Rain cannot stop Christian Merli in Poland
Christian Merli conquers the top step of the podium at the 13th edition of the Hill Climb Limanowa, southeast of Krakow in Poland, with two race heats held on the 5.493 km track. Despite the sudden downpour in the second run, the driver of the Osella FA 30 Judd LRM dominates also the sixth of the nine rounds of the FIA European Hill Climb Championship. So far he has won all the championship rounds – in France, Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy and Poland –, and he is leading the provisional Category 2 classification with maximum points. In Poland the Scuderia Vimotorsport driver has notched victory in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022.
Christian’s comments
“It’s a shame that the rain upset the classification of the second race heat. It started drizzling when we were lining up, and I went up cautiously on what was a very slippery track. But on accumulated times we took first place. Six victories in six races, and it’s my fifth win here in Limanowa. Everything’s fine.”
Practice
In the free practice run on Saturday, Merli immediately sets the fastest time, followed by Petr Trnka from the Czech Republic (Norma) and Alexander Hin from Germany (Osella FA 30). The results of both official practice runs turn out as carbon copies.
The race
On the day of the race the surface is damp. In another free practice run Trnka finishes 0”884 ahead of Merli, and in the first race heat the driver from Trentino takes first place in 1’54”790, followed by Trnka and Hin. The second race heat begins under a cloudy sky, and when it is the turn of the sports racing cars, it starts raining. Merli finishes seventh, but on accumulated times he is first.
The podium
1st Merli (Osella FA 30 Judd LRM), 2nd Trnka (Norma M20 FC) 4”322 behind, 3rd Krupa (Skoda Fabia CT) 9”889 behind.
The European Hill Climb Championship calendar
31 July: 13th Hill Climb Limanowa (Poland), 21 August: 77th Course de Côte de Saint Ursanne (Switzerland), 4 September: 28th GHD Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia), 18 September: 41st Buzetski Dani (Croatia).
Ruth Scheithauer