Motorsport: Start to the races in Switzerland
SWISS SPORT The announced beautiful spring weather is just perfect for a trip to the first car races in Switzerland on Saturday. However, fans will have to choose between the Critérium Jurassien and the Slalom Interlaken... Three weeks after the kick-off in France, the Swiss rally community will meet at the Critérium Jurassien. The second round of the [...]
Three weeks after the season opener in France, the Swiss rally community meets at the Critérium Jurassien. The second round of the Swiss Rally Championship puts the competitors to a tough test, as the length of the 13 special stages is over 200 km, more than at any other SM round.
The rally center is no longer located in the cantonal capital of Delémont, but in Saignelégier. For reasons of space, there is no longer a spectator circuit there. Fans will therefore have to go to one of the six different tracks between 9.8 and 28.4 km in length to see the cars in action at least once per SS. Three special stages will be held on Friday evening and ten more on the long Saturday.
Although the Jura region is celebrating its 40th edition, the anniversary event - apart from the SlowySideways squad with its historic cars and replicas - does not feature a special field of participants. This is not necessary, because with nine R5 cars and Marc Valliccioni's vociferous Porsche, the top national team is already well-positioned in terms of vehicles this year.
The focus will be on the duel between last year's winner and champion Sébastien Carron and Ivan Ballinari (both Ford Fiesta R5), in which two-time Jurassien winner Nicolas Althaus will try to intervene with a Skoda Fabia R5.
Alongside Daniel Sieber/Heinz Walther in another Fiesta R5, the Ruedi Schmidlin/Erich Götte team will again represent German-speaking Switzerland in the front field. Because it did not work out with the timely supply of new parts for Götte's Fiesta S2000, the Basel-Land duo will start with the well-tried Mitsubishi Evo X R4. Erich Götte is the only driver who has already competed in the first edition of the Critérium Jurassien, back then alongside his brother Roland in a Mazda.
The first duels on the slalom course
The slaloms offer a completely different, but no less attractive type of action. The Swiss championship kicks off this year organized by the ACS Bern with its 21st race on Saturday in Interlaken. The turnout is gratifyingly strong, even in the racing car category.
Last year, Philip Egli (Dallara F3) and Marcel Maurer (Tatuus-Renault) won all the races. In the championship, they finished 2nd and 3rd behind Martin Bürki. Right in Interlaken they get strong competition from local hero Christian Balmer and Yves Hängärtner with their Tatuus-Honda FM. According to eyewitnesses, Hängärtner made a strong impression at the slalom test days of the Equipe Bernoise in Ambrì - maybe there will already be the first surprise?
Once again this year, the only way to win the title is through Martin Bürki. Actually, only the technology of his perfect VW Polo can put a spanner in the works of the perfectionist from Uetendorf. Should the man from Berne have a bad day, his opponents will be secretly pleased.
The strongest competition in the title fight is to be expected from Albin Mächler in the 550 hp BMW M2 from the largest E1 division. Perhaps a member of Bürki's MB team will spoil Mächler's soup right at the start of the season: Jürg Beiner will compete in the first two races in an agile Lancia Delta S4 from Ianniello. His new factory engine for the BMW M3 GTR was not ready in time.
