Hemberg: Excitement before the start of the SM season
FIRST MOUNTAIN RACE 2018 Those who don't like Formula E will get their money's worth in Hemberg. In Toggenburg, the Swiss mountain elite, led by champion Marcel Steiner, will fight for the first SM points. The clash of dates is unfortunate, but only leaves those spoilt for choice who - like the author - have arguments for attending both [...]
The clash of dates is unfortunate, but only puts those to the agony of choice who - like the author - would have arguments for visiting both events and have to decide for one or the other race on the weekend.
For those who only like "normal" motorsports or especially the Hemberg hill climb, the question does not arise anyway.
Anniversary in Toggenburg
This mountain race was held for the first time 50 years ago, back then on the old route from St. Peterzell to Hemberg. After 1990 it was over until OC president Christian Schmid, race director Christian Müller and Toggenburg colleagues initiated a new edition. Since 2012, this new race has also become indispensable.
Unfortunately, the event hit the headlines worldwide last year due to a bad and stupid accident during demonstration rides with an electric sports car. This incident will never be forgotten, but in the meantime it has been dealt with and the consequences have been drawn.
Where does Marcel Steiner's competition stand?
As in previous years, Hemberg marks the start of the 2018 Swiss Mountain Championship. Marcel Steiner will compete as the defending champion with his LobArt-Mugen.
Of the contenders for the stage win, the Bernese is the only one apart from Robin Faustini who has already contested hillclimb races abroad in 2018. He therefore already has experience with the further modified sports car, which his direct opponents for the title from the racing car class up to three liters do not yet have.
Eric Berguerand has equipped his Lola FA99 with an AC-Cosworth Ford engine from the last Formula 3000 generation. The conversion work on the chassis and the installation of the electronics are so complex that they are or were a race against time for the man from the Valais. The five-time mountain champion will therefore only see in Hemberg how the whole thing works in competition.
Thomas Amweg has sorted out the technical problems on his Lola B99/50-Cosworth to such an extent that he now seriously wants to fight for the overall winners' podium. This was not yet the case in 2017.
Robin Faustini plans to do the same with the newly acquired Reynard K01 from the former Formula Nippon. However, the 20-year-old from Aargau still needs a little time to exploit or even exhaust its potential, which he intends to take.
Neff is the favorite again
In the touring cars, champion Frédéric Neff is the favorite. With his Porsche 996 Cup, which has been widened to a 911 GT3 R, the Bernese-Jurassian should be hard to beat in the always crowded Interswiss group. Especially since Bruno Sawatzki now has to start solo in the GT group with his GT3 and Danny Krieg has sold his Porsche.
That leaves only Willi Jenni as a brand colleague in a less powerful 997 Cup with a 3.6-liter engine (Neff has a four-liter racing engine from Egmo) as an equal opponent for Neff in Group IS. But the Appenzeller will hardly contest all the hillclimbs.
Bratschi or another?
The overall touring car victory at the first races in Hemberg and Reitnau will only go via Ronnie Bratschi in the new Mitsubishi Evo VIII. However, the man from Uri is primarily aiming for the FIA International Hill Climb Cup and not the Swiss championship.
In terms of power, the Mitsubishi Evo VIII of Roger Schnellmann and Thomas Kessler are on a similar level, as is the Ford Escort Cosworth of Romeo Nüssli. Simon Wüthrich's VW Golf Turbo 4×4 has less power, but it is significantly lighter.
For Bratschi, who has already beaten the international competition twice this year despite a car that is not yet running perfectly (after test bench trials at Egmo, the electrics are now working perfectly), it will therefore not be a walk in the park. This also speaks for the high level of the Swiss Group E1, which will be represented by 57 drivers in Hemberg.
Unfortunately, Reto Meisel, the 2016 champion, still competes sporadically at most in Swiss races with his Mercedes SLK. He holds most of the E1 track records.
Much new in the SuperSeries
In the field of 180 drivers, 26 of them REG-licensed, there are a few newcomers worth mentioning. Patrick Flammer, for example, is competing for the first time in an Opel Astra TCR, with which he took part in the Kerenzerberg race a week ago as a demonstration.
Unfortunately, Michel Zemp, who amazed with his times within the E1 in 2017, is the only opponent in the newly launched TCR class on a Seat Cupra in Hemberg. However, this will certainly still receive growth.
In the SuperSeries group including SS-Competition, two new fast GT series cars will compete: Andy Feigenwinter on an Exige 430 prepared at Lotus-West in St. Gallen and Cédric Junod on an Audi TT RS.
And among the SS two-liters, three of the seven drivers are from last year's Berg-SM Junior. Champion Rolf Reding continues to drive a Toyota GT86, Mario Koch and Raphael Feigenwinter are now on the Honda Integra previously driven by Oski Kuhn (Koch) and Berg Cup winner Giuliano Piccinato (Feigenwinter).
Finally, Stefan Böhler, previously racing a Formula Renault 2000, is a newcomer to the sports cars with a Norma-Honda.
Five practice runs and three race runs
So there are many reasons to look forward to the season opener in Hemberg. And those who also want to experience Formula E live in Zurich can head to Toggenburg the day before.
On Saturday, four practice runs are scheduled from 7.30 am. After an optional practice session on Sunday morning from 7:30 a.m., the first of three race runs will start at 9:40 a.m.
