Schulz, from Germany, stepped up to the ERC as his prize for winning the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup Powered by GSE in 2022. He took his maiden category victory on Barum Czech Rally Zlín last August on the back of a dominant performance aboard his Hankook-equipped Opel Corsa Rally4 and finished fourth in the final standings.
With Michael Wenzel co-driving once again, 24-year-old Schulz will partner Swede Calle Carlberg in what will now be a two-car ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team, which is overseen by the vastly experienced Manfred Stohl in cooperation with Waldherr Motorsport.
“Michi and I got on very well both in and out of the cockpit and quickly built up trust in each other,” Schulz said. “We had some good performances in the Junior ERC last year, especially at the asphalt events, but we also had to pay tribute to my inexperience on gravel here and there. In our second season together, we want to build on the generally very pleasing debut year and regularly fight for podium places. I feel that we have the potential to do so, especially as we have the best possible conditions with the Corsa Rally4 and the great team around Manfred Stohl and Luca Waldherr.” Opel Motorsport Director
Jörg Schrott said: “The ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team is once again facing an exciting and challenging season. Although Timo has already gained a year of experience, he only knows one of the six rallies on the calendar. Everything is new for Calle. Nevertheless, I look forward to the season with confidence. We have two highly talented driver crews, an experienced, extremely motivated team and a fast, reliable rally car.”
Schrott added: “There is another aspect that should not be underestimated: Timo and Calle already got on very well as competitors in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup in 2022. So we will have a good atmosphere and open communication and cooperation in the team, which is extremely valuable. The fact that we have two ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup champions on the grid this season is proof of the quality of our junior platform. I am confident that both of them will also have a say in the top positions in the high-class Junior ERC field.”
ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team starts the 2024 season chasing its sixth Junior ERC title. Emil Bergkvist bagged the first in 2015 and was followed by Marijan Griebel (2016), Chris Ingram (2017), Mārtiṇš Sesks (2018) and Laurent Pellier (2022).
Drivers planning to contest the 2024 Junior ERC Championship, which begins with V Rally Hungary from 12 - 14 April, must be younger than 27 on 1 January, compete in a Rally4 or Rally5 category car, register for the FIA ERC4 Championship, and also complete the WRC Promoter GmbH Junior Driver Agreement, which is available here: https://bit.ly/JuniorERC-Commercial-Licence-2024
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