Here's the thing: when a manufacturer like Opel steps into Formula E with a massive new machine like the Opel GSE 27FE, you pay attention. Team Principal Jörg Schrott—who has been leading Opel Motorsport since 2012 after joining the German manufacturer way back in 1997—has opened up about how their GEN4 programme has been shaping up since it kicked off over two years ago. Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Schrott laid out the intense timeline that took the project from initial design, components, dyno testing, and simulation, all the way to hitting the track.
The work hasn't stopped there, either. Testing has already seen the team complete 12 test days and rack up approximately 6,000 kilometres on track, yielding what Schrott describes as very solid reliability from the very beginning. Next up are some major milestones ahead of the 2026/27 season, including FIA homologation, building up the cars, completing the shakedown, and heading to Spain for the official pre-season testing at Jarama to prove their race operations under real conditions.
Driving this brand-new venture is quite the line-up. Opel has signed Mitch Evans—who leaves Jaguar TCS Racing after a decade and holds the record for the most wins in Formula E’s history—alongside 2023 FIA Formula 2 Champion Théo Pourchaire coming in as a rookie. They are joined by Test and Development Driver Sophia Flörsch. Schrott noted that both race drivers have played a crucial role in the simulator and the real car, diving straight into full collaboration with the engineers and the whole team.
Fans at the Paris Motor Show also got a proper look at the car's striking livery featuring three bold colours—black, silver, and yellow—paying homage to Opel’s motorsport history while showing off the pure performance of their GEN4 race car. With the general reaction from the fan community, headquarters, markets, and plants all buzzing with pride as Opel returns to the big stage in motorsport, the countdown to Jarama is well and truly on.
