As confirmed lovers of historic competitions, Czech drivers unsurprisingly formed the majority of the forty-strong starting grid, but the race’s renown and the quality of its seven-kilometre route also attracted drivers from Austria, France, Italy, Poland and Slovakia. 

With his BMW-powered Osella PA9/90, Uberto Bonucci not only took the prize for Category 4 (cars from 1982 to 1990), he also scored a clean win in the general classification, accumulating a lead of nearly 30 seconds over Czech driver Jaroslav Prasek in the two timed climbs. Prasek, for his part, snagged top prize in the Category 5 single-seater with his Chevron B42. 

With two victories in two participations (having already dominated in Austria), Bonucci is now leading the provisional Category 4 Championship classification. Slovak Frantisek Kmet, the only driver to score points at each of the first three events of the season, secured the top spot on the provisional Category 5 table with his single-seater MTX 1-03. 

Former three-time FIA European Hill Climb Champion (1978 to 1980), multiple-time Champion de France and former Le Mans 24 Hours regular (8 participations) Jean-Marie Alméras is still piloting the same Porsche 935 he drove 36 years ago – and it remains a winning combination: at Ecce Homo, Alméras finished fourth in the general classification and first in Category 3 (1976 to 1982). He was, however, outstripped in the provisional classification by Austrian Gerald Glinzner (Porsche 911 Carrera), who claimed three victories to Alméras’ two, and by Czech driver Jiri Kubicek (Skoda 130 RS).

Italian Guido Vivalda (Porsche 911 Carrera) doubled his wins at Ecce Homo in Category 2 (1970 to 1976) by dominating in the intermediate classification. In Category 1 (cars from before 1971), Austrian Horst Pichler’s exquisite Abart 2000 SE021, beat Harold Mössler’s original and very light Steyer Puch Bergspider by a hair’s breadth. But in the Championship, Jürgen Pachteu’s regularity (in his miniscule Steyer Puch 650 TR) paid off, as he led his compatriots Christian Holzer, Harald Mössler, Reinhard Labner and Gregor Frotscher on a merry dance. 

The next event in the Championship will take place in Slovenia (Gorjanci, 19-21 June), before Italy takes over with its two great classics: Trento-Bondone (4-5 July) and Cesana-Sestriere (11-12 July).