Christian Merli is European champion after victory in Croatia
Christian Merli, at the wheel of his Nova Proto NP01 powered by a naturally aspirated Cosworth engine and in Group P2, has won the 44th Buzetski dani in Croatia, the final round of the European hill climb championship. With the performance of his car reduced for this event, he has thus conquered the title of European champion for the sixth time. On the 5.001 km track there were two training runs on Saturday and two race runs on Sunday. This year, the Scuderia Vimotorsport driver has won in Portugal, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and Croatia.
The words of the new European champion 2025
"I am overjoyed by this victory and by my sixth European championship title. At the start of the season, after ten years, I changed cars and at the beginning we really struggled. A new car and an aspirated Cosworth engine, everything was new. I opted for the fight at the top, racing against the Petit brothers and the Spaniard Iraola Lanzagorta. In the first few races we tried to find the right compromise for this car, and from Poland onwards everything went well. I’m tired and happy. Many thanks to Nova Proto, Mader, who took care of the engine, Oram and GMC, and of course also to my sponsors and those who worked for me.”
The weekend in Croatia
In the first practice run Merli with his Nova Proto is fifth, second in his Group P2 behind Fausto Bormolini, who is racing his Reynard K02 single-seater. To be able to aim for the final victory, Merli has limited his engine revs to 9000 rpm and, as mentioned, submitted his entry for Group P2. In the second practice run, the Scuderia Vimotorsport driver sets the best time overall, improving by 17", and is 1"096 ahead of Kevin Petit with his much stronger Nova Proto NP01 in Group P1. Thomas Pedrini at the wheel of the Wolf Thunder 1000, making his debut both on the car and on the track, is 4th in Group P2.
The times of the two race runs on Sunday are added together for the final classification. In the first run, it is Kevin Petit who tops the timesheet, Merli is 0”300 behind, the two Nova Protos of Iraola Lanzagorta 1”960 and Sébastien Petit 4”337, respectively. The sports racers take their second run just before 7pm. Merli wins, followed by Kevin Petit, Iraola Lanzagorta from Bilbao and Sébastien Petit (2”717 behind). Thomas Pedrini finishes 10th in Category 2 with the Wolf.
The podium on accumulated times
1st Merli (Nova Proto NP01 Group P2), 2nd K. Petit (Nova Proto NP01) 0”230 behind, 3rd Iraola Lanzagorta (Nova Proto NP01) 3”240 behind.
Translation by Ruth Scheithauer