Christian Merli racing in the Czech Republic
On Sunday Christian Merli will be racing his Nova Proto NP01 with its naturally aspirated Cosworth V8 engine in the 45th edition of the Ecce Homo hill climb at Sternberk north of Brno in the Czech Republic. The fourth 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 Pintarally Motorsport driver from Trentino, established in 2022. Merli has conquered the top step of the podium seven times here (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025). On this track, the car with the most power and smoothest performance comes out on top.
The track in Christian’s words
“A very fast track, which you have to take high-geared. Only three hairpins. A prestigious race 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. You absolutely can’t afford to make any mistakes. My opponents will give their all.”
The opponents
“I certainly see local driver Petr Trnka as one of the favourites in his Nova Proto Turbo NP 01. It’s his home race, in front of his home crowd, and he’ll be keen not to let them down. But let’s not underestimate the Spaniard Iraola Lanzagorta and Kevin Petit. They’re all in turbo-powered cars, while Alexander Hin, my teammate, is driving a similar car and engine to mine.”
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