Champions and Cup Winners: These are the Best 2022
END GOOD, ALL GOOD Truly a worthy end to the season. At the Bellevue Hotel in Bern, the Swiss automobile champions and cup winners were honored in a festive setting by Auto Sport Schweiz.
In 2019, the last Dîner des Champions was held at the Bellevue Palace Hotel in Bern. In 2020, there was no reason to hold a championship celebration because there were no races. And in 2021, the season finale fell through because of pandemic regulations. So it was all the more pleasing that after a three-year break, the Swiss automobile champions and cup winners could be honored again.
Honors in a total of eight championships
Around 150 invited guests attended this year's championship celebration. The winners of this year's automobile championships were honored in eight categories. Werner Augsburger, former Chef de Mission at Swiss Olympic, led through the evening-long program. Contortion artist Nina Burri provided an impressive show performance. The recorded videos were made by Bernhard Braegger, the man in charge of the Friends of Swiss Motorsport.
Double joy for champion Martin Bürki
Serial champion Martin Bürki received two trophies at once. The Uetendorf-based garage owner not only won the Swiss Slalom Championship for the ninth time last season, Bürki also secured his fourth title in the Swiss Mountain Cup with his poison-green VW Polo.
The proud champion was flanked by namesake Martin Oliver Bürki. The third-place finisher in the slalom, Philip Egli, was absent. The man from Glarus is currently enjoying his annual vacation in Mexico. In the Mountain Cup, where the prizes were donated by tire manufacturer Yokohama, Bürki was joined by 2019 champion Philipp Krebs and Jürg Ochsner, who were delighted with second and third places.
Rally championship with four awards
No fewer than four awards were presented as part of the Swiss Rally Championship. The Coupe Suisse des Rallyes Historiques (VHC) was secured by the married couple Eddy and Florence Bérard on BMW M3. Second and third place went to Florian Gonon/Michel Horgnies (Ford Escort) and Guy Trolliet/Sébastien Moulin (Porsche 911).
In the Swiss Rally Cup, Philippe Broussoux/Didier Rappo on a Renault Clio prevailed in 2022. Second and third place went to Claude Aebi/Justin Vuffray (also Renault Clio) and Laurent Rossi/Timothée Perruchoud (Peugeot 206 XS) respectively.
The champions of the Junior Rally Championship
In the Swiss Junior Rally Championship, the title went to Guillaume Girolamo from the Valais and his co-driver Benjamin Bétrisey. The duo won four out of five rallies, beating Yoan Loeffler/Gaëtan Aubry by a fairly clear margin. Third place went to Sarah Lattion/Charlène Greppin (all on Renault Clio Rally5).
Jonathan Hirschi successful in two classes
The driver from Neuchâtel has won the Swiss Rally Championship 16 years after winning the Swiss Formula Renault Championship. Hirschi is thus the first driver to succeed in rallying after winning a circuit title. Together with co-driver Michaël Volluz, the VW Polo driver accepted the trophy for first place from the hands of NSK President Andreas Michel.
Second place went to Jonathan Michellod (Škoda Fabia), whose co-driver Stéphane Fellay was absent in Bern. Third-placed Mike Coppens was also absent. The man from the Valais, still Swiss rally champion in 2021, was, however, honorably represented by co-driver Christophe Roux.
Routiniers determined the mountain championship
In the Swiss hillclimb championship, the veterans prevailed in 2022. Lola F3000 driver Eric Berguerand received his seventh trophy as racing champion to great applause. Berguerand won all the races in which he took part in 2022 in a new record time.
Marcel Steiner and Robin Faustini followed in 2nd and 3rd place (as they did at the last championship celebration in 2019). In the touring cars, it was Reto Meisel who secured the crown with five wins from six races. He was also the lone leader this season with five record-breaking runs. Roger Schnellmann and Bruno Sawatzki completed the podium.
Raffaele Marciello best driver internationally
In addition to the numerous trophies for the Swiss champions and cup winners, there were other awards. Raffaele Marciello was honored as the best driver internationally. The driver from Ticino not only won the ADAC GT Masters and the GT World Challenge in 2022, he also secured the triumph at the prestigious 24h of Spa-Francorchamps.
Also on stage were the participants of the FIA Hill Climb Masters 2021 (including category 3 winner Reto Meisel) and the Swiss delegation that took part in the FIA Motorsport Games in Le Castellet 2022.
Auto Sport Schweiz Award for Fredy Lienhard
Jürg Kaufmann was also bid farewell at the championship ceremony in Bern. Kaufmann was a member of the NSK, a member of the Championships and Rally Commissions, and the communications manager of Auto Sport Schweiz. A thank you also went to Peter "Pesche" Flückiger for his many years of service on the Track & Safety Committee, his work as deputy course leader of the training course for track commissioners and race director of various events.
The Auto Sport Schweiz Award of 2020 could not be presented personally to Fredy Lienhard. The founder of the autobau Erlebniswelt in Romanshorn and promoter of Swiss junior racing was unfortunately not present in Bern.
Swiss Mountain Cup
1st Martin Bürki, E1/VW Polo
2nd Philipp Krebs, RCC/Renault Clio
3rd Jürg Ochsner, IS/Opel Kadett C
Swiss Slalom Championship
1st Martin Bürki, E1/VW Polo
2nd Martin Oliver Bürki, E1/BMW E33
3rd Philip Egli, E2-SS/ Dallara F393
Coupe Suisse des Rallyes Historiques VHC
1st Eddy Bérard/Florence Bérard, J2/BMW M3
2nd Florian Gonon/Michel Horgnies, H1/Ford Escort
3rd Guy Trolliet/Sébastien Moulin, I/Porsche 911 SC
Swiss Rally Cup
1st Philippe Broussoux/Didier Rappo, ISN/Renault Clio
2nd Claude Aebi/Justin Vuffray, ISN/Renault Clio
3rd Laurent Rossi/Timothée Perruchoud, ISA/Peugeot 206 XS
Swiss Championship Rally Junior
1st Guillaume Girolamo/Benjamin Bétrisey, Rally5/Renault Clio
2nd Yoan Loeffler/Gaëtan Aubry, Rally5/Renault Clio
3rd Sarah Lattion/Charlène Greppin, Rally5/Renault Clio
Swiss Rally Championship
1st Jonathan Hirschi/Michaël Volluz, Rally2/VW Polo GTI
2nd Jonathan Michellod/Stéphane Fellay, Rally2/Skoda Fabia
3rd Mike Coppens/Christophe Roux, Rally2/Skoda Fabia
Swiss touring car mountain championship
1st Reto Meisel, E1/Mercedes SLK 340
2nd Roger Schnellmann, E1/Mitsubishi Lancer
3rd Bruno Sawatzki, IS/Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Swiss mountain championship of racing cars
1st Eric Berguerand, E2-SS/Lola FA99
2. Marcel Steiner, E2-SC/LobArt LA01
3rd Robin Faustini, E2-SS/Osella FA30
Photos: Chriustian Eichenberger
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