It is nearly 7 o’clock. In the stadium on Sommerdamm, the teams of four are forming, sunscreen is being distributed, anticipation and tension are spreading. 750 Opel employees are preparing in the evening sun – dressed in grey and yellow jerseys with ‘OMG! GSE’ on the back. Next to the tagline for the run: the Mokka GSE prototype. Still camouflaged, still in testing, but already the centre of attention thanks to motorsport performance that will go into series production.

5,4,3,2,1 – Starting signal!

At the 12^th Opel Company Run, it doesn’t matter who is the first to cross the finish line. Taking part is more important. For example, three trainees at the side of their training manager. The daughter, pushed in the pram. Four ‘Women of Stellantis’ from Rüsselsheim, Eisenach and Paris. The colleague in the panda bear costume of the sister brand Fiat. Pensioners in functional shirts, ambitious sprinters with heart rate monitors. And in the middle of it all: Opel CEO Florian Huettl with the start number 1, together with other representatives of the Opel management team. Some sprint, others walk. The mission: to reach the finish line together with team spirit.

As soon as the starting gun has been fired, another team starts a competition of its own – inconspicuous, efficient, hungry: with a sprint to the sausage stand. Secretly founded years ago on the sidelines of the Company Run, they have been training for weeks. Their goal is not on the track – but at the barbecue. “I’m only running for the sausage,” says a team member and takes a big bite, euphorically cheering on the last runners who set off on the six-kilometre course. This year, for the first time, it leads from the stadium directly to the Main meadows, on a circular path along the Main into the Opel old plant, before finally returning to the stadium.

Some are ambitious, others take a more relaxed approach. For example, Carlo Nenast, the fastest runner. The Opel employee needs 22 minutes and 45 seconds. He is well trained, he says. His goal: Berlin Marathon, under 2:30 hours. The man from battery development certainly has the necessary determination. In total, around 1,200 runners take to the track. The Opel Company Run has long since established itself as a traditional running event beyond the region.

Before the run, it’s not just a matter of forming a team and training: Each team needs to agree on a team name. 404 Pace Not Found – a name like an error message, but the four colleagues from the General Assembly department show that they not only have the production under control, but also the running speed. Jakob in particular impresses his teammates: “You went into cruise control and were gone,” they marvel at the finish.

From high-performance to idle

A strong quartet that shows performance not only on the track, but also in everyday work: Melanie Jopp from Eisenach, Ramona Syska and Nina Thiele from Rüsselsheim and Marjorie Lhuilleur-Guinot from Paris. The Women of Stellantis once again compete together, as in previous years. For her, the company run is more than just a sport: “It’s about cohesion – across locations,” says Nina Thiele, President of the Women’s Network.

Maik Giess, Head of Training and Head of Human Resources, has issued the motto ‘Run with the Boss’ in advance. With success: Together with three trainees, he successfully navigates the course. The ‘Ralenti’ team also demonstrates creativity in the naming process – derived from the French ‘au ralenti’, meaning ‘idle’. And that’s exactly how the participants in this team take it: relaxed and with a smile on their faces. The group, consisting of product marketing employees and former colleagues, sees the evening as a reunion and a statement: the main thing is to be together.

Families, Diversity, Cohesion

Christoph Wilfer is about to take to the track with the whole family. Wife, children, daughter’s friend, the youngest daughter in the pram. Opel doesn’t just run – Opel is alive. Saskia Harms represents the Diversity & Inclusion team. Because the run also sets an example. For openness, diversity and togetherness. And then there are the annual heroes in sneakers: ‘The old sweaty feet’. The oldest running group – with a proud combined age of 284 years. What motivates them? Anything but retirement.

After a good 41 minutes, Florian Huettl is back in the stadium with start number 1. “We start together – and we reach the finish line together,” says the Opel CEO and Managing Director of Stellantis Germany. Together with Ralph Wangemann, Tobias Gubitz and Stefan Zimmermann, he crosses the finish line in lockstep – a strong signal for cohesion. Everyone deserves the after-run party with refreshing drinks. The Opel company run is more than just a race. It’s a festival. A statement. A run for team spirit. And the sausages? Well deserved.