P1: Faggioli Heads the Times in First Practice

The first of three practice runs have been completed, with all the competitors having their first opportunity to tackle the 3km Rampa da Falperra track.  147 cars completed the first run, with three failing to take the start and a further three not reaching the finish line.

Italy’s Simone Faggioli set the pace with a 1m05.790 in the no2 Norma M20 FC Zytek (Category 2 / E2-SC).  Second fastest overall, and the pace setter in Category 4 (OpSC), was Geoffrey Schatz from France with a 1m05.790 (+0.653s).

Category 1 was led by the no77 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS (Category 1 / Group 2) of Michal Ratajczyk, a 1m17.919 putting the Polish driver in 26th overall and just +0.167s ahead of teammate Szymon Lukaszczyk in the no79 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V (Category 1 / Group 1).

Switzerland’s Reto Meisel was the quickest in Category 3, posting a 1m19.125 in the no75 Mercedes-Benz SLK 340 (Category 3 / OpTCGT).

CLICK HERE for the results from Practice 1 

P2: Schatz Moves Ahead in Second Practice Run

The second practice run of the 2021 FIA Hill Climb Masters in Braga saw the no40 NP01-2 Oreca (Category 4 / OpSC) of Geoffrey Schatz, the French driver heading the time sheets with a 1m04.103, 1.677s faster than the best time in the first run and improving his best time by 2.340 seconds.

Reigning FIA Hill Climb Masters winner Christian Merli was second fastest overall and fastest in Category 2 with a 1m04.257 in the no1 Osella FA30 Zytek (Category 2 / D/E2-SS) with his compatriot Simone Faggiolli third fastest overall, and second in Category 2, in the no2 Norma M20 FC Zytek (Category 2 / E2-SC) with a 1m06.839.

Reto Meisel was the quickest in Category 3 for the second time, the Swiss driver posting a 1m16.088 time, over 3 seconds faster than his first run in the no75 Mercedes-Benz SLK 340 (Category 3 / OpTCGT) and setting the 24th overall best time.

In Category 1 it was once again a battle of the Poles for the top spot. In the second run of the day, the roles were reversed, and it was the no79 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V (Category 1 / Group 1) of Szymon Lukaszczyk claiming the top spot with a 1m16.797, just 0.089s ahead of Michal Ratajczyk in the no77 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS (Category 1 / Group 2).

CLICK HERE for the results from Practice 2

P3: Schatz Fastest Again as Fading Light Stops Session 

The third and final practice heat of the day was shortened due to the sun setting over Braga, with the session stopped after the Category 4 cars had completed their run.  The Category 2 cars will get the opportunity to have their third practice run up the track tomorrow morning before the first of three race runs begin.

Geoffrey Schatz was the fastest competitor when the session was stopped, the French driver completing the 3km course in the no40 NP01-2 Oreca (Category 4 / OpSC) in the fastest time of the day, a 1m03.683. He was 5.9 seconds ahead of the no48 Norma M20 FC BMW (Cat 4 / OpSC) of compatriot Kevin Petit, with the no42 DJ Firestorm Cosworth (Category 4 / OpSS) of Britain’s Alex Summers third fastest with a 1m10.197.

Switzerland’s Ronnie Bratschi posted the fastest Category 1 time of the day with a 1m15.977 in the no78 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII RS (Category 1 / Group 1) posting the 10th fastest time of the session, one place ahead of the top Category 3 entry.  

Reto Meisel made it a hattrick of fastest times on Day 1 in the no75 Mercedes-Benz SLK 340 (Category 3 / OpTCGT) with a 1m16.075, just 0.013s faster than his best time on the second run of the day.

The Poles were also keeping the pressure on in Category 1, with Daniel Stawiarski in the no80 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX (Category 1/ Group 1) posting a 1m16.312 in 12th overall, 0.493s ahead of the no77 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS (Category 1 / Group 2) of Michal Ratajczyk.

The Category 2 cars will complete their final practice run tomorrow morning.

CLICK HERE for the results from Practice 3