Major new event in the spectrum of FIA competitions, the Hill Climb Masters will be contested in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, on 11 and 12 October 2014. The Eschdorf event was selected for this first edition on the basis of its advantageous geographical location, which coincides with the objectives of the Masters, and also thanks to the proven experience of its organisers.

“Among the candidatures received for the launch of this first Masters, that of Luxembourg seemed the most fitting, explained Paul Gutjahr, President of the FIA Hill Climb Commission. The Grand Duchy is at the heart of Europe and will therefore be a good meeting point for drivers. The essence of the Masters is to gather the best drivers and see them compete against one another. To that end, the weekend of 12 October 2014 is free of any competition from other big hill climb events and by this date, the majority of national and international champions will have been identified. The event will thus bring together the very top from the discipline, including hopefully the British, who are rarely seen on the continent but who compete at home in a fiercely disputed championship.”

Regularly discussed at meetings of the World Motor Sport Council over the past months, the Hill Climb Masters project has now taken on a very concrete form. The sporting regulations of the competition have been ratified by the decision-making body of the FIA.

“Hill climb is built on a long history and solid traditions, indicated Jean Todt, President of the FIA. The discipline is both ultra-competitive and accessible at the same time. These are aspects which the FIA intends to showcase through the Masters. As well as bringing together the elite, this competition − compact and concentrated over a single weekend − will be an ideal means of communication to promote hill climb as an entry path into motor sport and fits in perfectly with the Sport Development Plan which the FIA is working to implement.”

“To host such an important FIA meeting is an honour for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, said the President of the Sporting Commission of the ACL, Lucien Franck. Motor sport in Luxembourg celebrated its 100th birthday this year, and the first hill climb competition in our country took place in 1932. It is motor sport enthusiasts who are at the heart of the ACL, and each year our excellent drivers are supported at events by crowds of spectators. A long-standing history therefore exists between Luxembourg and hill climb, and the Masters offers a unique and ideal opportunity for us to organise a major FIA competition and to be the international core of this spectacular and convivial discipline.”

“In 2013, the Eschdorf climb celebrated its 25th anniversary, added the President of the Organising Club and Organising Committee, Nico Scheier. Our event already enjoys good international recognition, and numerous foreign drivers usually take the start. With the Masters, we reach an even greater level and the field will be more international than ever, with a quality and variety never before seen. As well as an honour, this will be a great challenge, which we will take on with much enthusiasm for love of the sport and hill climb, which truly deserves greater visibility and recognition. The concept developed by the FIA is an attractive one.”

While it is short (2 km), the Eschdorf course is known for being challenging – like a blitz chess game. And here, short means intense: the gold medal awarded to the winner will probably be won by a hundredth of a second and will crown a sprinter and expert of the perfect driving line.

Meeting point for the very best drivers

The drivers eligible for the Masters will be those classified in 2014 among the first twelve (per category) in the FIA European Hill Climb Championship and the FIA International Hill Climb Cup, the first three in the FIA zone championships, the best drivers in each national championship (Top 5 in each category, Top 3 in each group), plus the best Female Driver and the best Junior (under 23 years) designated by each national federation.

In addition to crowning the “Champion of Champions” purely on performance criteria, the Masters will include a Nations Cup, the classification of which will be based on a regularity index between the three best drivers of each national team. The cars will be divided into three categories, from FIA category 2 bringing together single-seaters, prototypes and silhouettes; FIA category 1 for touring and grand touring cars; to category 3 for cars meeting their specific national regulations.

The Sporting Regulations of the Masters may be consulted by clicking here.