Hillclimb Monsters Skradin 2026: Star-Studded International Entry Set for Croatia
The 6th Hillclimb Monsters event in Skradin returns this coming weekend, honoring Istvan Kavecz with an impressive international grid of prototypes and touring cars.
The sixth edition of the Hillclimb Monsters race takes place this coming weekend in Skradin, Croatia. The memorial event honoring the late Istvan "Bongo" Kavecz once again attracts an extensive international field to the picturesque venue near the Krka waterfalls, where drivers will tackle the demanding 3-kilometer hillclimb course.
In Category 2, multiple European hillclimb champion Christian Merli enters as a prime overall favorite behind the wheel of his Nova NP 01-2 C Cosworth. He faces steep competition from three-time Swiss champion Robin Faustini in a Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo, as well as German veteran Alexander Hin in his Osella FA30 Zytek LRM. The field of 3-liter prototypes and single-seaters also features German champion Benjamin Noll (Osella PA30 Zytek LRM), Luxembourg's Tommy Rollinger (Osella FA30 Zytek), and Swiss driver Simon Hugentobler (Osella PA30 Zytek). Italian hillclimb icon Fausto Bormolini brings his Reynard K02 Cosworth F3000 to competition for the first time this season, alongside teammate Renzo Napione debuting the Wolf GB08 Mistral Aurobay Turbo. Simone Feroleto in an Osella PA 20/S BMW, Marietto Nalon in a Dallara Nissan Worldseries, Martin Juhas in a Lola B03/51 Judd F3000, and Gazmend Damolli in a Radical SR8 RPE will also fight for the front positions.
The 2-liter Category 2 division is set for an equally close battle, led by Georg Lang in the PRC FPR VW Turbo. Challenging him will be David Dedek in a Nova NP 03 C Ducati, two-time Austrian champion Christian Ferstl in a Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda, and Uros Brkic aboard an Osella PA 21 Evo Honda after resolving recent technical issues. Andreas Voss (Osella PA2000 Evo Honda), Sigrid Eva Ferstl (Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda), Ales Gänsdorfer (BRC CM 02 Suzuki), and local Croatian contenders Filip Magdic (Norma M20F Honda) and Sasa Cerneka (Radical SR3 Suzuki) complete the class roster.
Touring car action is headlined by the four-wheel-drive monster machines, where Giuseppe Aragona's VW Golf MK.7 Proto meets fierce opposition from Poland's Karol Krupa in a Skoda Fabia CT and Robert Slugocki in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10. Other major contenders include Bulgaria's Vasko Vajarov (Opel Astra Turbo Proto), Julyan Telijski (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9), Ivailo Ignatov (Subaru Impreza WRX STI), and Rumen Kirov (Subaru Impreza GC8 V4). Norwegian driver Kristian Pettersen makes his hillclimb debut in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Proto, while Croatian racer Domagoj Perekovic aims for top honors following the debut of his rebuilt Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, joined by Slovenia's Matej Grudnik in an updated Renault Clio 4 Cup Proto.