Mountain: New challenge for Bratschi and Steiner
MORE ABROAD Two of the best mountain racers will hardly be seen in Switzerland in 2020. Ronnie Bratschi is contesting the European Mountain Championship, Marcel Steiner is racing more abroad with a new Honda turbo engine in the LobArt. For months, Ronnie Bratschi has been busy rebuilding the Mitsubishi in his spare time. This was damaged in September 2019 during the rollover at the [...]
For months, Ronnie Bratschi has been busy rebuilding the Mitsubishi in his spare time. It was severely damaged in a rollover on the Gurnigel in September 2019.
A Mitsubishi with PF1
The four-wheeler, now equipped with an even more potent turbo engine from Eggenberger Motorsport (Egmo), will again be developed in principle according to Group E1 regulations for the upcoming season.
However, the man from Uri is looking to ensure that the Performance Factor introduced by the FIA for the time being only in the European Hillclimb Championship for closed vehicles also fits. With this, the subdivision no longer takes place according to groups and engine capacity, but in a single category according to PF classes.
Start at the EM run in the Jura
Because Bratschi wants to fight for overall victories in category 1, he gets the best possible out of the regulations. In the PF1 class, for example, he has to compete against the previous E2 silhouette cars. In Les Rangiers, however, he beat them all in his European record drive.
The three-time FIA E1 Hill Climb Cup winner wants to compete for the European Hill Climb Championship title in 2020, so he will only be seen on the grid in Switzerland at St-Ursanne and - if at all - at one or two other races. The schedule doesn't allow for more than that, and it also depends on how the season goes.
Steiner with new Honda turbo engine
Marcel Steiner is also making himself scarce in this country. Not that he wants to avoid the undefeated Eric Berguerand and his Lola-Cosworth in 2019. On the contrary, a new Honda turbo engine is currently being developed for the LobArt at Helftec in Hildisrieden, with which he should once again be able to stand up to the Valaisan in terms of material.
The engine from a standard Civic Type R was supplied by the Honda dealer from Oberdiessbach itself. The Lucerne-based company, which also prepares Yves Meyer's drift cars, turned it into a racing unit. In order not to exceed the displacement limit of three liters prescribed for hill climbs in the E2 group of racing sports cars (turbo factor of 1.7 for gasoline engines), it is increased to 1750 cc. reduced.
Trend reversal
This generates significantly more power and better torque than the naturally aspirated Honda Mugen 3.0 V8 engine used to date. In France, champion Geoffrey Schatz pulverized all records with a Norma Oreca turbo sports car, and other well-known mountain specialists are also planning their season with this concept.
Marcel Steiner: "I feel that I am more motivated again this winter. This is a new challenge for me. Now I hope that LobArt will also deliver modifications for the chassis as promised."
More launches abroad
Having already been Swiss racing car champion five times and runner-up several times, Steiner is no longer concentrating on the national scene. Only domestic starts are planned in Reitnau, St-Ursanne, Oberhallau and in front of the home crowd at Gurnigel.
For this, the Bernese, who like Bratschi is popular abroad, drives at selected events such as Eschdorf (L), Rechberg (A), Ecce Homo (CZ), Glasbach (D), Osnabrück (D), St. Agatha (A) and possibly Mickhausen (A). Some of these hill climbs are part of the European Championship, the FIA Hill Climb Cup or national championships.
The distant goal of the season for both is to take part in the fourth FIA Hill Climb Masters in Portugal in mid-October.
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