Steiner: Anzère start in the old Martini
REPLACEMENT CAR The repair of the engine damage to the LobArt-Mugen forces Marcel Steiner to switch to the old Martini-BMW due to time constraints. The champion also expects to finish on the podium at the Ayent-Anzère hill climb. Marcel Steiner suffered engine damage in practice at the hill climb in Massongex. After the major disassembly of the Mugen V8 engine at home in the garage in Oberdiessbach [...]
At the hill climb in Massongex, Marcel Steiner suffered engine damage during practice. After the major disassembly of the Mugen V8 engine at home in the garage in Oberdiessbach, it quickly became clear to him that new pistons were needed.
Unfortunately, these are not available off the shelf.
Marcel Steiner: "It takes about 14 days to manufacture and deliver these special pistons from Italy. I'd rather have ones that last longer. For that, modifications are now flowing in that I feel are appropriate."
The goal for Steiner Motorsport is now to have the LobArt-Mugen ready to race again by the middle of the week after next. Then it's off on the long journey to northern Germany, where Marcel Steiner, like several other Swiss, will take part in the Int. ADAC Hill Climb Osnabrück, a round of the FIA Hill Climb Cup.
Back to his first winning car
First, however, the reigning champion has to implement Plan B - namely to prepare his old Martini Mk77 BMW for the Ayent-Anzère hill climb. Because Steiner can start with it in the same E2-SC-3000 class as otherwise with the LobArt, this vehicle change after the entry deadline is legitimate.
The Bernese started his career on the circuit and on the mountain with the former CN sports car of French origin. For the first time Steiner resorted to the Martini in the transition period from the Osella FA30, which he drove to three SM titles until the accident in Les Rangiers in 2013, to the LobArt.
Most recently, he took second place overall behind Eric Berguerand in Hemberg, Reitnau and Gurnigel in 2015. Now the Martini, which is always kept in good shape, will once again have to serve as a replacement car and its driver will have to slightly adjust his ambitions for the upcoming SM race.
Marcel Steiner: "It would be nice if we could finish on the overall winners' podium. It just depends on how Eric (Berguerand) gets his Lola-Cosworth running and how well Robin (Faustini) and Thomas (Amweg) are in shape. If I take their previous F3000 times, I should be able to do the same with the Martini."
Surprises keep the championship exciting
So, like Massongex, where Marcel Maurer took the stage win in the two-liter race car, Anzère could bring another surprise in the overall standings.
That's good, because it keeps the tension in the championship open, in which Marcel Steiner and Christian Balmer are together at the top of the table. Since there are eight hillclimb races on the calendar this year and every classified driver can drop a result, a lot is still possible.
