Hemberg: Countdown to the start of the season
FIRST LOOK AT STARTING LIST On June 15/16, the Swiss Mountain Championship begins in Hemberg. Despite the date clash with the Romont slalom, almost 170 riders are registered for the race in Toggenburg. In contrast to our neighboring countries, the mountain championship in Switzerland always starts in the summer. As in previous years, Hemberg on June 15/16 makes [...]
In contrast to our neighboring countries, the mountain championship in Switzerland always starts in the summer. As in previous years, Hemberg kicks things off on June 15/16.
The organization also goes full throttle
As AutoSprintCH had reported in the April/May print magazine, holding this race for financial reasons is by no means a foregone conclusion. Encouraging feedback from other potential sponsors and from the circle of participants persuaded the organizing committee, led by Christian Schmid, to once again approach the matter at full throttle. Just as the riders expected on the third weekend in June in the picturesque Toggenburg region will do on the 1758-meter race course. There are 168 of them on the start list. Of these, 31 are in the REG licensed classes.
Noticeable schedule clash
Christian Schmid admits that it could have been ten to fifteen more participants, which would have reached the planned quota of starting places. The date overlap with the slalom Romont has undoubtedly influenced this. The association Bergrennen Hemberg hopes all the more for beautiful summer weather, so that no losses must be coped with at the spectator entries.
Large touring car fields
A look at the starting list from Hemberg shows that of the specialists, in addition to many Romands, only a few from German-speaking Switzerland are missing, who want to score points in the Slalom-SM on the same Sunday. With 49 entries in Group E/TCR and 41 in Interswiss, the special cars are strongly represented despite Romont. They are led by the three Mitsubishi drivers Ronnie Bratschi, Thomas Kessler and Roger Schnellmann.
Joël Volluz only in Anzère
Of the usual contenders for stage wins, only Joël Volluz is missing. The man from Valais will not compete in Switzerland with his Osella FA30-Judd until Anzère (July 28) and until then continues to give preference to foreign events. Last weekend, Volluz finished a very good fourth overall behind the Italians Christian Merli, Simone Faggioli and Diego Degasperi at the European Championship round Ecce Homo in the Czech Republic.
Steiner against Berguerand
Under normal conditions, the day's victory will be decided between defending champion and record holder Marcel Steiner in the LobArt-Mugen and Eric Berguerand in the Lola FA99-Cosworth. While Steiner wants to build on the great success of Eschdorf in May, it will be the first start of the season for Berguerand. As the track surface has been renewed in the start area and in the middle section to smooth out unevenness, a new record time is in the air in the course of this high-level duel.
Lola with more Formula 1 parts
In addition, Berguerand has now modified his homemade Lola based on a former Formula 3000 with further body parts from Force India F1. Having made a development leap in 2018 with an F1 front spoiler, he now adds corresponding flanks and a rear wing from Formula 1. So after Berguerand's record-breaking drives at the last two Swiss hillclimbs in 2018 at Gurnigel and Les Paccots, we can be particularly curious about his times.
With Thomas Amweg (Lola-Cosworth) and Robin Faustini (Reynard-Mugen), two other fast drivers with three-liter V8 race cars are already on the grid at Hemberg.
In the next two weeks until the hill climb Hemberg and afterwards we will report continuously online. Further information, also about the ticket presale, can also be found on the homepage of the organizer.
