Merli awarded with the legendary Caschi d'Oro statuette
On Tuesday 16 December, the 60th edition of the ACI Caschi d'Oro e Volanti awards ceremony took place at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack in Imola. The gala event, organised by Corriere dello Sport – Stadio and Autosprint in collaboration with the Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI), brought together the best performers of the 2025 season, automobile sport legends and emerging talents from various sectors of motorsport, who were honoured for their sporting achievements. The ceremony was opened by local public representatives, including the President of the Emilia Romagna Region, Michele De Pascale, the Mayor of Imola, Marco Panieri, and the Director of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Autodrome, Pietro Benvenuti, followed by the heads of the two organisations behind the awards, namely the General Manager of Corriere dello Sport - Stadio Ottavio Ottaviani, accompanied by Autosprint Director Andrea Cordovani, Special Commissioner of the Automobile Club d'Italia General Tullio del Sette, ACI Deputy Special Commissioner Giovanni Battista Tombolato, and President-elect of the Automobile Club d'Italia Geronimo La Russa.
Interview with Christian
"It was a really enjoyable evening, where you get to meet the big names from various disciplines. When you're invited to the Caschi d'Oro, it means you've accomplished something important. I received a special award for winning my sixth European title in hill climbing and for being named Best Performer.
Drivers from all disciplines were present, and I had the opportunity to attend the Caschi d'Oro e Volanti ACI awards ceremony. On the podium were the drivers who won the endurance championship with Ferrari. Then there were Italian rally champions Giandomenico Basso and Lorenzo Granai, and Sebastian Dallapiccola, alongside Fabio Andrian, winner of the Italian Junior Rally Championship. Also present were Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Formula 1 driver, and Andrea Stella, McLaren team manager, who dominated the Constructors' and Drivers' titles with Lando Norris.
I am happy with what I have achieved, despite the initial difficulties. We won in Portugal, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and Croatia. I am European Champion for the sixth time and I still can't believe it. At the start of the season, after ten years, I changed vehicles and we struggled a lot in the early races. A new car and a Cosworth naturally aspirated engine. Everything was new. In the first few races, we tried to find the right compromise for this car and then the victories came.”
Holiday wishes
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone happy holidays, especially those who have been close to me this year and contributed to this success."
Translation by Ruth Scheithauer