When Opel announces its entry into Formula E and the flashlights focus on Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds and Opel CEO Florian Huettl, Jörg Schrott is one step behind the main protagonists – and yet right in the middle of the action. He is the man who has been given the task of ensuring that technology, talent and timing come together and deliver results at the right moment.

The setting could hardly be more symbolic. Jarama racetrack, international paddock, cameras, babble of voices – and in the middle of it all the news: Opel will enter the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as a factory team from next season, which starts at the end of 2026. A step that not only continues the brand’s motorsport history, but also realigns it. Electric, global, future-oriented. Presented by CEO Florian Huettl, Vice President Marketing Rebecca Reinermann and Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds – in front of media from all over the world. The next day, 30,000 spectators watch the race, including King Felipe VI of Spain. A successful start.

It is Jörg Schrott’s first appearance as Team Principal of the Opel GSE Formula E Team – a role that is new and yet made for him. Because Schrott knows Opel. And Opel knows Schrott. He has been working for the brand since 1997, was one of the first at the Opel Performance Centre, has built structures, developed programmes, not only managed motorsport, but shaped it and led it into the future. Since 2012, he has been responsible for all activities as Motorsport Director – from the promotion of young talent to the international stage. Among other things, six Junior European Rally Championship titles are the result. And projects such as the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup show that he understood early on where the sport was heading.

Entering Formula E is not a leap into the unknown. It is the logical consequence. And for Schrott, the result of a process that dragged on for about two years. Now, he says, the right moment has come: “The new GEN4 cars mark the beginning of a new era begins: more power, higher cornering speeds, more aggressive aerodynamics.” And another advantage: All manufacturers are starting again with the same conditions. The cards are being reshuffled – a rare opportunity.

“I am happy about the trust and look forward to the new challenge,” says Jörg Schrott. A sober description of a great task. Because now the real work begins. Building a team that can hold its own in one of the toughest racing series in the world. Sign drivers who are not only fast, but smart. Bringing together engineers who turn energy into efficiency. Creating processes that carry at the decisive moment. One piece of the puzzle is in place: With the appointment of 25-year-old Sophia Flörsch from Munich as a test and development driver, Opel has not only caused a stir and made headlines, but has once again underlined how the brand continues to bring the topic of talent promotion and equality to life.

“Success only comes from real teamwork and the right mindset,” says Schrott. Formula E does not forgive any detours. What makes him special in this situation is his perspective. Schrott does not think of motorsport in isolation. He thinks of him as part of the brand. As a link between the racetrack and the series. Between technology and attitude.

The entry perfectly matches the brand’s electric strategy. With the GSE label, Opel wants to show that all-electric performance is not a promise, but reality – on the road as well as on the track. Formula E will become a showcase for upcoming models. What is developed here is also relevant for production cars: software, energy management, efficiency.

Aspects such as driver selection, team building and race strategy are the responsibility of Opel Motorsport. Short decision-making processes should help to react quickly on the track and to adapt set-ups flexibly. It is an approach that suits Schrott, the man who knows the engine room and the command bridge in equal measure: strategically strong, team-oriented, with staying power and a clear motorsport DNA.

In the background, preparations are in full swing. Because the ambition is clear: not only to participate, but to attack. Opel is going into Formula E – and with Jörg Schrott is putting someone at the top who knows that big steps rarely start out with a bang but instead with structure, patience and the will to do it right.