Hillclimb Fans

The 45th Buzetski dani hillclimb in Croatia concluded the 2026 European Hillclimb Championship season with competitive racing across multiple categories. Despite challenging weather on Saturday—heavy rain affected the 5km course—Sunday's race day delivered ideal conditions, though forest sections remained damp during the first run, causing multiple interruptions. Kevin Petit of France claimed overall victory in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, delivering a standout performance that impressed spectators with his aggressive driving style. Petr Trnka (Czech Republic) finished second in an identically specified Nova, while Joseba Iraola Lanzagorta (Spain) completed the podium in third, also piloting a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo and securing the Proto Class 1 title. In the touring car category, Reto Meisel (Switzerland) dominated in his Mercedes-Benz SLK 340 Judd, setting a new course record by improving the previous benchmark from 2022 by 1.2 seconds. Karol Krupa (Poland) finished second in a Skoda Fabia CT, while Nicolas Werver (France) rounded out the top three in a Porsche 997 GT3 R. Matija Jurisic, competing at his home event, secured his second European Hillclimb Championship title in the PF Class 4 driving a Peugeot 308 TCR 1.6. In the historic categories, Christian Zaleski (Poland) won in a BMW 2002 ti to claim his first Historic European Hillclimb Championship, while Bostjan Urbancic (Slovenia) triumphed in Historic Category 2 with a Fiat 128 Coupe SL 1300.

Three significant hillclimb events are scheduled across Switzerland and Italy, marking the conclusion of the season for competitors in both countries. The 43rd Coppa della Città Les Paccots will serve as the finale for the Swiss hillclimb championship. The event takes place on a course just over 2 kilometres in length and is expected to attract a strong field of drivers competing for the title. In northern Italy, the Pedavena–Croce d'Aune hillclimb will host two concurrent championships this coming weekend: a round of the CIVM Northern Italian Championship and the IRS Cup. Organisers have assembled a high-calibre entry list for the Veneto region event. Meanwhile, Tuscany will host the 43rd Coppa del Chianti, a round of the Italian Historic Hillclimb Championship. The event marks the return of the Coppa del Chianti after a multi-year hiatus, with an 8-kilometre course and a strong historic car entry list expected.

The 2026 European Hillclimb Championship will conclude in Buzet, Croatia, with the 45th running of the event in the Istrian region. The approximately 5 km course is expected to attract a strong international field competing across multiple prototype and touring car categories. Among the headline contenders, French driver Kevin Petit will pilot a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo in pursuit of the overall title. He faces stiff competition from Spanish rival Joseba Iraola Lanzagorta, also in a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, and Czech driver Petr Trnka in the same machinery. North Macedonian Igor Stefanovski will contest his second outing in a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo. In Proto Class 2, Italian hillclimb veteran Fausto Bormolini will campaign a Wolf GB08 Mistral Aurobay Turbo. Spanish competitor Jose Antonio Alonso Liste brings a Tatuus F3 T-318 Alpine, while Slovenian driver Vladimir Stankovic will race a Wolf GB08 Thunder Aprilia. Czech driver David Dedek enters a Nova NP 03 C Ducati, and Kosovar Bardhyl Canolli will debut a Radical SR8 RSX RPE. Hungarian legend Laszlo Szasz makes his first appearance with a Reynard 2KL Zytek F3000, while Italian Simone Feroleto will drive an Osella PA 20/S BMW and Croatian Filip Magdic a Gibson Nemesis RME Honda Turbo. In Proto Class 3, Italian Antonino Migliuolo arrives as defending champion in his category after clinching the title at Ilirska Bistrica, piloting a Nova NP 03 Aprilia. Fellow Italian Francesco Ballarini makes his debut in the class with an identical Nova NP 03 Aprilia. South Italian Giovanni Lisi will race a Wolf GB08 Thunder Aprilia, and Albanian Gentjan Shaqiri competes in a Tatuus Formel Master S2000 Honda. Proto Class 4 features Czech driver Lukas Studeny in a Ligier JS51 Honda as a leading contender. Compatriot Karel Berger will race an Osella PA21 JrB Suzuki, Czech driver Tereza Machova a Norma M20F Honda, and Serbian Uros Brkic an Osella PA 21 Evo Honda K24. The touring car field includes Swiss driver Reto Meisel in a Mercedes Benz SLK 340 Judd. Croatian Domagoj Perekovic brings a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, Bulgarian Nikolay Zlatkov an Audi S1 Pikes Peak Quattro, and Slovenian veteran Milan Bubnic a Lancia Delta Integrale. Polish driver Szymon Piekos competes in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8, Czech Lukas Keller a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 AMS, Croatian Dejan Dimitrijevic a Seat Leon R32 Proto, Croatian Maro Slade a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, and Slovenian Janko Medved a Subaru Impreza MRC.

Simone Faggioli secured his 20th Italian national hillclimb championship title at the 71st Coppa Nissena on Sicily, held at the 5km Caltanissetta circuit. The Italian driver, piloting a Nova NP 01-2 C Judd, delivered an impressive performance in challenging conditions to claim overall victory. The event was marked by a serious accident during the first run that forced a two-hour interruption; the second run was subsequently cancelled due to incoming rain. Faggioli also set a new track record at Caltanissetta, becoming the first driver to break the two-minute barrier on the high-speed course. Stefano di Fulvio finished second overall in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, securing vice-champion status in the Supersalita championship in his first attempt at the demanding circuit. Samuele Cassibba completed the podium in third place, driving a Nova NP 01-2 C Judd and claiming victory in the E2-SC sportprototype class. In the touring car category, Giuseppe Aragona won overall in his VW Golf MK.7 Proto, also setting a new E1 class record. Manuel Dondi finished second in an Alfa Romeo-powered Fiat X1/9, establishing a new E2-SH class record, while Kadija Mourtaji took third place in a Ferrari 296 Challenge on her debut in the car. Mourtaji was involved in a significant accident at the finish line during the first run but escaped with minor injuries; trackside officials were also slightly hurt in the incident. Other notable finishers included Mirko Torsellini in fourth overall (Norma M20FC Zytek, 0.17 seconds behind third), Achille Lombardi fifth (Osella PA30 Judd), and Luigi Fazzino sixth (Osella PA30 Zytek Evo, 0.31 seconds from fifth). Technical retirements affected potential contenders Francesco Conticelli and Michele Puglisi, both Sicilian drivers who had shown strong pace in practice.

Patrik Zajelsnik secured overall victory at the 57th Bergrennen Eichenbühl hillclimb in challenging conditions, piloting his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo to a commanding performance on the 3km-plus Unterfranken course. The German-Slovenian driver's spectacular pace impressed spectators throughout the weekend and delivered him another significant triumph of the season. Weather played a decisive role in the event's character. The day began under clear skies but a rain shower arrived before the sports car field took to the track, creating treacherous conditions for early runners. After several incidents and stoppages, organisers limited the meeting to two timed runs. The track gradually dried during the second run, allowing later competitors to tackle ideal asphalt. Despite the disruptions, strong crowds lined the circuit and witnessed high-calibre hillclimb racing. Thomas Strasser of Tyrol claimed second overall and dominated the touring car category in his VW Minichberger Corrado R Turbo, delivering a commanding display that earned him one of his career-best hillclimb results. Third overall went to Benjamin Noll (Germany), who impressed in his Osella FA30 Zytek LRM, also taking the E2-SS 3000cc class win. Charles Valentiny (Luxembourg) finished fourth in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI, while Mikko Kataja (Finland) rounded the top five in his Toyota Starlet V8 Hayabusa, just 0.18 seconds behind after two runs. In the E2-SS 2000cc formula class, Marco Lorig (Germany) won decisively in his Tatuus Formel Master S2000 Honda, with Bastian Voss second in an identical car and Patrick Rahn third in a Wolf GB08F1 Mistral PSA Turbo. The E2-SC 2000cc category saw Michael Bodenmüller triumph in his Norma M20FC Honda LRM, ahead of Peter Amann (Austria) in an Osella PA30/2000 Evo Honda and Dino Gebhard (Germany) in a Norma M20F Honda.

Herbert Perwein claimed overall victory at the 2026 Bergrallye Marktl/Straden hillclimb, establishing a new track record on the 1.3 km course in Austria. Driving a VW PR Golf 1 Turbo 4×4, the Salzburg-based driver set his first record in the opening race and improved it again in the decisive third run, securing a commanding win in favourable weather conditions. The event, organised by Stella's Racing Team under race director Jimmy Kahr, drew 87 competitors and was completed efficiently, finishing shortly after 16:30 despite minor delays during practice sessions. Reinhold Taus of Styria finished second overall in a Subaru Impreza P4 Turbo, claiming first place in the Pf Class 1 category despite grappling with a drivetrain issue during the races. Thomas Nöst, also from Styria, rounded out the podium in third with a VW Polo 6 HCR, taking second in Pf Class 1. Franz Kogler placed fourth overall with a newly prepared Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, securing third in Pf Class 1 in what he described as his biggest hillclimb success to date. Markus Binder completed the top five, just 0.96 seconds behind after two scored runs, winning Pf Class 2a in a Ford Escort Cosworth. Hannes Kaufmann finished sixth, a mere 0.2 seconds further back, taking Pf Class 2b honours in another Ford Escort Cosworth. Further down the order, Rupert Schwaiger placed seventh in a Porsche 911 3.5 Bi-Turbo with fourth in Pf Class 1, while Peter Probhardt took eighth in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 Evo 3, finishing second in Pf Class 2a. Heiko Fiausch claimed ninth overall and victory in Pf Class 3b with an Opel Astra STW, and Patrick Mayer rounded out the top ten with a VW Golf 1 16V 2.0, winning Pf Class 4a.

The Italian Supersalita championship will conclude this weekend at the 71st Coppa Nissena in Caltanissetta, Sicily, on a 5km high-speed course. The event takes place under heightened safety protocols following a fatal accident at Monte Erice the previous weekend, with organisers committed to ensuring best-practice precautions throughout the competition. Multiple Italian hillclimb champion Simone Faggioli enters as the dominant favourite, piloting his Nova NP 01-2 C Judd. A victory would secure his 20th Italian hillclimb title. Stefano di Fulvio (Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo) and local driver Francesco Conticelli (Nova NP 01-2 Zytek) are among the principal challengers in the top category. Other contenders include Luigi Fazzino (Osella PA30 Zytek Evo), Samuele Cassibba (Nova NP 01-2 C Judd), Franco Caruso (Nova NP 01-2 C Zytek), Mirko Torsellini (Norma M20FC Zytek), Achille Lombardi (Osella PA30 Judd), Vincenzo Conticelli (Osella PA30 Zytek Evo), Mario Massaglia (Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo), and Swiss driver Fabien Bouduban (Norma M20FC Zytek). In the 2-litre E2-SC category, Francesco Leogrande (Osella PA21 4C LRM Turbo) is favoured, alongside Salvatore Micciche (Osella PA2000 LRM Turbo), Luca Ligato (Osella PA2000 Evo Honda), and Andrea Pezzani (Osella PA2000 Evo Honda). The 1.6-litre E2-SC class features Michele Puglisi (Nova NP 03 C Aprilia) as a leading contender, with Mirko Sulsenti (Bulla Sport BMW), Carmine Falcione (Nova NP 03 Aprilia), Emanuele Schillace (Nova NP 03 C Aprilia), and Antonino Salamone (Nova NP 03 C Aprilia) among rivals. In touring car competition, Manuel Dondi (Fiat X1/9 Alfa Romeo) and Marco Gramenzi (Alfa Romeo 4C Judd) lead the E2-SH field. TCR entries include Antonino Scorza (Cupra Leon TCR) and Selina Prantl (VW Golf GTI TCR). The E1 class features Giuseppe Aragona (VW Golf MK7 Proto), Alessandro Tortora (Peugeot 106 Maxi Turbo), Pietro Ragusa (Renault 5 GT Turbo), Davide D'Acri (Citroën Saxo VTS 16V), and Valerio Magliano (Peugeot 106 GTI 16V).

The 57th Eichenbühl hillclimb in Franconia will mark a decisive stage of the German hillclimb championship, with only the final round at Mickhausen remaining on the calendar after this event. The organisers expect a high-calibre entry across multiple classes, competing on the demanding 3km-plus circuit that promises competitive racing and spectacle. Prototypes and open-wheel contenders German-Slovenian driver Patrik Zajelsnik enters as the favourite for overall victory, piloting his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo in the 3-litre E2-SC category. Among his chief rivals in the same class will be veteran Alexander Hin in an Osella PA30 Zytek LRM. In the 3-litre E2-SS formula class, young German Benjamin Noll returns in a legendary Osella FA30 Zytek LRM, while Luxembourg's Tommy Rollinger will also contest the top times in his Osella FA30 Zytek. German regular Gerd Kauff completes the line-up in this category with his Dallara T12 Nissan. The 2-litre E2-SC class is strongly populated. Michael Bodenmüller (Norma M20FC Honda LRM) and Georg Lang (PRC FPR VW Turbo) are expected to lead the fight, with German-Italian Francesco D'Acri (Elia Avrio ST09 Evo Suzuki) also among the contenders. Dino Gebhard will make his national championship debut at his home event in a Norma M20F Honda. Austrian Peter Amann (Osella PA30/2000 Evo Honda), Andreas Voss (Osella PA2000 Evo Honda), Otmar Fassold (Norma M20A Honda), Stephan Collisi (Behnke Condor BMW), and veteran Gerhard Siebert (Osella PA18 BMW) round out a competitive field. Jan Martinez-Schramm will contest the event for the first time in a PRC C/3 MS2 VW. In the 2-litre E2-SS formula class, Bastian Voss leads the championship standings and will be among the favourites. Marco Lorig (Tatuus Formel Master S2000 Honda) has enjoyed a strong season, as has Patrick Rahn in his new Wolf GB08F1 Mistral PSA Turbo. Jürgen Frommknecht (Dallara F302 Evo Spiess) will also compete. In the E2-SH category, Marco Farrenkopf (Silver Car S2 Evo Suzuki) is expected to feature prominently. Road car and touring car battles The touring car overall victory is likely to be contested between Austrian Thomas Strasser (VW Minichberger Corrado R Turbo), seeking to repeat last year's success, and German veteran Holger Hovemann (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo 1). Finnish driver Mikko Kataja will make his second outing in a uniquely configured Toyota Starlet V8 Hayabusa, while Luxembourg's Charel Valentiny (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) and fellow Luxembourger Michel Fernandes (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup) are also expected to challenge for top positions. In the Pf Class 2 category, Michael Weber (Audi 80 Quattro), Christian Leutheuser (BMW M240i-Cup/GTR), and Sebastian Kühn (BMW 1M GTR) will compete, with Swiss driver Corsin Rietiker making his debut in a BMW E36 GTR V10. The Pf Class 3a field includes Florian Heß (Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup) and Rainer Noller (Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup) among the leading contenders.

The penultimate round of the 2026 Bergrallyecup will take place at Marktl near Straden in southeastern Styria, with the 1.3 km course expected to deliver decisive moments in what has been a closely contested season. The challenging layout of the circuit promises competitive racing across multiple classes, while the organising team around Stella's Racing Team will also host a hillclimb slalom on Saturday using a shorter track variant. In the overall title fight, Styrian driver Reinhold Taus emerges as one of the leading contenders, piloting his Subaru Impreza P4 Turbo. Taus arrives at the event with strong momentum following a dominant season and a recent victory at the European Championship round in Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia. Among his chief rivals in the Pf Class 1 category will be Rupert Schwaiger, a Styrian hillclimb veteran, who will campaign a Porsche 911 3.5 Bi-Turbo. Thomas Nöst in a VW Polo 6 HCR and Franz Kogler in a newly prepared Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 are also expected to challenge for top positions, with Kogler seeking to build on an impressive debut in the car at Voitsberg. Karl Heinz Binder in a Ford Sierra Cosworth RS rounds out the strong field in this class. In Pf Class 2a, Peter Probhardt will pilot his Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 Evo 3 in pursuit of another podium finish, while Felix Pailer brings a Lancia Delta Integrale to the grid. Markus Binder will compete in a Ford Escort Cosworth, known for his spectacular driving style, and Michael Storath from Bavaria returns with his Lancia Delta Integrale. Nico Winkler in a Skoda Octavia Turbo Evo 3 and Mario Eisner in a BMW E46 Coupe Turbo complete the entry list for this class. Pf Class 2b promises close competition, with Hannes Kaufmann from Carinthia leading the charge in a Ford Escort Cosworth. Stefan Wiedenhofer in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and Andreas Miletich in a VW Scirocco Type S are expected to mount strong challenges. Nico Haidenberger in a Lancia Delta Integrale, Roland Wurm and Erwin Heidenbauer in a Seat Leon Cupra TCR, plus Lukas Kicker in a BMW E36 325i Turbo and Rene Piuk in a Honda Civic SIR-S Turbo round out the field. In Pf Class 3a, Herbert Perwein from Salzburg will be among the favourites in his VW PR Golf 1 Turbo 4×4, having recently won the European Championship round in Ilirska Bistrica. Diethard Sternad in a Honda Civic FK7 TCR, currently leading the class championship, will provide stiff opposition. Local driver Stella Ochabauer competes at her home event in a VW Corrado Turbo, while Kevin Reiß brings a Mercedes Benz 190 Evo 1 Turbo to the grid. Pf Class 3b is expected to be dominated by Heiko Fiausch in an Opel Astra STW, who has led the class throughout the season. Karlheinz Stranner from Carinthia in a Ford Escort Cosworth, Markus Gruber in a Skoda Fabia Evo 2, and Stefan Karl in a VW Golf 4 GTI will challenge for positions. Christian Biesinger in a newly rebuilt Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and Kristin Gschiel in an Audi A4 B5 Quattro are also entered, with Florian Feiertag making his Bergrallyecup debut in a Ford Escort Turbo. In Pf Class 4a, Patrick Mayer from Lower Austria aims for another victory in his VW Golf 1 16V 2.0, while Dieter Holzer in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 will be among the contenders. The event will also feature additional classes with numerous competitors seeking strong results on the demanding 1.3 km course.

Sicily's Monte Erice hillclimb returns this weekend for its 68th edition, with a competitive entry list across multiple categories competing over the 5-kilometre course. Although the event will not carry the highest status within the Italian hillclimb championship this year, organisers report that sections of the track have been resurfaced ahead of the race. In the top E2-SC Sportprototype class, Luigi Fazzino is among the leading contenders, piloting an Osella PA30 Zytek Evo. The young Sicilian has impressed throughout the season with this machine. His main rival appears to be fellow islander Samuele Cassibba, who has delivered strong performances in his Nova NP 01-2 C Judd. Also in contention are Francesco Conticelli (Nova NP 01-2 Zytek), Franco Caruso (Nova NP 01-2 C Zytek), Achille Lombardi (Osella PA30 Judd), and Vincenzo Conticelli (Osella PA30 Zytek Evo), making for a closely matched field. In the 2-litre E2-SC category, Francesco Leogrande is a strong favourite with his Osella PA21 4C LRM Turbo, though he faces competition from Salvatore Micciche (Osella PA2000 LRM Turbo), Salvatore Castellano (Nova NP 01-2 Synergy), and Andrea Pezzani (Osella PA2000 Evo Honda). The smallest E2-SC class up to 1.6 litres features Michele Puglisi (Nova NP 03 C Aprilia) and Gerardo Rosa (Osella PA21 JrB Aprilia) as leading contenders. In the touring car and GT categories, Alessandro Gabrielli leads the field in a Ferrari 296 Challenge, with strong opposition from Giacomo Ferrazzano (Lamborghini Gallardo GT3), Erosse Petrucci (Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo), Gabriele Lanzillotti (Ferrari 458 Challenge Evo), and Sebastian Frijo (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo 2). The historic classes feature drivers including Giovanni Cassibba (Osella PA 20/S BMW), Harald Mössler (Daren MK3 Cosworth), and Tiberio Nocentini (Chevron B19 Cosworth).

Marc Pernot secured his first overall victory at the Turckheim hillclimb during the event's 70th anniversary edition, piloting his Nova NP 01-2 C Hartley Turbo to the top step. The French driver, already confirmed as the new French hillclimb champion for the season, delivered an impressive performance on the nearly 6 km Alsatian course to claim the honour at the milestone event. Only two race runs took place due to various incidents during the weekend, with the fastest time counting towards the final classification. Maxime Dojat finished second overall in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, also securing victory in the 3-litre E2-SC sportprototype class. Belgian Corentin Starck completed the overall podium in third place, also driving a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo and taking second in the 3-litre E2-SC category. Swiss driver Victor Darbellay narrowly missed the podium in fourth, just 0.72 seconds behind Pernot in his first outing at Turckheim with a Nova NP 01-2 Hartley Turbo, while claiming second place in the 2-litre E2-SC class. French driver Etienne Pernot rounded out the top five overall and won the CN+ class in his Norma M20FC 4-litre BMW. Swiss Joel Volluz finished sixth overall, just 0.4 seconds adrift, and took third in the 3-litre E2-SC category with his Norma M20FC Judd Evo C. In the Trophée classification, German-Slovenian Patrik Zajelsnik prevailed in his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo, with Luxembourg's Dany Demuth second in a Norma M20FC Judd and fellow Luxembourger Canio Marchione third in a Revolt 3P0 Honda Turbo. Local favourite Nicolas Werver dominated the touring car category, winning in his Porsche 997 GT3 R. The event took place in fine weather and attracted numerous drivers from neighbouring countries to celebrate the 70-year milestone of the Turckheim classic.

Robin Faustini secured his third consecutive Swiss hillclimb championship title with victory at the 2026 Bergrennen Oberhallau in canton Schaffhausen. Piloting his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo, the defending champion delivered a commanding performance on the 3 km course in ideal weather conditions, though the event was marked by several incidents that forced organisers to cancel the third scheduled run. Only two races counted toward the final classification, meaning every mistake proved costly. Benjamin Noll of Germany finished second overall in his Osella FA30 Zytek LRM, also claiming victory in the 3-litre E2-SS formula class. Simon Hugentobler completed the overall podium in his Osella PA30 Zytek, taking second place in the 3-litre E2-SC sports prototype category. Bastian Voss secured fourth overall with his Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda, winning the 2-litre E2-SS class, while Roland Bossy rounded out the top five, finishing just 0.03 seconds behind in his Tatuus F3 T-318 Alpine and taking second in the 3-litre E2-SS category. Roger Schnellmann dominated the touring car category in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 Helftec, with Thomas Strasser of Tyrol second in a VW Minichberger Corrado R Turbo and Ludovic Monnier third in a VW Golf 2 R1170T 4×4. Several drivers encountered misfortune: Marco Lorig and Jürgen Frommknecht both had their times deleted due to excessive rear wing heights, while Michel Zemp retired with a damaged air box and multiple-time Swiss champion Marcel Steiner suffered crankshaft failure in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo. Other notable results included Jean-Jacques Maitre winning the 2-litre E2-SC sports prototype class in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda, Ursanne Salomon taking second in the 2-litre E2-SS formula class with his Dallara F305-07 Mercedes, and Peter Amann securing second in the 2-litre E2-SC category in his Osella PA30/2000 Evo Honda. In the touring car field, Bernhard Permetinger won the E1 over-4-litre class in his BMW Z4 GT3, while Patrick Orth finished sixth overall in a Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup, missing second place in the E1 over-4-litre class by just 0.4 seconds.