Inaugural FIA Esports European Hill Climb Cup Reaches Final Stage in Luxembourg
Eight finalists from across the globe will contest the decisive knockout rounds of the first FIA Esports European Hill Climb Cup on 10–11 October 2026 in Luxembourg.
The first edition of the FIA Esports European Hill Climb Cup is heading to its climax after an extensive online qualifying phase that attracted 2,153 competitors from 87 countries between 20 August and 7 September 2026. Organised in partnership with Luxembourg's ASN, ACL Sport, and run on the RaceRoom simulation platform, the tournament brings traditional hillclimbing into virtual competition.
Contestants tackle the digital stages behind the wheel of Georg Plasa's iconic BMW 134 Judd V8. The car pays homage to the legendary German driver, marking the 20th anniversary of his first of four consecutive FIA European Hill Climb Cup crowns.
Only the fastest eight drivers from the global qualifier booked their tickets to the on-site showdown at the E-Motion Sim-Racing Centre within the GridX leisure complex in Wickrange, Luxembourg. Sami Joe Abi Nakhle topped the qualifying timesheets ahead of Alessandro Ottaviani, Turkka Häkkinen, Julian Kunze, Mihai-Alexandru Neg, Filip Floristeanu, Moritz Löhner, and Julian Klaffenböck.
The decisive event, scheduled for 10 and 11 October 2026, introduces a blind track element: the virtual stage—a digital recreation of a real FIA European Hill Climb Championship course—remains unannounced until RaceRoom reveals it during Saturday practice. Sunday's tournament follows a head-to-head knockout bracket featuring quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final match, where drivers race in best-of-three duels to decide the champion.
Spectators can attend the event on site with free entry or follow the action via an official online stream, with full details and regulations available on the official series website at esportseuropeanhillclimb.fia.com.