Merli at the penultimate European championship round in Slovenia

On Sunday Christian Merli will be racing his Osella FA 30 Judd LRM at the penultimate round of the European Championship 2023, the 29th Ilirska Bistrica hill climb in Slovenia.
The Scuderia Vimotorsport driver has won all the events so far: France, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland and Switzerland.
He is leading the standings with 200 points, followed by Iraola Lanzagorta from Spain (154) and Trnka from the Czech Republic (136). There are still 50 points on the table.

The track in Merli’s words
“A race in north eastern Slovenia, close to the Austrian border. There are three practice heats and two race heats on the 5.010 km track, which starts with a fast mixed section with bends to be taken at full throttle. After the first kilometre there is a new roundabout and then you brake sharply. Next, a brow and a brief dip, then demanding 3rd and 4th gear corners going uphill. A left-hand hairpin bend, then two more hairpins alternating with two straights and a wide right-hander followed by a fast straight. Then a left-hander at full throttle leading to a challenging 4th gear right-hand corner. Shortly thereafter, the finish line.”

The last two rounds of the European championship 2023
3 September: 29th GHD Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia), 17 September: 42nd Buzetski Dani (Croatia).

Translation by Ruth Scheithauer