Christian Merli starting at Col Saint Pierre in France

On Sunday, Christian Merli, Team Blue City Motorsport leader, will be tackling the first round of the European Hill Climb Championship at the wheel of the Osella FA 30. The 46th edition of the Col Saint Pierre hill climb on the 5.280 km track in Saint Jean du Gard in southern France is contested over three race heats, of which two count for the European championship. Last Sunday, the champion from Trentino clinched a splendid victory at the Salita del Costo in Italy.

Christian’s comments on the French track
“A short initial straight, then a winding part, followed by a fast and very technically demanding section to be taken in high gears. At last Sunday’s race we worked on several solutions, but I have to add that we arrived at the start exhausted, because we had been working day and night to get our car ready.
For this coming weekend we rely on the weather forecast, which for now promises wet practice and a dry race.”

The opponents
“Our point of reference is certainly Faggioli, but let’s not forget the French drivers such as Bouche, Guillaumard, Ritchen, Petit and all the others who will be racing on home soil. By the way, on our team this year there is also Christoph Lampert from Austria at the wheel of the Osella FA 30.”

The 2018 programme
“It’s not yet defined. We’ll decide from one race to the next.”

The European Hill Climb Championship calendar
15 April: Col Saint Pierre (France), 22 April: Rechbergrennen (Austria), 13 May: 39ª Rampa Internacional da Falperra (Portugal), 20 May: 47ª Subida al Fito (Spain), 3 June: Ecce Homo (Czech Republic), 10 June: Glasbachrennen 2018 (Germany), 24 June: Coppa Paolino Teodori (Italy), 22 July: 35ª Dobsinsky Kopec (Slovakia ), 29 July: Limanowa (Poland), 19 August: Course de Côte de Saint Ursanne (Switzerland), 2 September: Bistrica (Slovenia), 16 September: Buzetski Dani (Croatia).

Ruth Scheithauer