Weekend Tip: Mountain Race Gurnigel 🎥

PREVIOUS DECISIONS At Gurnigel, the Swiss Mountain Championship 2019 is entering the decisive phase. For host Marcel Steiner, the starting position is difficult, but not hopeless. https://www.facebook.com/BergrennenGurnigel/videos/2796873556994042/ One would not wish it on any organizer and certainly not on the association Bergrennen Gurnigel (VBG). The event, which is being held nationally for the 50th time this weekend and has been prepared with a lot of effort, lives [...]

Editorial - September 4, 2019

https://www.facebook.com/BergrennenGurnigel/videos/2796873556994042/

One wishes it to no organizer and certainly not to the association mountain race Gurnigel (VBG). The event, which is being held nationally for the 50th time this weekend and has been prepared with a great deal of effort, thrives on the atmosphere and the income of as many spectators as possible. Therefore it is to be wished that the weather plays along to some extent and the anniversary running, whose history goes back to the year 1910, becomes the success. Sporting in any case - because at the penultimate SM run on the mountain, exciting battles and the first preliminary decisions can be expected in all classes.

First match point for Eric Berguerand
If Eric Berguerand continues the winning streak he has been on since the 2018 Gurnigel race in the Lola-Cosworth he developed himself and has now optimized, he will be champion ahead of schedule. Whether in the wet or the dry - since 2013, Marcel Steiner from Oberdiessbach has always been beaten by the 40-year-old from Martigny.

In 2019, Eric Berguerand was in the middle of every mountain race contested and Marcel Steiner was next to him in second place. Thomas Amweg has been third twice (Photo: Peter Wyss).

But especially in changeable weather, a small mistake with big consequences or a technical defect can happen quickly. With only two race heats, whose times are added together, anything is therefore possible. So also the first season's victory of Steiner with the LobArt sports car. Only if he succeeds in doing so can he keep the title race open for another seven days until Châtel-St-Denis-Les Paccots, although everything would have to go in his favor there as well.

The duel between Robin Faustini and Thomas Amweg from Aargau in their comparable Formula Nippon and Formula 3000 race cars for third place overall also promises to be exciting. Faustini can hardly be denied the third SM final place either way. Therefore, the younger driver will not risk everything because this is more important to him.

Robert Wicki cannot exploit the traction advantage of the Mitsubishi RS2 in the dry. Therefore, he hopes for rain, which is not wished for the VBG.

Feigenwinter or Wicki?
In the touring car mountain championship, Andy Feigenwinter has exactly the same points tally as Berguerand. He too wants, but no longer has to win to become the first driver with a Lotus to become champion. Since Dino Wintsch has cancelled due to time constraints, the Basle resident has lost one strong opponent, but the other is Röbi Wicki. The man from Zug has been performing rain dances for days in order to be able to exploit the potential of the four-wheel drive Mitsubishi in the SuperSeries group.

Festival of horsepower monsters
Wicki's brand colleagues Ronnie Bratschi and Roger Schnellmann with their horsepower monsters from Group E1 are the only ones who can still pose a mathematical threat to Feigenwinter. Together, they set a new class record in 2018, and if it stays dry, Reto Meisel's absolute touring car record is likely to fall in this great duel.

Falling behind early because of his two zeros, this is the greater attraction for Bratschi than perhaps still like 2018 SM second or at the expense of Feigenwinter yet to become champion. Except for Gurnigel and Les Paccots, Bratschi already owns all records, which reflects his speed rather than the championship ranking.

"Rocket Bruno" Ianniello is still one of the crowd favorites. At Gurnigel, there will be a reunion with him and his Lancia.

By the way, Yves Hängärtner and Romeo Nüssli with their potent Ford Escort Cosworth are expected at the start for the first time this year, as well as again Bruno Ianniello in the Lancia Delta S4 and Michael Widmer in the Mitsubishi Mirage Proto. Except for Thomas Kessler (accident in Anzère) and Simon Wüthrich (accident in Reitnau), all the top four-wheelers will be present.

Two days of action from 7 am
On Saturday, practice will start at 7 a.m., with the E1 group completing its third practice only early on Sunday morning. In the well-staffed field of REG-licensed drivers, two races will be held on Saturday to decide the day's winner.

Start of the first race of the Nationals is on Sunday at 8.15 a.m., end of the race around 5.30 p.m. The Gurnigel legends on the occasion of the anniversary (autosprint.ch/motorsport/swiss-sport/bergrennen-gurnigel-legends-jubilee) go up the mountain twice a day. They alone are worth the visit.

The complete starting list, the schedule and further information can be found on the homepage of the organizer, the championship standings on the page of Auto Sport Switzerland.