Christian Merli wins in Switzerland
Christian Merli has won the 80th Course de Côte de Saint-Ursanne in Switzerland, the ninth round of the European hill climb championship. After Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic and Italy, he climbed the top step of the podium also in the Swiss round. The Scuderia Vimotorsport driver, at the wheel of his Nova Proto NP01 with its naturally aspirated Cosworth engine prepared by Swiss Heini Mader, was second in the first race run, 0"048 behind the Belgian Starck in the Nova Proto NP01 Turbo, while in the second race run he went all out, stopping the clock at 1'41"481 and beating his direct opponent by 0"565. Victory by the sum of the times is his.
Interview with Christian
"I’m more than happy. In the first race run we were three drivers bunched within a tenth of a second. I was as little as 48 thousandths behind the Belgian. In the second run, thanks to a very good set-up I pushed in the fast section and took the top step of the podium. I am overjoyed, as I’ve won the last four editions in Switzerland, and this is the fifth victory this season with the new car. A big thank you to Giuliano, Massimo, and Benjamin the technician. He’s an engineer who works for the tuner Mader and has worked on our Cosworth. Now Bistrica awaits us, a race with many restarts, where competing with the 1750 turbos will be difficult.”
The weekend in Saint-Ursanne
Three official practice heats on Saturday. It is sunny on the very fast 5.180 km Swiss track. In the first run the Scuderia Vimotorsport driver obtains the best time, 2"388 ahead of Kevin Petit with a Nova Proto Turbo and 4"006 ahead of the Belgian Corentin Starck, also with a Nova Proto. In the second run Merli is again in the lead, while Starck and Petit follow. The ranking in the last run is identical, with Merli leading in 1'43"993 at an average speed of 179.300 km/h.
The times of the two Sunday race heats are added together for the final classification. In the first run, the Belgian Starck, behind the wheel of the Nova Proto NP01, snatches first place from Christian by just 48 thousandths of a second. Kevin Petit is third, 0"079 behind. In the second race run Christian stops the clock at 1'41"481. On accumulated times, he wins the Swiss hill climb. It is his fifth victory of the season.
The podium on accumulated times
1st Merli (Nova Proto NP01 Cosworth), 2nd Starck (Nova Proto NP01 Turbo) 0”517 behind, 3rd Petit (Nova Proto NP01 Turbo) 0”834 behind.
The FIA European Hill Climb Championship programme
13 April: Col Saint-Pierre (France), 27 April: Rechbergrennen (Austria), 11 May: Rampa da Falperra (Portugal), 18 May: Subida al Fito (Spain), 1 June: Ecce Homo (Czech Republic), 8 June: Trento – Bondone (Italy), 20 July: Limanowa (Poland), 3 August: Osnabrück (Germany), 17 August: Saint-Ursanne (Switzerland), 31 August: Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia), 21 September: Buzetski dani (Croatia).
Translation by Ruth Scheithauer