Faggioli clinches 20th Italian hillclimb title at Coppa Nissena

Simone Faggioli has secured his 20th Italian Supersalita (hillclimb) championship title following victory at the Coppa Nissena in Caltanissetta, Sicily. Driving a Nova Proto NP01 Bardahl, the Tuscan driver needed only two points to mathematically confirm the crown, but opted to pursue an outright win to close the season decisively.

Faggioli topped the morning hillclimb run ahead of Stefano Di Fulvio and Samuele Cassibba, both also piloting Nova Proto machinery. A sudden storm prevented the scheduled second run from taking place, but Faggioli's maximum points from the opening ascent had already secured the championship. The victory held particular significance for the driver, marking his return to the Coppa Nissena circuit where he made his hillclimb debut in 1997.

The 2026 season proved demanding for Faggioli, who balanced the Italian Supersalita campaign with a competing commitment at Pikes Peak in the United States, forcing him to miss one domestic championship round. Speaking after the race, Faggioli reflected on a competitive year: "The level of competition was genuinely high this season, and it was far from certain we would secure the title given the ambitious programme we had set. I must congratulate Stefano Di Fulvio and Mirko Torsellini on their second and third-place finishes—it was rewarding to compete against them." He also represented ACI Team Italia, the Italian motorsport federation's official team, throughout the championship.

Faggioli attributed the achievement to the collective effort of his team, technical staff, family, and sponsors. The title marks a significant milestone in a career spanning nearly three decades in European hillclimb racing.