Club Racing — news

61st Luigi Fagioli Hillclimb moves to 1.5x points multiplier
ilT·20 August
61st Luigi Fagioli Hillclimb moves to 1.5x points multiplier
The 61st Trofeo Luigi Fagioli, scheduled for 21–23 August in Gubbio, Umbria, will serve as the sixth and penultimate round of the Italian Supersalita Championship with a heightened 1.5× points coefficient. The event, organised by the Comitato Eugubino Corse Automobilistiche and nicknamed the "Montecarlo of Hillclimbs" for its exclusive setting and extensive supporting programme, will also count towards the Italian Mountain Speed Championship (north and south divisions) and the national "Two-Cylinder" title. The hillclimb covers 4.15 kilometres along the SR 298 between Gubbio and Madonna della Cima, climbing 270 metres at an average gradient of 6.5%. Reconnaissance runs are scheduled for Saturday 22 August at 09:30, with the first timed ascent beginning at 09:00 on Sunday. A total of 258 entries have been received. Technical and sporting checks run Friday 21 August from 09:30 to 18:00, followed by a drivers' briefing at 18:45 with race director Fabrizio Fondacci. The championship battle in the top class remains tight: Simone Faggioli (Nova Proto NP 01) leads after his Rieti victory, but Stefano Di Fulvio (Nova Proto NP01 turbo) trails by only nine points. Mirko Torsellini (Norma M20 Fc) has impressed with recent form, while Luigi Fazzino (Osella PA 30) and Achille Lombardi (Osella PA 30) continue to press. Other contenders include Franco Caruso, Samuele Cassibba, Sebastien Petit, and Fabien Bouduban, all aboard Nova Proto machinery. In the E2SC Motori Moto category, 23-year-old Andrea Di Caro (Nova Proto NP 03 Aprilia, Team Faggioli) arrives unbeaten across 16 races with five course records from five 2026 outings and two national titles. The GT group features strong entries including Lucio Peruggini (Ferrari 296, Best Lap) leading Division 1, Sebastiano Frijo (Lamborghini Huracán) heading Division 2, and Piero Nappi (Porsche 992) contending in Division 3. The event will be broadcast live on ACI Sport TV, Sky channel 228, and Tivùsat channel 52.
Voitsberg hillclimb set for competitive Austrian cup battle
HCF·19 August
Voitsberg hillclimb set for competitive Austrian cup battle
The Austrian Bergrallyecup resumes its summer break with the Voitsberg-Lobming event in western Styria, marking the start of the championship's decisive phase. The 1.6 km course is expected to deliver spectacular racing, with an exceptionally strong field of drivers competing across multiple classes. Class 1 (Pf Klasse 1) will see Reinhold Taus leading the championship standings in his Subaru Impreza P4 Turbo as one of the main favourites. He faces stiff competition from hillclimb veteran Rupert Schwaiger, piloting a Porsche 911 3.5 Bi-Turbo, who impressed recently at the Austrian hillclimb nationals. Thomas Nöst brings a well-prepared VW Polo 6 HCR, while Karl Heinz Binder is working to have his Ford Sierra Cosworth RS ready. Franz Kogler will debut his newly built machine at the event. Class 2a (Pf Klasse 2a) features Peter Probhardt in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 Evo 3 as a championship contender, alongside Felix Pailer in a Lancia Delta Integrale. Markus Binder (Ford Escort Cosworth), Reinhold Nauschnegg (Opel VMAX Calibra Turbo), Michael Storath (Lancia Delta Integrale), and Nico Winkler (Skoda Octavia Turbo Evo 3) are also entered. Class 2b (Pf Klasse 2b) sees Hannes Kaufmann (Ford Escort Cosworth) as a favourite, challenged by championship leader Stefan Wiedenhofer in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. Dietmar Lustig-Jungwirth (Ford Escort Cosworth RS03), Andreas Miletich (VW Scirocco Type S, making his cup debut), Erwin Heidenbauer (Seat Leon Cupra TCR), and Roland Wurm (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) complete the field. Class 3a (Pf Klasse 3a) includes Diethard Sternad (Honda Civic FK7 TCR), fresh from strong Austrian nationals performances, Kevin Reiß (Mercedes Benz 190 Evo 1 Turbo), Stella Ochabauer (VW Corrado Turbo), and local driver Martin Ranner (VW Golf 1 16V) making his debut. Class 3b (Pf Klasse 3b) is led by Heiko Fiausch (Opel Astra STW), one of only two drivers to win every round so far. Karlheinz Stranner (Ford Escort Cosworth), Markus Gruber (Skoda Fabia Evo 2), and Severin Gschiel (VW Golf 1 16V) are among the contenders. Christian Biesinger debuts his newly built Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, while Stefan Karl (VW Golf 4 GTI), Kristin Gschiel (Audi A4 B5 Quattro), Rudolf Windbacher (Honda Civic EG6/K20, competing at his home event), Manfred Liendl (Ford Escort Turbo), and Christoph Rappold (BMW E36 M3) are also entered. Class 4a (Pf Klasse 4a) features Patrick Mayer (VW Golf 1 16V 2.0) as a leading contender, with Dieter Holzer (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) and Mario Papst (Subaru Impreza GT) among the challengers.
Record 135 entries confirmed for Polish Legend Rally
RandR·18 August
Record 135 entries confirmed for Polish Legend Rally
The third edition of the Polish Legend Rally has attracted a record 135 registered crews ahead of the event scheduled for 27–29 August, based in Polanica-Zdrój. Of these, approximately 100 will compete in timed stages, while 38 crews will participate in a non-competitive display class. The entry list spans 12 nationalities, including competitors from Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The competitive programme will run across Friday and Saturday, 28–29 August, featuring 12 special stages totalling 68.90 km. The full rally distance is 347.63 km. Friday's leg comprises two passes of the 5 km Shell Etoll–Radków stage and concludes with the 3.70 km Q Service Castrol–Kłodzko city stage. Saturday's more extensive itinerary includes three passes each of Polanica-Zdrój (5.10 km), Spalona (5.40 km) and Duszniki–Zieleniec (7.90 km), the latter being the longest stage of the event. The Saturday schedule totals nine stages and 55.20 km of competition. The entry list features several notable crews. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak will compete in a Citroën C3 WRC, while Bruno Thiry and Louka Louis will drive a Subaru Impreza. Other notable entries include Tomasz Czopik and Małgorzata Kosińska in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5, Damian Sawicki and Michał Jurgała in a Subaru Impreza, and Sebastian Frycz and Maciej Wodniak in a Renault Clio S1600. The display class will feature Armin Schwarz and Fabio Schwarz in a Toyota Celica ST165, alongside Leszek Kuzaj and Andrzej Obrębowski in a Škoda Fabia. Organisers have designed a compact loop for Saturday's stages to allow spectators to plan their viewing positions more easily. A service park in Polanica-Zdrój will provide close access to the competing vehicles and crews between stages.
Gubbio hillclimb attracts 258 entries for 61st Trofeo Luigi Fagioli
ilT·18 August
Gubbio hillclimb attracts 258 entries for 61st Trofeo Luigi Fagioli
The 61st edition of the Trofeo Luigi Fagioli hillclimb in Gubbio, Italy, has secured 258 competitor entries for the event scheduled for 23 August 2026. The 4,150-metre course, which climbs from the medieval Umbrian city to the Madonna della Cima pass, will also feature 42 historic vehicles competing alongside the main field. The weekend will serve as the opening round of the Italian National Hillclimb Championship. Organised by the Eugubino Corse Automobilistiche committee, the event has established itself as a flagship hillclimb in Europe, earning the nickname "Monte Carlo of hillclimbs". The three-day programme will include a newly constructed Arena Paddock open to the public, with supporting activities and attractions running from Friday through Sunday. The event maintains international standards across logistics, organisation, and ancillary programming. Preceding the main competition, a ceremonial evening is scheduled for Wednesday, 19 August at the Park Hotel Ai Cappuccini, where the Memorial Angelo and Pietro Barbetti award will be presented to Dallara Automobili and its founder Giampaolo Dallara. The recognition honours prominent figures in motorsport; Dallara, an engineer who graduated from Milan Polytechnic and worked in Formula 1 and Formula 2 before founding his company in 1972 at Varano de' Melegari, has built a global reputation for competition vehicles including sports prototypes, rally chassis, and single-seaters competing in IndyCar and worldwide series. The Wednesday evening ceremony will feature actress Pilar Fogliati as a guest of the Rotary Club Gubbio, alongside Mario Isola, who assumed the role of ACI Sport general director in July following his tenure as head of Pirelli Motorsport. An official presentation for media and enthusiasts is scheduled for Thursday, 20 August at 11:00 in the Sala Trecentesca of Palazzo Pretorio in Piazza Grande, Gubbio.
Petit wins 81st St. Ursanne hillclimb; Meisel dominates touring cars
HCF·17 August
Petit wins 81st St. Ursanne hillclimb; Meisel dominates touring cars
The 81st Côte de St. Ursanne hillclimb in Switzerland delivered dramatic racing across two days of competition, with changeable weather on Saturday giving way to dry conditions on Sunday. The event, held over the 5km-plus high-speed course in the Jura, saw the popular upper section at Petit Susten reopened to spectators, restoring atmosphere to the classic venue. French driver Kevin Petit claimed overall victory in his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, securing his first full success in the 2026 European Hillclimb Championship season after a difficult campaign. Petit's decisive performance came in the second race run. Swiss driver Victor Darbellay finished second overall in his Nova NP 01-2 Hartley Turbo, also taking the national championship lead and winning the 2-litre E2-SC class. Spanish competitor Joseba Iraola Lanzagorta completed the podium in third, separated from Darbellay by just 0.4 seconds across both timed runs, and claimed second place in the Proto Class 1 European Championship category. Further down the order, Swiss driver Joel Volluz (Norma M20FC Judd Evo C) finished fourth overall and won the 3-litre E2-SC sportprototype class, while Michel Zemp (Norma M20FC Honda Turbo) took fifth overall and second in the 2-litre E2-SC sportprototype category. Czech driver Petr Trnka (Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo) secured sixth overall and third in Proto Class 1, with Luxembourg's Dany Demuth (Norma M20FC Judd) seventh overall and second in the 3-litre E2-SC class. German driver Benjamin Noll claimed ninth overall and victory in the 3-litre E2-SS formula class in his Osella FA30 Zytek LRM at his St. Ursanne debut. In the touring car battle, Swiss driver Reto Meisel dominated in his Mercedes-Benz SLK 340 Judd, delivering a commanding performance despite pre-event technical issues. French driver Nicolas Werver finished second in his newly rebuilt Porsche 997 GT3 R, while Swiss competitor Roger Schnellmann (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 Helftec) took third. Ludovic Monnier (VW Golf 2 R1170T 4×4) claimed fourth overall in the touring car standings and won the national hillclimb championship in the E1 class up to 2-litre displacement. Christoph Zwahlen (Porsche 911 GT3 R) finished fifth in the touring car order and won the E1 class for engines over 4-litres, securing second place in the national championship.
61st Trofeo Luigi Fagioli hillclimb week begins in Gubbio
ilT·17 August
61st Trofeo Luigi Fagioli hillclimb week begins in Gubbio
The 61st Trofeo Luigi Fagioli, the opening round of the 2026 Italian Hillclimb Championship, takes place in Gubbio this weekend, with a full week of supporting events beginning Wednesday, 19 August. Entry registrations close at midnight on Monday, with the official competitor list finalised by Tuesday. The week opens with the traditional Memorial Barbetti gala evening on Wednesday at Park Hotel Ai Cappuccini, hosted jointly by the Eugubino Motorsport Committee (CECA) and Rotary Club Gubbio. The ceremony honours past recipients including drivers Miki Biasion, Arturo Merzario, Andrea Montermini, Emanuele Pirro and Clay Regazzoni, alongside figures such as Mauro Forghieri, Giancarlo Minardi, Antonello Coletta and Ezio Zermiani. Thursday brings the official presentation at 11:00 in the Sala Trecentesca of Palazzo Pretorio, followed by a charity football match at 17:45 between Gubbio FC legends and the National Hillclimb Drivers team, with proceeds supporting the Eugubina Association for Cancer Research. Racing begins Friday with technical scrutineering, followed by official practice on Saturday and two timed runs on Sunday along the traditional Gubbio–Madonna della Cima course. A new Arena Paddock in the Roman Theatre area will serve as the centrepiece, hosting three days of entertainment including food vendors, music, simulators, special guests and a live broadcast on ACI Sport TV (Sky 228). Friday evening features a Pikes Peak retrospective with champion Simone Faggioli and his team, showcasing the Nova Proto NP01 ATM. Saturday hosts the second edition of the Trofeo Meet Street, a tuning showcase attracting around 70 performance cars from across Italy. Sunday includes a motorcycle rally with over 100 expected entries and the final podium ceremony. A multimedia exhibition on the Trofeo's 60-year history runs through Sunday at Galleria della Porta in the city centre.