Renault Classic Cup: New momentum in 2021
EX-PRÄSI AGAIN AT THE RUDER Stephan Zbinden has been president of the Renault Classic Club before. From 2021, the Bernese will again take over the leadership. In May, the Clio drivers were supposed to drive their first races again. Due to the current ban on club meetings, this year's General Assembly was held by correspondence. All board members were unanimously newly elected or re-elected. The second president [...]
Due to the current ban on association meetings, this year's General Assembly was held by correspondence. All board members were unanimously newly elected or re-elected.
The second president takes the reins again
After Roger D. Meyer had already announced his resignation as club president at the last joint AGM in February 2020, the search for a new leader of the active club was not easy. This could be found in the person of Stephan Zbinden.
The Bernese has been with the club practically since its beginnings, when it was still called R5 Classic Club. Both as a driver (Cup winner in 1994) and as a board member. As the successor to founding president Hubert Wenger, Zbinden presided over the RCC for five years. As an honorary member, he remained loyal to the club, even though he took a break from racing.
Daughter Sara also fetches vigorously
Since 2015, the veteran has again been competing for trophies and championship points in a Clio RS III. Now further tasks await him.
Stephan Zbinden: "After there had been problems on the part of the board for some time, I decided to take on this great burden once again, together with the three previous as well as two additional new board members. I'm doing it for the sake of the club and the riders."
The new Executive Board is now composed as follows:
- Stephan Zbinden (President, new/former)
- Bruno Gerber (Vice Chairman, new)
- Marc Beyeler (Treasurer, new)
- Sara Zbinden (Marketing/Homepage, until now)
- Thomas Zürcher (Head of Sports, until now)
- Denis Wolf (assessor, clothes/glue)
Anniversary not until 2022
In mid-March, the newly constituted Board of Directors already met for its first, naturally Corona-compliant meeting. One of the items discussed was the 30th anniversary actually planned for 2021. This will be postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic and for cost reasons, so that it can then be celebrated in an appropriate setting.
Tricky championship calendar
It is not an easy task for Tom Zürcher to set up a championship calendar in consultation with his colleagues. Due to cancellations or postponements of events, he has to make changes on an ongoing basis.
Unlike in 2020, when the season was completely cancelled, the Renault drivers can hope for some races, especially since the RCC is the only officially registered one-make cup that has circuit races abroad on its schedule in addition to national hill climbs and slaloms.
Season start at the Nürburgring
However, the five-time club champion has had to cancel the start of the season from April 16 to 18 in Hockenheim due to travel conditions that cannot legally be met. The chances are better that the resumption of RCC racing for more than one and a half years can take place from May 21 to 23 at the Nürburgring.
There, as well as in July (16th to 18th) in Spa, the RCC is allowed to run in the Cup & Touring Car Trophy field with the permission of the German governing body DMSB. However, the RCC drivers are still to vote on participation in Belgium instead of the Frauenfeld slalom on the same weekend.
Hope for as many Swiss races as possible
Otherwise, as in pre-Corona times, all hill climbs except Massongex would be scheduled as championship races. In addition, as many remaining slaloms as possible are to be raced.
Tom Zürcher: "With this calendar, we not only want to do something for our drivers, but also support the organizers. So we hope that there really will be some Swiss races in 2021, because they can count on us."
