The current German rally champions Philip Geipel and Katrin Becker are ready. The dynamic duo wants to have a say in the title award in the new season. With the proven team Speedlife Motorsport and the winning car Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, the successful combination relies on consistency.
The heartbeat finale last year is unforgettable. Geipel/Becker won the DRM rating at the last stop of the tour in Lower Bavaria with a razor-thin lead of 0.5 seconds and were thus one point ahead of second Marijan Griebel in the final rating. Philip Geipel and co-driver Katrin Becker are relaxed as the current German rally champions into the new season and feel no pressure. "It's not that only defending the title counts and nothing else matters. On the contrary. As always, we want to have fun, enjoy our sport and the great rallies. Our goal is to achieve good individual results and be among the front runners," explains the Plauener.
However, the competition is very strong. The narrowly beaten second in the championship, Marijan Griebel, will start with the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 and will be supported by the Pole Promotion team in the title hunt. Philip Geipel: "The new Škoda was very dominant in Monte Carlo and in the rallies afterwards and is technically far superior to our vehicle. In addition, with Pole Promotion, a financially strong team is behind Marijan. That makes a possible title defense very difficult for us, but we will Stand up and see what it's enough for in the end." After a turbulent end of 2022 with many appointments, including at the Essen Motor Show, the 36-year-old had time to put together the current budget. A rally is planned as preparation for the new season. In addition, all the components that made the first DRM title possible are back in the game. Philip Geipel: "It was a bit stressful after the championship and there were many events coming up. But afterwards I was able to put together a powerful package again with my partners and sponsors. Everyone has remained loyal and we hope for an exciting and successful year 2023."
