Club Racing — news

Miglionico dominates Ruoti hillclimb after six-year return
ilT·11 August
Miglionico dominates Ruoti hillclimb after six-year return
The Ruoti hillclimb, held on the winding roads of the former Appian Way near Potenza in southern Italy, made its comeback after a six-year absence with 78 competitors and strong local support. Saverio Miglionico, the 2017 Italian champion, secured a commanding victory aboard an Osella PA21 Honda, counting towards the Italian Cup (4th zone ACI SPORT) and the 23rd CPB Challenge. Miglionico's first-run time of 2'22.61 over the 2,995-metre course proved decisive, allowing him to build an unbeatable margin despite minor errors in subsequent passes. The battle for the remaining podium places proved tighter. Giovanni Cutro claimed second place in a GMN kart cross with a best lap of 2'33.76, while Alessandro Lovallo rounded out the top three in a Radical SR4 Suzuki (2'34.76). Antonio Tizzani finished fourth overall and first in the E2 SS category aboard a Gloria B5 Suzuki. The results saw representation across multiple vehicle classes, including silhouette cars, production-based machines, and classic two-cylinder vehicles. In the touring car category, Tommaso Paradiso dominated the field with his Mercedes SLK Compressor, leading fifteen entries in that class. The event also featured three female competitors, including Italian Formula Challenge 2025 champion Paola Pepe in a Citroën VTS, and Desiré Marino, who secured her first victory in an Autobianchi A112. The event was organised by Basilicata Motorsport with support from Ruoti's municipal administration.
Di Fulvio claims fourth victory at Svolte di Popoli hillclimb
ilT·11 August
Di Fulvio claims fourth victory at Svolte di Popoli hillclimb
Stefano Di Fulvio secured his fourth success at the 64th Svolte di Popoli hillclimb in the Abruzzo region, piloting a Nova Proto NP 01 turbo to victory in the Italian National Hillclimb Championship. The driver from Chieti won the aggregate classification with a best time of 3'07"65 in race one, holding off a strong challenge from Lucanian rival Achille Lombardi on an Osella PA 30, who was hampered by a spin during the opening encounter. The podium was completed by Sergio Farris from Sardinia in a Wolf GB 08 Mistral and promising young Trentino driver Jacopo Dellamaria in a Wolf GB 08 Thunder Aprilia, the latter taking the sportscar category for motorcycle-derived engines. The event, which counts toward the ACI Sport junior national series for northern and southern zones, saw Popoli local Vincenzo Ottaviani forced to retire from race two after a joint failure on his Wolf, despite posting the third-fastest time in the opening race. Lombardi struck back in race two, posting a winning time of 3'12"23 just 15 hundredths ahead of Di Fulvio, but the earlier spin proved decisive in the final reckoning. Just outside the podium, Francesco Ferragina from Catanzaro made strong progress in an Elia Avrio ST09, while Giuseppe D'Angelo dominated the GT category in a Ferrari 488 Evo ahead of Alessandro Gabrielli in a Ferrari 296. Alberto Scarafone from Lazio took the CN prototype class in an Osella PA 21 Honda, and Salvatore Tortora claimed the Racing Start Cup in a Peugeot 308. Category winners included Silvano Stipani in the E1 class on a Peugeot 106, Lucio Petrocco in the rally car category on a Skoda Fabia, Giovanni Loffredo in TCR on a Cupra León, and Rodolfo Fusco in the two-cylinder national championship on a Fiat 500. Historic and classic car categories were won by Giuseppe Valenti on a Peugeot 205 and Luigi Scarpelli on a Peugeot 106 respectively.
29th Sopot–Gdynia Hillclimb set for August showdown
RandR·11 August
29th Sopot–Gdynia Hillclimb set for August showdown
The coastal cities of Sopot and Gdynia will host the 29th Grand Prix Sopot–Gdynia on 14–16 August, serving as rounds 11 and 12 of the Polish Hillclimb Championship (GSMP). The event will draw 67 competitors to one of Poland's most distinctive motorsport fixtures, with the weekend marking a crucial juncture in the season's title fight. Drivers will tackle a 3-kilometre course running from Brodwino to Wielki Kaczek, where top competitors average 135 km/h and the fastest cars exceed 220 km/h on the exit from the roundabout at the Brodwino estate. The penultimate round of the championship carries particular weight for drivers seeking to remain in contention for the titles, with precision and pace both essential on the short, fast layout. The entry list reflects the breadth of Polish hillclimb racing. Notable competitors include Sebastian Stec (Ford Fiesta), Marek Nieckarza (Mercedes-Benz W207), Maciej Kornasia (Toyota GR Yaris), and Konrad Wróbel (Ford Fiesta Proto). The grid will also feature Bartłomiej Madziara and Jakub Kozioł in Lamborghini Huracán ST Evo2s, alongside Mitsubishi Lancers, Škoda Fabias, BMWs, Porsches, and historic vehicles. Local representation from Sopot Automobile Club will include Leszek Orzechowski, Marcin Strocen, Paweł Wasilonek, Robert Zubrzycki, and Chrystian Zaleski. Saturday's action begins at 10:00 with two practice runs, followed by two timed runs for round 11 from 14:00. Sunday opens with practice at 08:30, with round 12 commencing at 11:30 and concluding by 15:00. Prize presentations will take place at 15:30 at Kolberg roundabout, with the weekend's closing ceremony scheduled for 18:30 at the Concert Shell on Kuracyjny Square. Friday will feature vehicle inspections at Ergo Arena and the First Sopot Road Safety Festival from 15:00, with a parade of competing cars through the city at 19:45. The Grand Prix Sopot–Gdynia has run since 1998, when Rafał Podolski won the inaugural edition in a Reynard 913 with 48 starters. Nearly three decades later, the event remains one of Poland's few venues where spectators can watch racing cars at high speed in the heart of a seaside resort.
Petit dominates 58th Osnabrück hillclimb; Michl wins touring car class
HCF·10 August
Petit dominates 58th Osnabrück hillclimb; Michl wins touring car class
The 58th Osnabrück hillclimb took place at the Uphöfener Berg circuit near Osnabrück, Germany, under sunny conditions and warm temperatures. The internationally competitive event drew strong fields across multiple classes on the 2km+ course in the Borgloher Schweiz region. After a calm training day featuring four official practice runs plus an optional fifth session, race day saw several interruptions, prompting the organising team to reduce the event to three competitive runs before moving to an early prize ceremony in a well-attended festival tent. Frenchman Sébastien Petit secured overall victory at the wheel of his Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo, delivering an impressive performance that peaked on race day with consistently strong times. Patrik Zajelsnik (Germany/Slovenia) finished second in his Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo, missing the top spot by just 0.55 seconds after two scored runs. Alexander Hin (Germany) completed the podium in an Osella PA30 Zytek LRM E2-SC prototype, impressing with spectacular driving across runs one and three. Marcel Steiner (Switzerland) claimed fourth place in a Nova NP 01-2 C Honda Turbo despite an electronics issue in run one, later dipping below the 52-second barrier. Benjamin Noll (Germany) rounded out the top five in a legendary Osella FA30 Zytek LRM, winning the 3-litre E2-SS formula class and missing fourth place by just 0.16 seconds. Bruno Cazzoli (Belgium) finished sixth overall in a Nova NP 01-2 Honda Turbo, taking fifth in the 3-litre E2-SC class. Tommy Rollinger (Luxembourg) placed seventh overall in an Osella FA30 Zytek, just 0.06 seconds behind Noll after two runs and securing second in the 3-litre E2-SS class. Dany Demuth (Luxembourg) took eighth, missing seventh by 0.18 seconds in a Norma M20FC Judd, finishing sixth in the 3-litre E2-SC category. Julien Francais (France) claimed ninth overall in an Osella PA21 JrB BMW, winning the 2-litre E2-SC class, while Bastian Voss (Germany) completed the top ten in a Tatuus Formula Master S2000 Honda, taking victory in the 2-litre E2-SS formula class at his home event. In the touring car category, Dan Michl (Czech Republic) secured the overall win ahead of Swiss competitor "Speedmaster." The event ran three competitive runs after organisers decided to reduce the schedule due to race-day interruptions, allowing an early finish to the ceremony.
Kajetanowicz to drive WRC Citroën at Polish Rally Legend
RandR·10 August
Kajetanowicz to drive WRC Citroën at Polish Rally Legend
Kajetan Kajetanowicz will compete in the third edition of the Polish Rally Legend on 28–29 August, piloting a Citroën C3 WRC alongside co-driver Maciej Szczepaniak. The event, organised by enthusiasts from Auto Moto Klub Kłodzko, has grown significantly since its 2024 debut, attracting large crowds of motorsport fans to historic special stages in the Kłodzko Valley region. The Polish Rally Legend combines competitive racing with spectacle, drawing over 100 crews and offering fans the chance to interact with drivers and view rally cars spanning multiple eras. The route uses classic special stages familiar from Polish national championships and international events held in the region. Kajetanowicz's choice to campaign a WRC-specification machine marks a highlight for the event; the Citroën C3 WRC was built for FIA World Rally Championship competition during 2017–2019 and was driven by nine-time world champions Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier. The car represents the technical pinnacle of the pre-Rally1 era and remains a crowd favourite. In a statement, Kajetanowicz explained his decision to enter: "There are rallies where results matter most, and others where emotion, memory and shared experience with fans take priority. The Polish Rally Legend belongs to the latter category. I wanted to deliver excitement to spectators, and the C3 WRC—a machine of enormous potential—should help achieve that. These cars captivated fans for years and sparked great emotion. I'm looking forward to this special start and invite everyone to the Kłodzko Valley." The event holds personal significance for Kajetanowicz, a four-time Polish champion who has competed five times in the Silesian Rally, held on the same roads. He won that event twice, in 2009 and 2012, partnered with Jarosław Baran. The 2024 Polish Rally Legend will feature twelve special stages totalling approximately 70 kilometres, based in Polanica-Zdrój.
RCN Round 5: Schneider/Reimer extend lead at Nürburgring
RCN·8 August
RCN Round 5: Schneider/Reimer extend lead at Nürburgring
The fifth round of the 2026 Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) took place in ideal summer conditions at the Eifel circuit, attracting nearly 160 teams to compete in the "Um die Westfalen-Trophy" time attack event. After a six-week break, stable weather and close competition defined the day, though a prolonged Code-60 safety phase disrupted proceedings. Jens Schneider and Robin Reimer (Engelsbrand/Schömberg) maintained their championship lead with their fourth class victory in R4, extending their advantage over rivals. "We could maintain our pace even in traffic," Schneider said. "The RCN title is now something we cannot ignore." Sven Markert and Lars Harbeck (Berlin, BMW 320i) followed closely as first pursuers after their fourth success in class H3, while Christian Koch (Wickede, BMW 325i) held third overall in H4. In the 22-car R4 class, potential challengers faltered: Jan Buchwald (Wenden) retired with a water pump failure, and Sachs Steinhardt (Hilden), moving from RS4 to series-production machinery, lost time in a Code-60 zone and missed his target class win. Michael Luther and Markus Schmickler (Barsbüttel/Bad Neuenahr, BMW M4 GT4) claimed overall victory for the second time this season. David Vogt (Waldfeucht, Opel Astra TCR) finished second, while Markert and Harbeck completed the podium in third—their best RCN result to date. Rolf Weißenfels (Peterslahr, Peugeot 308 TCR) narrowly missed the podium in fourth, just four seconds adrift on his first outing of the year. Alexander Böhm and Jürgen Marzi (Drees/Trier, Porsche Cayman GT4 CS) won Cup 3 in fifth place. Notably, Yannik Fübrich, current NLS championship leader, guest-drove for Dirk Maier (Albstadt) in a BMW M2 Competition. Although a communication error excluded him from the results, Fübrich praised the experience: "The RCN is an ideal series for motorsport newcomers. Driving against the clock was a real challenge." In RCN Light, Nikolas Rheisner (Wittlich, BMW M3) took the day's honours and assumed the championship lead, displacing previous points leader Christopher Schwietzke (Nottuln, BMW 325i), who struggled with confirmation runs during the extended Code-60 phase.
19-year-old Rzeźnik wins Rzeszów Rally, breaks age record
RandR·8 August
19-year-old Rzeźnik wins Rzeszów Rally, breaks age record
Adrian Rzeźnik and co-driver Kamil Kozdroń, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, claimed victory at the MARMA 35. Rajd Rzeszowski, the fifth round of the KIQ Polish Rally Car Championship. The pair led from the opening stage through to the finish, ultimately winning by 1 minute 14.4 seconds ahead of Grzegorz Grzyb and Adam Binięda, also in a Fabia RS Rally2. Third place went to Jarosław and Marcin Szeja, finishing just 1.7 seconds further back. At 19 years old, Rzeźnik became the youngest winner in the history of the Rzeszów Rally, surpassing a record set in 2018 by Russian driver Nikolai Griaznov, who was 20 years, 10 months and 4 days old at the time. For Rzeźnik, this was only his second start in the event and his first in a Rally2 car. The victory carries additional significance: his father, Maciej Rzeźnik, won the same rally on 9 August 2014, piloted by Przemysław Mazur in a Ford Fiesta R5. Adrian's triumph came one day before the twelfth anniversary of that success—the two victories are separated by exactly 4,382 days, missing a full 12-year gap by just one day. Rzeźnik and Kozdroń established their winning position during the opening stage, Chmielnik (19.25 km), which took place in extreme wet conditions and was the longest test of the day. They seized the lead and never relinquished it, winning five of the ten stages contested and maintaining a high pace even as conditions dried. The battle for second place proved intense, with Grzyb and Binięda holding only a 2.5-second advantage over the Sejas before the final Power Stage, where the Szeja brothers gained 0.8 seconds but fell short of overtaking. In the Rally3 class, Michał Chorbiński and Adam Chrzanowski (Renault Clio Rally3) won by 5.8 seconds over Jakub Ulanowski and Rafał Fiołek (Ford Fiesta Rally3). In the 2WD category, Dariusz Poloński and Łukasz Sitek (Lancia Ypsilon Rally4) secured their fourth victory of the season. With 33 points from the win, Rzeźnik and Kozdroń now lead the championship standings with 138 points, just one ahead of the Sejas. The season concludes with the 70th Rajd Wisły on 18–19 September, which will carry a 1.5 multiplier, offering up to 50 points for victory.
Poland's racing circuit protection stalls as ministry shifts approach
RandR·8 August
Poland's racing circuit protection stalls as ministry shifts approach
Poland's efforts to secure legal protection for its only homologated racing circuit have stalled. After the temporary closure of Tor Poznań by regional environmental authorities in spring over noise complaints, political support for legislative change initially appeared strong. Four months on, despite multiple parliamentary meetings, site visits and media coverage, no statutory protection has materialised and the circuit's future remains uncertain. The dispute centres on noise regulations. Current law exempts sports facilities such as football pitches and skateparks from standard noise limits, but motorsport venues have not received similar treatment. In autumn, parliament rejected a proposal to add racing circuits to this exemption list. A second draft was prepared to revisit the issue, with broader political backing and heightened public awareness following Tor Poznań's closure. However, the Ministry of Climate and Environment intervened at the last moment, requesting withdrawal of the sports law amendment and proposing instead changes to environmental protection legislation. Rather than abolishing noise limits entirely, the ministry's draft would allow local environmental authorities to grant temporary exemptions on a case-by-case basis, tailoring conditions to individual circuits and events. This mirrors approaches used internationally where noise from racing circuits is managed through flexible, event-specific permits. Tor Poznań currently operates under a fixed 50-decibel noise limit regardless of time or day, a standard so rigid that violations are regularly recorded when the circuit is not in use. The new framework would theoretically allow local authorities to set more realistic thresholds. Yet the shift raises concerns within the motorsport community. While an improvement over current law, it lacks the certainty that statutory protection would provide. Without guaranteed conditions, circuit operators and international series organisers face ongoing unpredictability—a critical factor in planning championships and securing international partnerships.