Slalom: Decisions in Ambri

ADVANTAGE BÜRKI AND MUZZARELLI This weekend, the last slalom of the season will start in Ambri. Three drivers are still in the running for the SM title. In the Suzuki Cup the favorite can take it easy. Martin Bürki, Hanspeter Thöni or Philip Egli? Each of this trio has before the eighth and decisive run on the airfield of Ambri [...]

Editorial - October 3, 2019

Only a defect on the VW Polo or a rare goal error (as happened to him most recently in Drognens before a repeat run) can prevent Martin Bürki from winning his seventh title (Photo: Petzer Wyss).

Martin Bürki, Hanspeter Thöni or Philip Egli? Each of this trio has the maximum score of 140 points on his account before the eighth and decisive race at the Ambri airfield. If all three also win in their classes in Ticino, the number of opponents they have beaten over the year will decide. And Bürki is clearly ahead of Thöni and Egli, also in terms of class strength in the final run.

Lurking just five points behind is local hero Christian Derani. The local hero, who always drives spectacularly in his Fiat X 1/9, can only make it into the top 3 if one of the top trio fails.

No trace of nervousness
However, there is no sign of nervousness among the three title contenders. After all, Egli's goal is to be the first driver ever to win all the slaloms in a season.

Philip Egli: "I'm not excited at all. With the tight performance this year, I simply have to win my class to stay third in the championship. I can't influence anything else."

Hanspeter Thöni is the first small car driver with a chance of winning the title for several years. This not only always requires speed, but also a full class (Photo: Jürg Kaufmann).

Thöni in front of a premiere
While Bürki is on the verge of winning his seventh slalom title, always with the proven VW Polo 1600, and Egli has already finished on the SM podium with his Dallara in 2016 (2nd) and 2018 (3rd), this would mean a premiere for the third of the bunch.

Hanspeter Thöni: "I'll take it as it comes. I'm looking forward to the final and just want to put in two solid runs."

Strong opponents for Egli on a new course
In addition to Egli and Ambri record winner Tiziano Riva in his Reynard 92D F3000 (last driven in 2015), Lukas Eugster in the Ligier-Honda sports car and Marcel Maurer are among the contenders for victory. Eugster has the advantage that he will already be driving a Lotus Exige on Saturday. And Maurer inflicted the last defeat on Egli here a year ago.

However, all participants will have to adjust to a new course. Due to a construction site on the airfield, the course will be shortened from 3.56 to 3.19 kilometers (52 instead of 55 gates) and will now run clockwise.

Tiziano Riva has signed up for his annual guest appearance at the home race. However, the Reynard F3000 is not necessarily suitable for slaloms.

Muzzarelli can stay relaxed
Already on Saturday in the LOC-Slalom and this before the lunch break the decision in the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup will be made. There are also still three drivers in the title race. However, the starting position is clearer here. With a 16-point lead, a 14th place is enough for Marcel Muzzarelli if Fabian Eggenberger wins for the third time in a row. This year, however, the 38-year-old from eastern Switzerland has always finished first or second.

Start lists, schedules and directions can be found on the organizer's homepage.