Arlberg race: Rush of the Swiss 🎥

The onboard footage of Lotus champion Dino Wintsch, provided by BRV-Video, shows the attractive course on the Arlberg.

No less than 315 (!) registrations were received by the Renn und Rallye Club Vorarlberg RRCV for participation in the 5th International Arlberg Klein Slalom. But only 150 starting places are normally available - a luxury problem.

With or without racing license
Thanks to a tight schedule and other measures, including protection against Covid-19, organization manager Pepe Hammerer received permission to increase the quota to 190 starting places. Thus, he had to cancel more than a hundred disappointed people.

Priority was of course given to his loyal drivers from the International Drytech Race Automobile Cup, of which the race counts as the first and second round of the 2020 season. All events of the RRCV are held according to the guidelines of the AMF (Austria Motorsport Federation) for license-free, so-called linear small slaloms.

Kick-off of the Lotus V6 Cup Suisse
In addition, the Vorarlberg native has an affinity with Switzerland, as Hammerer lives in Diepoldsau and has been taking care of the timing and evaluation at many slaloms and mountain races in German-speaking Switzerland for many years with his Sportstiming team. He is therefore happy to welcome some drivers from Switzerland who have otherwise never or only occasionally competed at his events.

Especially the people from eastern Switzerland like to participate due to the local proximity and the low costs. Both races at the Arlberg count - as reported - to the Lotus V6 Cup Suisse. The RCU - Renn Club Untertoggenburg, the Porsche Club Dreiländereck and other associations also hold special competitions.

Fast pass road
The start is directly at the end of the village of Stuben am Arlberg. The well-built and winding L197 pass road is defused on the approximately 1.5-kilometer-long closed-off race course with generously staked-out slalom gates. Nevertheless, it remains fast.

On two days, Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July, there will be self-contained races. These will consist of a practice run and four race runs, three of which will be scored. Should there be time delays, the last run will be omitted.

Egli against Maurer
Two well-known names in this country stand out as favorites among the participants from Austria, Germany, Italy (South Tyrol), the Principality of Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Philip Egli (Dallara EPR-2) and Marcel Maurer (Tatuus-Renault), with starting numbers 1 and 2, will engage in a duel for the two day's victories that is familiar from many Swiss slaloms.

For both, it is the first race start since the Ambri slalom on October 6, 2019, when Maurer inflicted Egli's only defeat of the season, knocking him off the SM podium.

Three-country fight in the touring cars
An exciting three-country fight is to be expected in the touring cars. Patrik Nickel from Vorarlberg has already won many Drytech Race Cup races with his infernal Opel Kadett C 16V. In Switzerland, too, Nickel has already achieved record times on the mountain in the E1 two-liters.

From Germany, the fast tuner Mario Minichberger has registered with his BMW 2002 Group 5, which was rebuilt only two years ago, and has been granted a starting permit. Several victories in the KW Berg Cup already went to his account.

The large Swiss delegation is led by Michael Widmer (Mitsubishi Mirage Proto), Manuel Santonastaso (BMW 320i WTCC), Willi Jenni, Christoph Zwahlen, Koni Tarnutzer and Jürg Felix with their Porsche 911 GT3.

Live on site and as livetiming on the internet
As with all RRCV events and Swiss races where Pepe Hammerer's team is in action, the course of the race can be viewed via this Link can be followed in real time.

The access for spectators is unfortunately very limited due to the lack of parking spaces in Stuben and because of the Covid-19 measures and therefore not guaranteed.

Starting fields Friday Starting fields Saturday

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