In less than eight weeks, the top hill climb competitors will descend on the small Czech town of Šternberk, in the Olomouc region of the Czech Republic, to compete in the second edition of the FIA Hill Climb Masters on a 3.3 km course. This biennial competition is of a different variety that aims to place the spotlight on this challenging discipline and its expert drivers.

In addition to the classic individual time trial race, where the winners will be awarded gold, silver or bronze medals, there is the Nations Cup, where team spirit and pride will prevail for the four drivers chosen by each federation to represent their country. The winners of the 2014 Nations Cup were the Italians.

The Hill Climb Masters has specific eligibility criteria. The parameters were established in order to guarantee that the event was both one of quality and variety: quality as only drivers who are ranked at the top in several championships of the current year are eligible; variety because the criteria are not only based on the absolute best classifications. Group classifications, including groups specific – and unique – to certain national championships, are also able to register. In that way, certain cars, ineligible for the European Championship but recognised in a national championship, can enter the Masters – in Category 3 which is intended for them – and measure themselves against the top competitors of the FIA Championship and Cup. This makes the competition even more attractive and this element undeniably adds more unpredictablility. 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN, AND FREE 

Most international and national Championships are now coming to a close and the names of drivers eligible for a spot in the Masters start cropping up. Registration can therefore open. It is open as of today and will remain open until midnight on 21 September. As was the case in 2014, it is free of charge to all participants. All drivers benefit from this offer thanks to the joint effort of the club organiser (AMK Ecce Homo), the Czech ASN (ACCR) and the FIA.

Without going into the details related to the eligibility conditions set out in Article 6 of the Sporting Regulations governing the competition (available here), the criteria to be fulfilled in order to be included on the entry list for the Masters are:

• Be classified in the first 12 of one of the two categories of 2016 FIA European Hill Climb Championship
• Be classified in the first 12 of one of the three intermediate classification categories (as of 19 September) of the 2016 FIA International Hill Climb Cup
• Be classified in the first 5 in a general classification of a 2016 national Championship (by category) or in the first 3 in the group classification of a 2016 national Championship
• Be classified in the first 3 of a 2016 FIA zone Championship

A few additional places may be granted, such as to the top Junior driver (under 25 years) and top female driver chosen by their ASN, as well as some wild cards, special invitees who have performed remarkably well, of whom the candidate dossiers will need to be supported by the ASN and selected by the FIA Hill Climb Commission.

Together, all these criteria and conditions ensure that the FIA Hill Climb Masters will bring together a field that is varied in terms of cars, cosmopolitan in terms of its drivers and definitely of high quality.

2016 FIA Hill Climb Masters
Location: Šternberk (CZE)
Date: 8-9 October 2016
Close of entries: 21 September 2016 (time: 23.59)
Entry Fee: Free of charge

Link to the Entry Form: please click here
Links to the FIA Hill Climb Masters webpages: please click here