Berg-SM: Chris Steiner's new motivation
PREVIOUSLY FOR A LOTUS Three years after the accident in Reitnau, Chris Steiner is aiming for top results in hillclimb races with a new Lotus Exige 430. Andy Feigenwinter won the SM title with this model. Chris Steiner is still reminded every day of the serious accident he had in June 2017 in the first race round at Reitnau. Thanks to a medical masterstroke, [...]
Chris Steiner is still reminded every day of the serious accident in June 2017 in the first race in Reitnau. Thanks to a medical masterstroke, as he puts it himself, an amputation and continued life in a wheelchair were prevented. However, the pain in both legs is only bearable with medication. Steiner will never jump around again.
Accident is ticked off
The 36-year-old workshop owner from Altendorf actually wanted to get back behind the wheel of a racing car in 2018. But his body wasn't playing along yet. He then returned to hillclimb racing last year with a Porsche 996 Turbo he had purchased at a reasonable price.
Chris Steiner: "I wanted to pick up where I left off. So in Reitnau with a Porsche. Before that, I did a function test in Hemberg. When I was immediately faster in Reitnau than ever before, the accident was off my mind."
Racing as a drive
Even in hospital, the thought of returning to racing had been the biggest motivation for him. Now it is also linked to ambitions. After making it to several podiums in the merged SuperSeries and SuperSeries Competition group in 2019 in the shadow of Andy Feigenwinter, Chris Steiner wants more in 2020.
In the fall of 2019, he purchased a new Lotus Exige 430 Cup from Lotus-West in St. Gallen. The same model as Feigenwinter's champion car. So the best conditions for top results.
Chris Steiner: "Now I want to drive a lightweight like that. The Porsche is a few kilos heavier. It's a shame that Andy is now going other ways, but I hope I can still benefit from his experience with this car."
Every participant counts
The critical factor in the series cars will continue to be the number of participants. At least it didn't put a spoke in Andy Feigenwinter's wheel on his way to winning the title. Eight competitors from all classes in this group are required to score the full number of points.
Steiner is trying to get his SuperSeries colleagues from last year and new people to participate. But he is cautious about his sporting expectations.
Chris Steiner: "I take it as it comes. After all these years, the goal would be to make it to the front of the championship. If I hadn't had to miss three races in 2019 because of my feet, the SM podium would have been possible, which Raphi Feigenwinter then achieved. I'm afraid that there won't be enough SuperSeries riders in 2020."
But the most important thing for him will be to complete the season without an accident. The successful return to the Swiss hillclimb tracks and his health must be worth more than any championship placing.
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