams (GB) 1:16:21.1 h

2. Tom Dufour/Alex Dubois (F) +8.5 sec

3. Claire Schönborn/Michael Wenzel (D), +1:43.7 min

4. Dante Johansson/Theo Bergsten (S), +2:26.6 min

5. Lukas Wilhelm/Christina Ettel (A) +3:01.5 min

6. Fabian Kamermans/Stefan Müller (NL) +3:17.0 min

7. Thyrsa Eertmans/Els Ons (B), +5:24.7 min

8. Alex Español/Enrique Velasco (E), +8:17.4 min

9. Christian Luif/Maximilian Kugler (A/D), +8:35.6 min

Standing ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup (after 2 of 7 rounds)

1. Lloyd 60 points

2. Dufour 58

3. Schulz 35

4. Kamermans 35

5. Johansson 31

6. Schönborn 29

7. Español 28

8. Eertmans 20

9. Wilhelm 16

10. Stütz 14

11. Luif 13

12. Wittenbeck 12

13. Wlömer 6