Ronnie Bratschi: Nothing but expenses

Ronnie Bratschi covered around 2,500 kilometers in his truck to take part in the two European Championship hill climbs in Slovakia and Poland with his Mitsubishi Evo IX RS on the third and fourth weekends in July. He could have spared himself the financial and time effort.

Abort for safety reasons
The fourth European Hillclimb Championship 2021 Dobsinsky kopec was stopped by the FIA stewards in the course of the practice session after the serious accident of a touring car driver, fortunately without fatalities. The reason was negligently anchored and fragile guardrails.

Because the security of the participants, some of whom had traveled far, against theft was also not guaranteed, they gladly packed up the same day. It is hardly likely that they will ever return there. The bruised drivers are now demanding compensation for travel costs and paid entry fees, because something like this must not happen at FIA level.

Accident after defect in Poland
The European Championship squad, which also included the Italians led by Simone Faggioli and Christian Merli, moved further north to Limanowa in Poland, about 150 kilometers away. Just as remote as the race in Slovakia and also without much infrastructure, the organizers there at least made every effort.

For Ronnie Bratschi, however, it was not worth it. Unlike in Dobšiná, full points were available for the most potent touring cars with performance factor 1. In the third training run, however, the technology of his self-built Mitsubishi threw a spanner in the works for the first time.

Ronnie Bratschi: "When shifting from fourth to fifth gear, I suddenly lost propulsion in a fast left-hand bend. This caused me to hit a silo bale at around 200 kilometers per hour. Probably a defect in the transmission, because the drive shaft remained whole."

Repairable, but time consuming
Fortunately, the damage (to the left front car) is repairable. Until when, depends on the extent, which is only apparent after complete disassembly.

The next race planned is the Int. ADAC-Bergrennen Osnabrück on August 21/22. Germany's most northerly hillclimb race is not only part of the FIA Hillclimb Cup, but it always attracts drivers from all over Europe with plenty of prize money and an enthusiastic audience.

The next European Championship stop would then be in Ilirska Bistrica in Slovenia, on the same weekend as the only Swiss hillclimb race in 2021 in Oberhallau on August 28/29.

PF1 group opponents would have enough
The man from Uri doesn't have much left to lose. Although a total of nine people with cars from the top group have classified themselves according to performance factor 1 in five races so far this season, the necessary three starters for full points have only been scored three times.

Ronnie Bratschi's successes at the start of the season in Portugal and most recently at the end of June in Ascoli Piceno (I), where he also set a new course record in the summer heat, were therefore only worth half as much as the category win in Spain in May and even less than the subsequent second place in the Czech Republic.

Therefore, the only Swiss in the 2021 European Hillclimb Championship has only a theoretical title chance against the best point scorers from the other PF groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the closed car championship.

Best Performer
On the other hand, Bratschi leads the "Best Performer" classification, which takes into account the overall classification of all touring cars and GT in each race, with three first places and second place behind the Czech Dan Michl, unbeatable at home in Ecce Homo, in the optimal Lotus Elise.

Ronnie Bratschi: "At least that would be something and it doesn't matter how many more races take place. It's a pity that only the individual PF groups count for the European Championship classification and that there are no additional points for the overall ranking. So drivers with the least powerful cars have the biggest chances."

fia.com/events/european-hill-climb-championship/season-2021/fia-european-hill-climb-championship