Oberhallau: Comeback of Joël Volluz?
START WITH QUESTION MARK Joël Volluz is on the start list for the International Hill Climb Oberhallau on August 26. Whether the Valais native, who had an accident in 2016, will not return with the rebuilt Osella FA30 until the Gurnigel after all, he leaves open. Although St-Ursanne-Les Rangiers is on the schedule as the next Swiss hill climb on August 18/19, the organizer [...]
Although St-Ursanne-Les Rangiers is on the schedule as the next Swiss hill climb on August 18/19, the organizer is still keeping the international list of participants a secret until Friday this week.
The race counts as the third last race of the European Mountain Championship, so many strong foreigners, led by course record holder Christian Merli, are expected at the start in the Jura.
250 riders from five nations
On the other hand, the Oberhallau hillclimb club has already let the cat out of the bag: around 250 drivers from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy and Belgium will travel to the Klettgau region of Schaffhausen on August 25/26 together with their supporters.
Two names stand out from the usual suspects in the 2018 Swiss Mountain Championship. In addition to the already mentioned Vorarlberg Christoph Lampert, it is that of Joël Volluz. Both on Osella FA30 - the brand with which Marcel Steiner won three SM titles in a row until 2012 and still holds the track record.
From the wreckage again created a racing car
Two years after his accident on August 21, 2016 - on the eve of his 25th birthday - in the infamous "Les Gripons" curve under the highway bridge near the picturesque Jura town, the man from Lower Valais is returning to the mountain racing circuits.
The video posted on YouTube by a spectator shows how many guardian angels Volluz had. Because the unlucky man miraculously suffered only bruises, we show it here.
Since then, it has been known that this type of vehicle and the track, with a favorable impact angle, offer more safety than was previously believed:
From the remains of the wreck and spare parts, the trained car and truck mechanic assembled a new Osella FA30 in his spare time. The Judd V8 engine, which had remained intact, was still usable as a power source.
Test drives in Italy
On July 31, the multiple daily winner and track record holder (most recently at Anzère until two weeks ago and still at Les Paccots) tried out the shuttered race car on the Franciacorta circuit in Italy.
Volluz left it open to AutoSprintCH as to whether he would actually drive the Osella (like the Reynard F3000), which is once again painted in black and gold, in Oberhallau or only two weeks later at the Gurnigel.
Joël Volluz: "The car ran well, the feeling was back. But a hill climb is something completely different. I signed up for Oberhallau just in case it works out financially and my morale is right. After all, I'm in no hurry, but want to prepare for 2019."
Will he be as good as Eric Berguerand again?
Until the fateful August 21, 2016, six hours before his 25th birthday, Joël Volluz was on his way to his first championship title on the mountain. He already has one on the circuit (Formula Lista Junior 2008). Whether and when he can match his 2016 form is eagerly awaited.
It took Eric Berguerand a long time to make his comeback after his 2007 accident, which he survived only with serious leg injuries - and he is now better and more successful than ever.
