FIA Masters: The national team is ready 🎥
HILL CLIMB FINALE FOR MEDALS Seven Swiss drivers will be competing at the FIA Hill Climb Masters in Gubbio (I) this weekend. In the Nations Cup and in the individual classification medals are in the cards for Switzerland. After the two silver medals from Eschdorf (L) 2014 and Ecce Homo (CZ) 2016, another medal win for the Swiss national team at the FIA Hill [...]
After the two silver medals from Eschdorf (L) 2014 and Ecce Homo (CZ) 2016, another medal win is the primary goal for the Swiss national team at the FIA Hill Climb Masters in Gubbio, Italy.
Third medal in sight
Because regularity is important in addition to fast running times (the time difference of the two best race runs per driver is taken into account), team captain Patrick Falk, Director of Auto Sport Schweiz, relies on proven drivers.
2016 silver medalists Fabien Bouduban (in the Norma Turbo from Pikes Peak), Frédéric Neff (Porsche 996 GT3 R) and Roger Schnellmann (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII) know from experience how to do it.
As the fourth man, Marcel Steiner (LobArt-Mugen), who has never competed in an FIA Hill Climb Masters before, gets the chance to win a team medal. With Neff and Steiner, both last year's and this year's Swiss Hill Climb Champions are thus on the team.
Chances for the Swiss E1 pilots
Each of this quartet, plus the three other drivers Thomas Kessler (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII), Reto Meisel (Mercedes SLK340-Judd) and Michel Zemp (Cupra TCR), is naturally also aiming for a top performance in the individual classification.
In total, there are four categories in which medal sets are up for grabs: E2, E1/OpenTCGT, OpenSS/SC and A/N/GT/S2000. For the individual classification, the fastest time from three race runs counts. Thanks to the beautiful late summer weather in Umbria, the external conditions are ideal.
For the first time, the Open category will be separated into touring cars/GT and racing sports cars. Therefore, the two fast Swiss Mitsubishi E1 drivers Schnellmann and Kessler are among the contenders for a medal.
Roger Schnellmann: "I don't know some of the drivers well enough to assess their strengths. I certainly have Thomas on the list. It probably also depends on the daily form of each individual. Our simulator training at RacingFuel has brought a lot, now it's a matter of putting this into practice in reality. The track is very selective and reminiscent of St. Ursanne-Les Rangiers. It's definitely the fastest track of the three FIA Hill Climb Masters so far."
Since Reto Meisel's homebuilt is entered in the E2-SH group, it has no chance against the pure racing cars. However, the E2-SH has a strong field, so that even winning the group would be a success.
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175 drivers from 22 nations
Never before has a hill climb race been so well attended in terms of quality. There are 175 drivers from 22 European countries. 49 racing sports cars start in the FIA category E2 (SS, SC and SH), 22 more in the Open category, which is led by the British with their lightweight racing cars (410 kg and up to 700 hp).
The day's victory on the 3310-meter route from Gubbio to Madonna della Cima will be decided between the Italians Simone Faggioli (Norma-Zytek) and Christian Merli (Osella FA30-Zytek), as in the European Mountain Championship.
Who will be third?
In addition to several other strong Italians who know the track from the national championship race and the fastest Brits, Swiss champion Marcel Steiner and French champion Sébastien Petit (Norma-Mugen) are contenders for the bronze medal. If Faggioli or Merli slip up, there's even more in it.
The complete starting list of all riders and nations can be seen on the homepage of the organizer.
