Merli absent as O'Play closes on European hillclimb title

The FIA European Hill Climb Championship heads to Switzerland for one of the season's most prestigious and fastest events, with the 81st Course de Côte St-Ursanne – Les Rangiers set to run from 14–15 June. The build-up to the eighth round of the 2026 campaign is dominated by a notable absence: Christian Merli will not compete.

Merli's withdrawal from the Saint-Ursanne fixture leaves the door open for O'Play to move closer to the European title. The Swiss hillclimb, held on the demanding Les Rangiers course, traditionally attracts Europe's top drivers and remains one of the championship's marquee rounds.