Sport

From 2026/27 Season: Opel to Compete in Formula E

 

  • Four-year contract: Opel GSE Formula E Team will compete in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as of next season
  • Next level for GSE sub-brand: German high-tech engineering in the world’s fastest-growing racing category
  • More exciting, faster, more powerful: GEN4 racing cars with up to 600 kW and permanent all-wheel drive
  • Opel CEO Huettl: “Formula E marks a new milestone on our journey to an electric future”
  • Racing DNA: Opel builds on many years of experience in circuit racing and all-electric rallying

Combined values for Opel Mokka GSE according to WLTP1: Energy consumption 18.5 kWh/100 km, CO2 emissions 0 g/km; CO2 label: A.

Opel is about to write a new chapter in its long and successful motorsport history. Starting from the 2026/27 season, the brand will be competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as a factory team. With the ‘Opel GSE Formula E Team’, the Rüsselsheim-based company is taking its commitment to electric motorsport to the next level and at the same time showcasing its powerful, all-electric GSE models. As a German brand with a long motorsport tradition and victories in rallying, touring cars and endurance racing, Opel is now bringing its technical expertise to the world’s fastest-growing racing series. This was officially announced by Opel CEO Florian Huettl and Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds and at a press conference at the Spanish circuit of Jarama today.

“Joining Formula E marks a new milestone for Opel on our journey towards an electric future,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “With Formula E moving to GEN4 cars as of the coming season, we see this as the ideal time to join this exciting, all-electric racing competition. Our Opel GSE Formula E Team will show what our brand stands for: German engineering, bold design and electrified performance, attributes that also apply to Opel’s fully-electric GSE models such as the Mokka GSE and soon the new Corsa GSE.”

“We are delighted to welcome Opel as a new factory team in Formula E,” said Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E. “As a strong German brand with distinctive engineering expertise and a fresh, bold image, Opel brings a long and storied history in motorsport and a new dynamic to the starting grid. Opel’s commitment also shows the importance of Formula E for global car manufacturers in the transition to electric mobility.”

Formula E GEN4: Next step for Opel in all-electric motorsport

For Opel, participation in Formula E represents the next logical step in all-electric motorsport. The introduction of the GEN4 cars for the upcoming Formula E season is therefore exactly the right time for Opel to demonstrate its own motorsport know-how and return to the circuit with forward-looking technology. GEN4 marks the biggest leap in performance in the history of Formula E. The all-electric race cars will achieve a peak output of up to 600 kW (816 hp) in qualifying and attack mode – a whopping 250 kW (340 hp) more than before. In addition, the fourth generation of vehicles has permanent instead of temporary all-wheel drive, which will provide significantly more grip. This will make Formula E even faster and more exciting. At the same time, the capacity for energy recovery will be increased to up to 700 kW, which will benefit the efficiency and range of the race cars.

While test drives of the new generation of vehicles are taking place across Europe, the Opel motorsport department, headed by Jörg Schrott, is setting up. A team of vehicle, development and strategy engineers and operational management is already preparing for the start of the season. While the Opel GSE Formula E Team is benefiting from Stellantis Motorsport’s extensive experience in developing the GEN4 model, Opel is contributing its German engineering to the new project.

“What began five years ago with the establishment of the first electric rally cup is now reaching its peak with the participation in the FIA World Championship”, said Jörg Schrott, Opel GSE Formula E Team Principal and Director of Opel Motorsport.

As early as in 2021, the Rüsselsheim-based manufacturer launched the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, the world’s first electric one-make cup. Over the past five years, young rally talents have demonstrated their skills in the locally emissions-free Opel Corsa Rally Electric. The winner of the respective season also secured a seat in the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team in order to subsequently contest the Junior European Rally Championship (JERC).

With the start of the new 2026/27 rally season in a few weeks, Opel is maintaining its pioneer role in electric rallying. The GSE Rally Cup participants will compete in exciting competitions in the new Opel Mokka GSE Rally. The high-performance electric rally car has an output of up to 207 kW (281 hp) and 345 Newton metres of torque. It is thus more than twice as powerful as the previous Corsa Rally Electric and offers performance at Rally4 level. A driving experience that is not only reserved for the next generation of rally drivers: With the Mokka GSE, Opel is also bringing the all-electric rally feeling to the road for customers. The production model, which can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h and has already been awarded the ‘Golden Steering Wheel 20252 in Germany, is just as powerful as its rally counterpart and shares all high-voltage components as well as many other technical details.

In addition, Opel has decades of experience in classic top-class and amateur motorsport. The brand’s previous activities range from the World Rally Championship to the circuit racing with commitments in Formula Opel, Formula 3 or the German Touring Car Masters (DTM). With the participation of the brand with the Blitz in Formula E from the 2026/27 season, Opel is thus taking its commitment to all-electric top-class motorsport to the next level.

The OMG! GSE experience in the world’s fastest-growing racing series

With the ‘OMG! GSE’ campaign platform, Opel is presenting its range of high-performance electric cars. The abbreviation GSE stands for ‘Grand Sport Electric’ and is used to describe particularly dynamic electric models. Following the Mokka GSE last year, the Corsa GSE is set to launch in 2026 – perfect timing for the connection between the racetrack, the official team’s name and the road car models.

How the Opel GSE Formula E Team will send pulses racing is shown in the new OMG!GSE campaign-based teaser film, which is now available online on all relevant channels and which marks the official start of Opel’s Formula E journey this year. And Opel promises: “This is Grand Sport Electric. We’re going all in! So better not blink!”

Before Formula E kicks off its new and now 13th season, the Opel GSE Formula E Team will make its first public appearance during the official GEN4 launch at the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet in April, giving a first glimpse of its look and further updates.

[1] The values of a vehicle depend not only on the efficient use of fuel by the vehicle, but are also influenced by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors.

[2] AUTO BILD issue 47/2025 and BILD am SONNTAG issue 47/2025, category ‘Small Cars’.

Firmenkontakt und Herausgeber der Meldung:

Opel Automobile GmbH
Bahnhofsplatz 1
65423 Rüsselsheim
Telefon: +49 (6142) 7-70
Telefax: +49 (6142) 77-8409
http://de-media.opel.com/de

Ansprechpartner:
Philipp Quanz
Telefon: +49 (170) 2252320
E-Mail: philipp.quanz@opel-vauxhall.com
Martin Golka
Telefon: +49 (6142) 6921574
E-Mail: martin.golka@opel-vauxhall.com
Colin Yong
Telefon: +49 (6142) 6922084
E-Mail: colin.yong@opel-vauxhall.com
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