Suzuki Cup: The champion is called Muzzarelli
CITTER PARTY Although he did not win either of the two completely different races at the slalom final in Ambri, Marcel Muzzarelli secured the title in the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup as he did in 2019. After the two races completed in one day in July in Frauenfeld, the drivers from the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup faced a new challenge. For the first time, there [...]
After the two races completed in one day in July in Frauenfeld, the drivers from the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup faced a new challenge. For the first time, there were two slaloms on two days with different course layouts and weather conditions on one race weekend.
While it was gray and cold but dry on Saturday at the Ambri airfield, it rained in the opposite direction on Sunday during practice and the race. Not unexpectedly, the two daily results were also different.
First winner with hybrid model
On Saturday, Patrick Flammer stunned his colleagues by driving one of now two hybrid models used in the field to victory. A first ever in Swiss auto racing.
Flammer not only made up for his weight handicap with routine and driving skills, but also admitted that the double start with Rico Thomann was undoubtedly no disadvantage thanks to the nicely warmed-up Yokohama tires. Nevertheless, the man from Glarus only edged out defending champion Marcel Muzzarelli by two tenths of a second.
First podium finishes for Reto Steiner
Reto Steiner from Schwyz, who rides for the Flammer Speed Team, made it onto the podium for the first time in third place, which he more than confirmed the other day in the rain with second place. Fabian Eggenberger and Sandro Fehr also placed fourth and fifth in the same second.
The championship was decided on Sunday in the rain, which tightened the conditions and increased the tension. It has never been wet all day for the drivers with the new Swift Sport. The first best time was set by Muzzarelli, closely followed by Eggenberger and Jean-Claude Debrunner, who had never been so far ahead.
High error rate in the decision
The fact that the absolutely standard cars are driven on a knife's edge was shown by goal errors made by nine drivers in the decisive second run. Marcel Muzzarelli was also a tad too fast shortly before the finish and missed a goal.
Fortunately for him, only Eggenberger and Steiner among the front runners improved decisively to his disadvantage and thus secured first and second place. Debrunner, on the other hand, had to accept a ten-second penalty for striking a pylon and slipped to sixth place behind Michaël Béring (in the second hybrid model) and Ralf Henggeler, who had jumped ahead.
Same ranking as 2019
Despite Fabian Eggenberger's second win of the season, third place was enough for Marcel Muzzarelli to secure the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup 2021. Eggenberger was runner-up, as he was two years ago, and the Flammer Speed Team was third thanks to Reto Steiner's podium finishes.
Read more about the season finale in Ticino and the short 2021 championship in a separate analysis later this week.
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