49th Cividale Castelmonte hillclimb preview: Merli and Degasperi lead star field

The 49th Cividale Castelmonte hillclimb takes place this weekend at the foot of Castelmonte monastery in Italy's Friuli region. The nearly 6 km course will challenge competitors across multiple categories, with the Super-CIVM championship and the Slovenian national series finale both contested at the event.

Multiple-time European hillclimb champion Christian Merli heads the favourite list, piloting a Nova NP 01-2 C Cosworth after a brief racing hiatus. Diego Degasperi in a Norma M20FC Zytek and Federico Liber driving a Nova NP 01-2 Judd E2-SC prototype are among the principal challengers for outright honours. Marietto Nalon returns with his Dallara Nissan Worldseries, while Damiano Schena and Gianluca Ticci, both in Nova NP 03 C Aprilia machinery, will contest the E2-SC class up to 1.6 litres. Stefano Gazziero and Enrico Zandona (Wolf GB08 Thunder Aprilia) complete a strong field in that category, alongside Slovenian Vladimir Stankovic in an identical Wolf. Vienna-based Josef Tarmann returns to Cividale after several years away, driving a Dallara F302 Mercedes in the 2 litre class.

In the touring car categories, Styrian Reinhold Taus in a Subaru Impreza P4 Turbo and Styrian rally legend Rupert Schwaiger in a Porsche 911 3.5 Bi-Turbo headline the E2-SH class. South Tyrolean Roman Gurschler brings an unconventional Fiat 500 Proto Hayabusa 4×4, while Salzburg's Johann Thalmayr returns after a multi-year absence in a Steyr Puch PTRC TR 4.

The GT class features Italian Gianni di Fant and Giuseppe D'Angelo, both in Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo cars, alongside Roberto Ragazzi in the same model. Slovenian Matevz Cuden contests the national championship in a Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup. The E1 class up to 2 litres includes German-Italian Andrea de Stefani (Renault Clio Williams), Italian Stefano Paronuzzi (Peugeot 205 GTI 16V), and South Tyrolean Andreas Delueg (Renault Clio 2 Cup). The TCR class is led by young Styrian Bernd Mayer in a Peugeot 308 TCR 1.6, with Slovenian Fahrudin Dolic in the same model and Styrian Chris-Andre Mayer (Honda Civic Type R) also competing.

Additional competitors include Italian Luca Spinetti (Subaru Impreza WRX STI), Polish Grzegorz Duda (Hyundai i20 RX DM), Slovenian Anze Dovjak (Hyundai i30 N TCR), Styrian Andreas Mussbacher (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7), Slovenian Gregor Vouk (Subaru Impreza WRX STI), Italian Enrico Trolio (Peugeot 106 GTI 16V), and Italian Michele Mancin in the Groupe A-S category. Slovenian Milan Bubnic in a Lancia Delta Integrale and Bavarian Christian Bodner (BMW E30 320iS) round out the entry list. Drivers from Austria, Slovenia, and neighbouring regions will also participate.