Ioan Lloyd Celebrates Vauxhall’s First Win in ADAC GSE Rally Cup

Vauxhall Mokka GSE rally driver Ioan Lloyd celebrated his first victory in the ADAC GSE Rally Cup at Rally Vosges Grand-Est, putting Vauxhall back on the top step of the podium for the first time since its return to motorsport.

In a challenging rally that saw many crews succumb to accidents and punctures on the treacherous French asphalt roads, Lloyd and co-driver Sion Williams showed consistently strong pace, with a top four finish in every stage and a stage win on SS9.

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 Mokka GSE Rally to the limit. They impressively demonstrated the enormous potential of the electric rally car, with a top speed of 109mph recorded on the rally.

No big mistakes (apart from a spin in SS7 – the longest stage of the rally at 16 miles) were the key to victory for Lloyd, as Schulz slid into a ditch on the penultimate special stage. Despite cockpit temperatures reaching 60 degrees, Lloyd kept a cool head and brought home the win.

Ioan Lloyd, Vauxhall GSE Rally Driver, said: “Being able to represent Vauxhall here in France on the top step of the podium, in front of this crowd of fans, is a very special feeling and makes us proud. It was a very intense, challenging weekend. The numerous cuts made life very difficult for everyone, but this is such a special rally with really nice flowing roads. We’re still learning with every mile in the electric Mokka, but that makes us all the happier about this victory.”

Jöerg Schrott, Opel-Vauxhall Motorsport Director, said: “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. And so did Ioan and Sion. They and Vauxhall are an absolute enrichment for the cup. They made it flawlessly through the tricky stages and took a highly deserved win.”

Following his podium finish on round one in the Netherlands, Lloyd’s victory in France sees him move into a two-point championship lead. The ADAC GSE Rally Cup moves to Austria for round three (Rallye Weiz) on 17th and 18th July.

Results Rally Vosges Grand-Est/F