Mountain championship: The season begins in Hemberg 🎥

In 2012, the Hemberg hill climb made its comeback. On a then new, 1.758-kilometer short course from Bächli to Hemberg. Previously, from 1968 to 1990, the route was longer (2.625 kilometers) and led from St. Peterzell up to Hemberg. Because 2020 and 2021 could not be run due to the Corona pandemic, Hemberg celebrates its 10th birthday this weekend.

Two Toggenburg victories so far

So far, the Toggenburgers have not been able to show great diversity among the day's winners. Just two riders have entered the list of winners in the past eleven years: Eric Berguerand and Marcel Steiner (gallery on the right). Berguerand has six wins - 2013-2016, 2019 as well as 2022, Steiner has won three times so far: 2012, 2017 and 2018. There is a good chance that this series will continue this weekend. Berguerand/Steiner are among the absolute top favorites.

Marcel Steiner with new springs

While Berguerand jumps into the deep end with his Lola FA99 in Hemberg and the mountain season (as usual) only begins for the Valais native with the race in Toggenburg, Steiner took part in the Rechberg mountain race at the end of April. However, this one race should not be a massive advantage over Berguerand. All the more so because Steiner was not fully satisfied with his LobArt Honda in Upper Austria.

Marcel Steiner: "The car drove quite unconventionally in some sections and pleasantly in others. The change to new springs only helped to a limited extent. It felt better in fast corners. In the hairpins it was counterproductive."

Thomas Amweg hopes for the technology

In addition to Berguerand and Steiner, two other drivers will be spoilers at the anniversary edition: Robin Faustini (second in Hemberg last year) and Thomas Amweg (gallery left, third in 2019). The latter is competing for the first time with his freshly built Reynard 95D, but has to keep his expectations low.

Thomas Amweg: "At the GP Mutschellen we drove the Reynard for the first time. Since then, we've been plagued by problems with the water pump. In Hockenheim, I drove another ten laps. It went well and I felt comfortable in the car. But I'm a bit skeptical. I hope the technology doesn't play a trick on us at Hemberg."

Robin Faustini wants more than rank 2

For Faustini, the season has already begun. Last weekend, the man from Aargau contested the Grad Skradin hill climb just outside Split in his likewise freshly built Osella FA30 Judd. With two best run times, he secured the day's victory in a commanding manner.

Nevertheless, Faustini is not entirely satisfied: "We had problems with the electronics until the Saturday before the first race. The new engine is also tricky to drive. And we haven't done any major work on the chassis yet. We will address this issue in the training runs in Hemberg. My goal is to equal last year's second place. If more comes of it - all the better."

Joël Volluz and Joël Grand do not start

Joël Volluz and Joël Grand from the French-speaking part of Switzerland are not yet at the start. Both will not get into the action until the second race from La Roche to La Berra, with Grand attacking with the new Wolf Mistral F1 and Volluz with the proven Osella FA30.

Joël Volluz: "I worked on Sergio Pinto's car at the Rallye du Chablais. And the weekend before, I took part in the Vallecamaonica hill climb in Italy. That's why I haven't had a chance to get my Osella ready for action yet."

Triathlon in the single-seaters

For the single-seater race cars up to 2000 cm³ there will probably be an exciting three-way battle between last year's winner Philip Egli, returnee Marcel Maurer and last year's runner-up Joël Burgermeister. Compared to the true mountain specialists, the trio has already warmed up at other events, especially the runs for the Swiss Slalom Championship.

Like Faustini, Burgermeister from Thurgau also took part in a hill climb last weekend. In Sternberk in the Czech Republic, the Tatuus F4 driver secured a commanding class victory in tenth place overall. Will that be enough to knock the two veterans Egli and Maurer off their thrones in Hemberg?

Roger Schnellmann has chances

Mitsubishi fans can also look forward to the weekend in St. Gallen. There are no fewer than four Evo 8s in the E1 field over 3500 cm.³ at the start. Of course, Roger Schnellmann (center gallery) - in the absence of Reto Meisel - with his 3859 cm.³ strong mountain monster has the best chances of winning the touring car title. One can also be curious about the return of Toni Büeler, the 2010 touring car champion. The man from Goldach returns to the mountain with his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo RSC after an absence of umpteen years, having already used the Frauenfeld slalom for testing purposes.

Simon Wüthrich with Synthetic fuel

In the touring car field, of course, you always have to keep an eye on the Porsche faction in the Interswiss. First and foremost, the two-time Swiss touring car champion, Frédéric Neff from the Jura (in a Porsche 996 GT2R), and Bruno Sawatzki (Porsche 991 Cup), who finished third overall last year. And then there is Simon Wüthrich with his Golf-Turbiene. Last year, the man from Langnau came dangerously close to the Porsches. This year, Simon Wüthrich is pioneering the use of synthetically produced fuel.

Course record at speed 119.61

At 1.758 km, the course in Hemberg is the shortest on the calendar. The riders have to overcome an altitude difference of 157 meters in St. Gallen. The average gradient is 8.94 percent. The absolute course record is held by Berguerand (from last year) with 52.91 sec (= 119.61 km/h).

Training runs start from 7.30 a.m.

For all mountain fans, it starts on Saturday morning with field 1 and a first (of four) practice runs at 7:30 am. On Sunday morning, all riders will have another chance for a fifth test run before it's down to the nitty gritty with the race heats starting at 10:15. Each class will have three runs (if possible). The two fastest times will be added together.

Dates Swiss Mountain Championship 2023

• June 10 and 11, Hemberg
• June 17 and 18, La Roche - La Berra
• July 8 and 9, Massongex
• July 22 and 23, Ayent - Anzère
• August 18-20, St.Ursanne - Les Rangiers
• August 25-27, Oberhallau
• September 9 and 10, Gurnigel
• September 16 and 17, Châtel-St-Denis - Les Paccots

Source: Auto Sport Switzerland
Photos: © Eichenberger, Gehrig (Amweg)
bergrennen-hemberg.ch
motorsport.ch