Motorsport: Turbulent start to the Berg-SM

The organizers would have deserved better weather for their efforts. But like many events in the country, the fifth new edition of the Hemberg hill climb suffered from the changeable weather at the weekend, which ranged from sunshine to heavy rain. An accident involving Marcel Wolf in the Renault Clio Cup in the final practice run on Sunday morning, in which the Bernese suffered a fractured lumbar vertebrae, delayed the schedule by almost two hours before the first race run could start.

After that, further interruptions made for long waits, which tugged at everyone's nerves. Because wet and dry phases alternated in the afternoon, the conditions were never the same for everyone and the tires were often the wrong ones. Thus, after the first run, which only the REG-licensed and the group E1 could complete in dry conditions, there was an unusual classification. Roger Schnellmann and Ronnie Bratschi with their over 600 hp Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 led the overall classification ahead of the fastest race car driver in the rain, Eric Berguerand in his Lola-Ford. In order to spare his Osella with a view to the championship, Joël Volluz, who had been burned by an earlier accident in the rain, took no risks and immediately lost four seconds.

Ronnie Bratschi still turns the tables
After a long wait at the start, the majority of the E1 drivers completed the second race with rain tires on a now dry track. Bratschi was now slightly faster than Schnellmann, so that the latter took over the lead in the overall standings. The race cars were just able to contest their second run in dry conditions before rain set in again in the middle of the field of IS touring cars. So Eric Berguerand still managed to leave the duo Bratschi/Schnellmann behind. Thomas Amweg, who excelled in the rain, finished fourth overall as the second-fastest race car driver.

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Photos: Peter Wyss, Rami Hänggi