Christian Merli racing in Switzerland
Scuderia Vimotorsport driver Christian Merli has travelled to Switzerland to race at the 78th Course de Côte de Saint-Ursanne, near the French border west of Basel. It is the eighth of ten European championship rounds. The champion from Trentino has dominated all the European championship events so far, in France, Austria, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Italy and Poland, and is leading the standings with 200 points, followed by the Czech driver Trnka (154) and the Spaniard Iraola Lanzagorta. He is also leader of Group E2-SS, the single-seaters.
Christian describes the track
“A beautiful track, where we won last year and established a new record in 1’39”201. Starting in the middle of the little town, there is immediately a very challenging double bend. Then it gets flatter and there are a couple of straights where you reach 250 km/h. Next a left-hand bend to be taken almost at full throttle underneath a motorway viaduct in a large natural amphitheatre crowded with spectators. Quite a challenging mixed section in the forest, and about one kilometre before the finish line a tricky left-hand bend which tightens up, followed by a right-hand hairpin, a straight stretch of about 100 m, and a left-hand hairpin. Finally another right-hand hairpin before you cross the finish line. The track is 5.180 km long, and there will be three practice heats and two race heats. We now have to deliver and think of the championship, avoid any errors and collect points.”
The 2023 European Hill Climb Championship calendar
16 April: Col Saint-Pierre (France), 30 April: Rechbergrennen (Austria), 7 May: 51st Subida al Fito (Spain), 21 May: 42nd Rampa Internacional da Falperra (Portugal), 4 June: 42nd Ecce Homo Sternberk (Czech Republic), 18 June: 62nd Coppa Paolino Teodori (Italy), 2 July: 14th Hill Climb Limanowa (Poland), 20 August: 78th Course de Côte de Saint-Ursanne (Switzerland), 3 September: 29th GHD Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia), 17 September: 42nd Buzetski Dani (Croatia).
Translation by Ruth Scheithauer