Christian Merli racing at Falperra in Portuga

Scuderia Pintarally Motorsport driver Christian Merli has travelled 500 kilometres to Braga in northern Portugal to compete in the 45th Rampa Internacional da Falperra on Sunday. He has recently won the two races in Austria and Spain. His team colleague, Alexander Hin from Germany, has achieved second place in Spain with the same car.

Christian explains the race in Portugal

“We’re hoping for good weather, better than in Spain. A dry surface would be preferable, because the track is very fast. You can’t afford any mistakes here. I like this event a lot, and the public is fantastic. There will be three practice runs and then two race runs which together make up the final classification. A very fast track where you reach speeds of over 250 km/h. The start, a straight stretch and a fast left-hand bend to be taken in 4th gear. A straight and a right-hand corner in 3rd gear, then a straight going upward, followed by a series of very fast double bends. Braking hard for a left-hand hairpin, then a very fast mixed section and a wide chicane. Next the stretch where you reach maximum speed and a brow with a downhill stretch in 6th gear. A 3rd gear right-hand bend, a left-hand hairpin, a straight, and the finish line. No time to breathe.”

The FIA European Hill Climb Championship programme

26 April: Rechbergrennen (Austria), 10 May: Subida al Fito (Spain), 17 May: Rampa da Falperra (Portugal), 7 June: Ecce Homo (Czech Republic), 14 June: Glasbachrennen (Germany), 28 June: Coppa Paolino Teodori (Italy), 19 July: Limanowa (Poland), 16 August: Saint-Ursanne (Switzerland), 30 August: Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia), 20 September: Buzetski dani (Croatia).

Translation by Ruth Scheithauer