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66th Mont Dore Hillclimb Preview: French Championship Heats Up
HCF·6 August
66th Mont Dore Hillclimb Preview: French Championship Heats Up
The 66th Côte de Coeur Mont Dore hillclimb will mark the beginning of the decisive phase in the French hillclimb championship, with competitors facing a demanding 5-kilometre course in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The event is expected to draw a strong field across multiple categories, with several drivers capable of challenging for overall honours. In the 3-litre E2-SC class, Maxime Dojat (France) emerges as one of the leading contenders, piloting a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo after a series of impressive performances. However, he will face stiff opposition from Corentin Starck (Belgium), also driving a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, who returns following a brief absence and carries unfinished business after a previous accident. Sebastien Jacqmin (France) in a Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo has delivered a strong season to date, while Cedric Lansard (France) will pilot an Osella PA27 Cosworth. In the 3-litre Group DE formula category, Miguel Vidal (France) will campaign a Lola B06/51 Mugen F3000, facing competition from Benoit Bouche (France) in a Reynard 99L Mugen F3000. From the CN class, Etienne Pernot (France) will drive a Norma M20FC 4-litre BMW. Marc Pernot (France), the defending champion, will be among the favourites for overall victory in his Nova NP 01-2 C Hartley Turbo, competing in the 2-litre E2-SC sportprototype category. He will encounter Mylenia Machado (France) in a Revolt 2P0 Hartley Turbo. In the smallest E2-SC class (up to 1.6 litres), Yves Tholy (France) in a Nova NP 03 Suzuki and Julien Bost (France) also in a Nova NP 03 Suzuki are expected to contend for fastest times. The 2-litre CN class features a competitive lineup led by Tom Diebold (France) in a Norma M20F Honda and Guillaume Jean (France) in a Norma M20FC Honda. Other contenders include Yohan Bardin, Freddy Cadot, William Pommery, and Jennifer La Monica (all France), each piloting Norma M20FC Hondas. In the 2-litre Group DE formula category, David Diebold (France) will drive a Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda, with Romain Pezot (France) in a Tatuus Formula Master F2 Honda, Pierre Mayeur (France) in a Martini MK69 Evo BMW, Thomas Clausi (France) in a Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda, Lionel Ryter (Switzerland) in a Tatuus Renault FR 2.0 Evo, and Sarah Bernard (France) in a Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda all expected to feature. The touring car category will see Anthony Dubois (France), the reigning French champion, competing in an Alpine A110 GT4 Evo. Key rivals include Nicolas Werver (France) in a Porsche 997 GT3 R, Jean-Francois Ganevat (France) in a Renault R.S. 01, Ronald Garces (France) in a Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, Oliver Berreur (France) in a Renault R.S. 01, Alexandre Garnier (France) in a Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup, Manuel Brunet (France) in a Lamborghini Huracán ST Evo 2, Philippe Marion (France) in a Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup, and Thierry Tierce (France) making his hillclimb debut in a Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup.
Dorward Dominates Snetterton; Barker Ends Fan's Club Streak
TA UK·6 August
Dorward Dominates Snetterton; Barker Ends Fan's Club Streak
Round 5 of the 2026 Time Attack Championship visited Snetterton 300 as part of Modified Live, where competitors faced a demanding layout combining long straights, high-speed corners and a technical infield section. The event produced contrasting narratives across the field: Colin Dorward maintained control of the Pro category throughout the day, while the Club class saw a significant upset as Ryan Barker claimed his breakthrough victory, ending Vincent Fan's run of four consecutive wins. In the Pro category, Dorward piloted the G-R Performance Track Formula Evo to a commanding performance, topping every timed session. His early advantage came under pressure when Bradley John brought his Riverside Racing Mitsubishi Evo IX within 0.016 seconds in Attack 1, but Dorward extended his lead through Attack 2 and sealed victory in Super Attack with a 1:53.838. Josh Barrett finished second in the Caterham 620R, 1.206 seconds adrift, with Andrew Gallacher rounding out the Pro podium. In Club Pro, Aleksandr Volkov continued his strong campaign in the Nissan GT-R, setting a new Club Pro lap record of 1:56.413 during Attack 2. The Club class delivered the day's most dramatic storyline. Championship leader Vincent Fan appeared poised to extend his winning streak, topping both Attack sessions in the Toyota GR Supra and establishing a new Club 2WD lap record of 2:02.452 in Attack 1. However, Fan completed only one lap in Super Attack and failed to register a timed result, leaving the door open. Ryan Barker capitalised decisively, posting a 2:03.119 in his K24-powered Renault Megane to secure the class win by 0.631 seconds from Luke Capehorn, with Andrew Kime third in the Citroën Saxo. Across the lower classes, Dean Riley dominated Classic & Retro in the Mickeytoones Racing Vauxhall VX220, setting a new class lap record of 2:03.820 in Super Attack. David Dyson took the Clubman victory ahead of Clive Hopwell by 0.090 seconds. In Pocket Rocket Naturally Aspirated, Luke Krassismenou overcame a gearbox change between warm-up and Attack 1 on his Honda Civic EP3 to claim his first class victory and establish a new NA lap record of 2:10.870. Gary Papworth continued his strong form in Pocket Rocket Forced Induction, recording a 2:07.331 in the Norfolk Mini Racing Cooper S to lower the FI class record. The 2026 Time Attack Championship returns to Brands Hatch on 31 August for Round 6 as part of GoJapan, with the season entering its decisive stages.
64th Svolte di Popoli hillclimb attracts 123 entries
ilT·5 August
64th Svolte di Popoli hillclimb attracts 123 entries
The 64th edition of the Svolte di Popoli hillclimb will take place from 7–9 August in the Abruzzo region of Italy, serving as a double-counting round for both the northern and southern zones of the Italian Mountain Velocity Championship (CIVM). The event, organised by the Associazione Svolte di Popoli, has attracted 123 entries across the competitive field. Details of the weekend's programme and participating drivers will be unveiled at a press conference on Thursday 6 August at 18:00 at the Auditorium Guizza in Popoli Terme. Among the announced competitors are several championship contenders: Stefano Di Fulvio, the 2025 series winner, will pilot a Nova Proto NP 01 turbo, while Achille Lombardi from Basilicata returns on an Osella PA 30 following recent victories. Giancarlo Maroni Jr. will drive a Nova Proto turbo, and Sergio Farris from Sardinia will contest in a Wolf GB 08 Mistral. Vincenzo Ottaviani, a local favourite, will race the Thunder Aprilia 1150cc variant after recent competition at Sarnano. The GT category will feature a strong grid including Giuseppe D'Angelo on a Ferrari 488 Evo, Giovanni Del Prete in a Lamborghini Huracán, and Kadija Moutaji, a young driver from Marche, making her debut in a Ferrari 296. Piero Nappi will bring an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to the field. Several Abruzzo-based drivers, including Claudio Pio and Silvano Stipani, will also compete. The 2024 winner was Achille Lombardi, with Daniele Filippetti from Umbria finishing second, both on Osella PA 30s. Vincenzo Ottaviani was the leading local finisher in a Wolf.
Nordschleife 6-hour race: GT3 debuts and emotional comebacks
NLS·30 July
Nordschleife 6-hour race: GT3 debuts and emotional comebacks
The KW 6-hour ADAC Ruhr Cup race on 1 August will serve as a pivotal moment in the ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie season. Held on the legendary Nordschleife, the event doubles the racing duration of the series' regular 4-hour contests, promising an action-packed day with varied tactical challenges. The entry list reflects the breadth of the series, spanning newly launched GT3 projects, veteran comebacks, and grassroots racing stories. Tickets start at €25, with free admission for children up to 14 years old, available via VLN.de/tickets. A free live stream will be broadcast from 08:15 on VLN.de, with the race commencing at noon. A specially commissioned Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport will headline the weekend as a tribute to the marque's GT4 customer racing heritage. Designed in collaboration between Porsche's Heritage and Museum teams, Weissach motorsport specialists, and Team 75 Motorsport, the car marks the final mid-engined GT4 racer built in Zuffenhausen. Its livery echoes the futuristic architecture of the Porsche Museum. The machine will be piloted by two Nordschleife icons: Timo Bernhard, who has claimed 10 NLS overall victories, and Jörg Bergmeister, a two-time series winner. This marks the first time the pair will share a GT4 cockpit together. In contrast, the Honda Civic Type R entry of Mark Giesbrecht, Frank Kuhlmann, and Michael Flehmer embodies the series' grassroots character. Flehmer boasts 42 class victories and the 2014 NLS overall title; Giesbrecht and Kuhlmann each have 26 class wins. The trio's participation represents an unexpected return after scheduling conflicts forced them to postpone their planned DHLM campaign. "After half a season of inactivity, we simply couldn't sit still any longer," Giesbrecht explained. "If all goes well, we'll add another one or two races to our schedule this season." Ralf Aron, the 28-year-old Estonian Mercedes-AMG Performance driver, will make an emotional racing comeback five months after suffering two fractured vertebrae in a crash at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February. Competing in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL, Aron will share the car with Luca Stolz, the newly crowned 24 Hours of the Nürburgring winner, who celebrates his 31st birthday during the race weekend. "After rehab and intensive training, everything felt just right again from the very first moment during the tests in May," Aron said. The GT3 field continues to expand as the season intensifies. ERA Motorsport, an IMSA-competing American outfit, makes its Nordschleife debut with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO fielding Kyle Tilley, Adam Christodoulou, and Jake Hill in the SP9 Pro-Am class. Dörr Motorsport returns with a McLaren 720S GT3 driven by brothers Ben and Phil Dörr alongside Nordschleife veteran Volker Strycek. FK Performance Motorsport, the reigning NLS overall champions, enter their first GT3 race with a BMW M4 GT3 Evo crewed by BMW works driver Dan Harper, Leyton Fourie, Maxime Oosten, and Pavel Lefterov. Joos Sportwagentechnik commits to a long-term GT3 programme, fielding a Porsche 911 GT3 R for team owner Michael Joos, veteran Fidel Leib, and Marco Lamsouguer across the remaining four NLS rounds. up2race makes its series debut with a gold-liveried Porsche 911 GT3 R—nicknamed 'Goldy'—in the SP9 Pro-Am class, with DTM driver and former sim racer Tim Heinemann sharing the cockpit with former footballer Oleksii Kikireshko. Team Four Motors fields an international trio in their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport: Australian WEC driver and Le Mans class winner Yasser Shahin, reigning Porsche Junior Marcus Amand from France, and Enzo Trulli, son of former Formula 1 driver Jarno Trulli. All three are pursuing their DMSB Nordschleife A permit in the Bioconcept racer, the highest authorisation level for future top-class competition. Qualifying runs from 08:30 to 10:00 on Saturday morning, followed by pit and grid walks at 10:20 and 11:10 respectively. The race begins at 12:00. Live coverage is available via VLN.de from 08:15 and via Radio Nürburgring on rpr1.de and the RPR1 app.
Zajelsnik sets track record to win 55th Hauenstein hillclimb
HCF·28 July
Zajelsnik sets track record to win 55th Hauenstein hillclimb
The 55th Hauenstein Bergrennen took place in ideal conditions in the Rhön region, drawing a large crowd of spectators to witness competitive hillclimb racing. The MSC Rhön organisation successfully managed the event, with all competitors completing three practice and race runs across the 4km course. Patrik Zajelsnik, a German-Slovenian driver, claimed overall victory at the wheel of his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo. Zajelsnik set a new track record during the first race run, narrowly bettering his own 2024 benchmark, which proved decisive in securing the top step of the podium. Benjamin Noll (Germany) finished second overall in his Osella PA30 Zytek LRM, delivering strong pace throughout the weekend despite encountering technical issues in the second race run. Tommy Rollinger (Luxembourg) completed the overall podium in his Osella FA30 Zytek, also taking the win in the 3-litre E2-SS formula class. In the touring car category, Stefan Hetzenauer (Austria) dominated proceedings in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI, also setting a new Category 1 track record since the introduction of the Pf classes. "Speedmaster" (Switzerland) secured second place in the touring car standings with his Ford Escort Cosworth RS, winning the E1 class over 3-litres. Rainer Noller (Germany) rounded out the touring car podium in his Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup, competing at Hauenstein for the first time. Other class winners included Marco Farrenkopf (Germany) in the E2-SH category with his Silver Car S2 Evo Suzuki. The event saw several retirements, including Dany Demuth (Luxembourg) with a technical failure in his Norma M20FC Judd, and Jürgen Frommknecht (Germany), whose Dallara F302 Spiess Evo caught fire during the first race run, though the fire was quickly extinguished by marshals.
RCN Round 5: 160 entries for Nürburgring Nordschleife time attack
RCN·16 July
RCN Round 5: 160 entries for Nürburgring Nordschleife time attack
The fifth round of the 2026 Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) season will take place on the Nürburgring Nordschleife on 18 June, organised by MSC Bork e.V. under ADAC sanction. The event, titled "Um die Westfalen-Trophy", has attracted more than 160 entries. The start is scheduled for 12:30 from grandstand T13. Competitors will complete 15 timed runs over the 20.793 km Nordschleife circuit, totalling 311.895 km. The format comprises one timed lap for qualification, one confirmation lap, ten sprint runs, two fuel stops with a 50-minute maximum time allowance, and one cool-down lap. Total driving time is capped at 190 minutes. Series leaders Jens Schneider and Robin Reimer (BMW 325i) will compete in class R4, which fields 22 cars and remains the largest class. Second-placed Sven Markert and Lars Harbeck (BMW 320i) contest class H3 with 11 entries, while third-placed Christian Koch (BMW 325i) races in class H4 with 13 starters. Class R2A has 16 entries and class RS3A 11 teams. Notable contenders include Michael Luther and Markus Schmickler (BMW M4 GT4), David Vogt (Opel Astra TCR), Andreas Schwarz (Cupra Leon TCR), Alain Dutronc (Porsche Cayman GT4 CS), Stefan Schmickler (Porsche Cayman), and Eric Petrich (BMW M3). An interesting pairing in class RS8A sees Dirk Maier partnered with Yannik Fübrich, current NLS series leader and former NLS champion, in a BMW M2 Competition. Documentation and technical checks run on Friday 17 June from 15:30–20:00 and 15:30–20:30 respectively. Saturday morning sessions continue from 08:15–11:15 and 08:15–11:30. A drivers' briefing is scheduled for 11:40, with results posted online at 17:00 and the awards ceremony at 17:30.
Menzel and Müller edge thrilling NLS finale by 0.319 seconds
NLS·20 June
Menzel and Müller edge thrilling NLS finale by 0.319 seconds
Nico Menzel and Sven Müller claimed a dramatic victory in the sixth round of the ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, crossing the finish line in their new Dunlop Porsche 911 GT3 R with a margin of just 0.319 seconds after 4 hours 9 minutes 46.280 seconds. The pair's triumph marked Menzel's fifth NLS career win and Müller's seventh overall, decided in a tense final sprint under midsummer heat that tested both drivers and machinery on the Nordschleife. Jens Klingmann and Robin Frijns in the Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO finished second after 27 laps, while the Pro-Am entry of Patrick Assenheimer, Tobias Müller and Dylan Pereira in a Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO from 48 LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON secured third place. The result was shaped by early pit stop strategy: both the winning Porsche and second-placed BMW made their first stops on lap six, while most rivals stayed out until lap seven, allowing the pair to establish control. A rear-left puncture for the Falken Motorsports Porsche of Klaus Bachler and Tim Heinemann on lap 21 eliminated another podium contender, handing third to Black Falcon. In the BMW M240i Racing Cup class, Sven Markert, Edoardo Bugane, Tim Lukas Müller and Yannick Fübrich won by 1.028 seconds in car 651 for Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels, taking sole leadership of the championship with 60 points. Their rivals Oskar Sandberg and Alexander Fielenbach crashed on the Schwalbenschwanz section and retired early, allowing the Adrenalin crew to break a points tie at the season's halfway mark. Raphael Rennhofer was named Driver of the Race for his performance in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring Cup 2 class, finishing second in car 902 for Team LIQUI MOLY by BLACK FALCON alongside Ryan Harrison and Leon Wassertheurer. Class honours went to Nico Bastian and Martin Rump in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup from Mühlner Motorsport. The NLS Youth Kart Slalom Championship held its second round in the paddock, with class winners including Leonie Heiermann (K1), Luise Schwarz (K2), Jeremy Port (K3), Leo Pawelczyk (K4), Tim Schneider (K5) and Francis Rittinger (K6). The next event, the KW 6h ADAC Ruhr Cup, is scheduled for 1 August with 50 per cent increased race duration and additional championship points available.