Countdown for the 48th mountain race Gurnigel
MOUNTAIN RACING After the disastrous outcome of the Oberhallau hill climb, Swiss motor racing must somehow find its way back to normality. At the Gurnigel next weekend, Marcel Steiner could ideally already secure the championship title. The fatal accident of Martin Wittwer in Oberhallau has caused great horror and deep consternation in the Swiss motor sport scene. The grief will also be felt at the Gurnigel, [...]
The fatal accident of Martin Wittwer in Oberhallau has caused great horror and deep consternation in the Swiss automotive sports scene. The sadness will also be felt everywhere at the Gurnigel, where the 2017 Swiss Mountain Championship enters its decisive final phase next weekend.
It is not only now that everything is done to offer the greatest possible safety at Switzerland's oldest mountain race (first held in 1910). At the event, which has been organized by the Bergrennen Gurnigel association since 2006, this is always the biggest budget item. However, track manager Heinz Uhlmann, himself a racer for many years, emphasizes: "There is no such thing as absolute safety."
It is to be wished to the VBG, as well as to all other organizers of future races, that the 48th National Hill Climb Gurnigel on September 9/10 will pass without a serious accident and thus only the inherently good sport will make headlines. One would like to do this in any case, namely local hero Marcel Steiner.
Marcel Steiner no longer has to, but wants to win
If defending champion Eric Berguerand takes the stage win in his Lola-Cosworth, as he has done in the last four years, third place would be enough for Steiner to clinch an early decision in his favor. "Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not content with that. It's time for me to win again at my home race," says the 42-year-old garage owner from Oberdiessbach.
Marcel Steiner won continuously from 2008 to 2012. First twice with the Martini sports car, then three times with the Osella FA30. In 2012, he achieved a record time of 1:41.39 (132.58 km/h) with this shuttered race car that has never been beaten again on this 3734-meter race track into Gurnigelbad.
While Steiner will be driving his LobArt with a 3.0 V8 racing engine from Mugen in the sports car category, seven drivers are expected to start in the same-displacement race car class up to three liters, more than ever before this year at a Swiss hill climb. As in Oberhallau, these are Eric Berguerand, Simon Hugentobler, Thomas Amweg, Robin Faustini and Grégoire Siggen.
While Markus Bosshard is taking a break, Frenchman Joël Roussel wants to drive his flashy Lola-Zytek in a Swiss race, as he did last time in Anzère. In addition, Martin Kindler, who hails from nearby Walkringen, will be making his only guest appearance on the mountain in the Dallara-Nissan V6 with which he won the day's race in 2007, as he did last year (fifth overall).
Probably not yet decided is the touring car championship, in which last year's champion and record holder Reto Meisel will be the big absentee after the vehicle fire in Oberhallau. The favorite is Roger Schnellmann in the Group E1 Mitsubishi with over 700 hp, who is second in the championship behind IS dominator Frédéric Neff (Porsche 996 Cup).
In the Mountain Cup, where five riders are within a few points of each other, the champion will certainly not be decided until the final on September 17 in Les Paccots.
The first Bergmeister Junior is chosen
However, the new Swiss Hill Climb Championship Junior, in which Rolf Reding has won the three races so far, will be decided. If his rival Lukas Eugster, who has finished second three times, also remains in front in the overall standings for once and not just after one or two runs, fifth place among the eight competitors on identical production-based Toyota GT86s with Pirelli road tires would be enough for Reding.
Besides Marcel Steiner, another Bernese wants to close the bag at the home race. In the Renault Classic Cup, one classification is enough for Denis Wolf if Philipp Krebs wins again in the advantageous Clio II ahead of the actually faster but heavier Clio III. If Ralf Henggeler from Schwyz disturbs the Bernese mountain festival and finishes first, Wolf has to finish at least third to secure the title even before the slalom in Ambri on October 8.
VBG has received so many entries that some even had to be rejected in order not to exceed the self-imposed quota of 270 cars plus 45 historic motorcycles. In a special field, historic and modern Opel racing touring cars will carry out some demonstration runs.
The complete start list, the exact schedule and further information about the traditional event at the gates of Bern can be found on the homepage of the organizer.
