Christian Merli racing in the Czech Republic
On Sunday Christian Merli will be racing his Osella FA 30 Judd LRM in the 42nd edition of the Ecce Homo hill climb at Sternberk north of Brno in the Czech Republic. The fifth round of the European championship consists of two official practice runs on the 7.800 km track on Saturday and two race heats on Sunday. The win is decided on accumulated times. The track record of 2’39”802 is held by the Scuderia Vimotorsport driver from Trentino, established in 2022. Merli has conquered the top step of the podium five times here (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022).
After four rounds of the 2023 European championship, Merli tops the ranking with 100 points, followed by Trnka from the Czech Republic and Iraola Lanzagorta from Spain (86 points each). Christian has won in France, Austria, Spain and, spectacularly, in Portugal.
The track in Christian’s words
“A very fast track, which you have to take high-geared. Only three hairpins. A prestigious race with a long tradition, and with top speeds of 260 km/h. The track is wide and immediately starts with a very fast mixed section. Next a series of double bends, to be taken in high gears as I said, leading up to a fork in the road, where the track widens further. Some more fast half bends and a long 3rd gear bend in a beautiful natural amphitheatre. Then you push at maximum speed straight through to the finish line. I must absolutely avoid any errors, because my opponent Petr Trnka is racing on his local hill.”
The 2023 European Hill Climb Championship calendar
16 April: Col Saint-Pierre (France), 30 April: Rechbergrennen (Austria), 7 May: 51st Subida al Fito (Spain), 21 May: 42nd Rampa Internacional da Falperra (Portugal), 4 June: 42nd Ecce Homo Sternberk (Czech Republic), 18 June: 62nd Coppa Paolino Teodori (Italy), 2 July: 14th Hill Climb Limanowa (Poland), 20 August: 78th Course de Côte de Saint-Ursanne (Switzerland), 3 September: 29th GHD Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia), 17 September: 42nd Buzetski Dani (Croatia).
Translation by Ruth Scheithauer