OPC Challenge: Adam reshuffles the cards

At the Association of Swiss General Motors Dealers (VSGMH), there was understandable uncertainty following the integration of the Opel brand into the PSA Group. The Opel Sports Commission, headed by Christian Mettler from Garage Metropol in Amriswil, was nevertheless keen not to let the OPC Challenge, which had been held since 2006, die because of this.

The request to France resulted in a positive signal, but the cost-cutting measures meant that support from Opel Switzerland could no longer be provided to the same extent as before.

The fact that the 2016 and 2017 Corsa OPC has no longer been available to order since April made it difficult to decide which model to go with.

Return to the known
So the change to the Opel Adam S, year of manufacture 2018, is to a certain extent a compromise and at the same time a return to the familiar. VSGMH already carried out this sporty downsizing for the 2015 season, but the number of participants did not suffer.

Three years later, this is somewhat different. The changed situation caused some of the previously committed garage owners and their drivers to withdraw. Not all of the budgeted and hoped-for 20 cars at the special price found a buyer by the entry deadline of mid-March - which was obviously too early.

And so on April 21 in Frauenfeld only ten and seven days later in Interlaken twelve drivers presented themselves on nine different cars. All 150 hp and fitted with uniform semislicks from long-time tire partner Yokohama.

Victory without pretraining
A total of 25 drivers are entered in the individual classification, including those who are fielded by their Opel partners in the Team Cup. Stephan Tschaggelar and Marcel Muzzarelli, for example, who gave Metropol three victories at the start of the season.

The double strike by "Muzzi" in Interlaken is no coincidence, as the man from Graubünden, who now lives in Thurgau, was already champion in 2015 with the Adam, and before that in 2009 and then in 2016 with the Corsa OPC.

Tschaggi's triumph, however, came as a surprise even to him. His only test in Frauenfeld consisted of the drive from the paddock to the start to inspect the course and the two practice runs.

After the first race run still eight tenths behind last year's third-placed and 2016 winner Fabio Gubitosi, he undercut his target by 56 hundredths in the final run. The surprise was perfect.

Stephan Tschaggelar: "I had to look up for myself when exactly I had won the last time. It was 2008 in Bure, but there I benefited as an early starter from the onset of rain. Last year I was never able to leave Fabio behind me, but I did in 2016. So I knew that victory in Frauenfeld could be possible."

Just two hundredths behind, Rolf Tremp, who only gave away third place overall in 2017 in the last race, came in third. René Zogg, virtually a veteran of Swiss motor racing (he drove in the Group 1 Cadet 40 years ago!), finished fourth, already 4.8 seconds behind Tschaggelar.

Finer driving style than with the Corsa OPC
In Interlaken, Muzzarelli took over the Adam S from Amriswil and drove it to victory in the first race with a lead of 4.2 seconds over Zogg and 5.33 over Tremp. He confirmed this later with the second victory of the day, albeit with a difference of only 2.78 seconds.

Marcel Muzzarelli: "I never thought that the lead would be so big. But with Tschaggelar, Gubitosi and Christian Zimmermann, who is still to come, three winning riders were missing."

And how does the Adam S drive?

Marcel Muzzarelli: "I was able to adjust to this during the test days in Ambri. It's extremely important not to slide too much to avoid getting into ESP. Without a lock, you have to drive much more finely than with the Corsa and have patience when pulling the trigger..."

Zogg leads after two second places
René Zogg and Rolf Tremp again took the other two podium places. Andreas Stucki, normally on the hunt for top lap times in the Clio Cup Central Europe, cut a fine figure as a guest driver. Two fourth places also earned him two more trophies, although the gap of more than six seconds in each case seemed galactic to him.

In the championship, three drivers who have already competed in all three slaloms lead the table. Zogg with 110 points just ahead of Tremp with 108 and Jean-Philippe Jaquier (ranks 7, 6 and 7) with 86. Since fourth-placed Muzzarelli (80) will only compete in one more race, Tschaggelar in two more, there will definitely be a new champion.

Amazing time comparison
By the way: Those who laugh about the "slow" Opel Adam S should take a look at the ranking list from Interlaken: Muzzarelli's best time resulted in 119th place overall among 176 classified in the Nationals field! In the LOC field this would have resulted in 26th place out of 89 - and this with one of the smallest cars ever. Any questions?

Next round on June 24 in Chamblon.

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