The event organized by the Automobile Club Brescia is heating up with double European and Italian validity. Record entry list and great anticipation, especially from the local fans. Tomorrow the scrutineerings, Saturday and Sunday the engines take center stage.
Brescia, July 11th 2024 – The 53rd edition of the Trofeo Vallecamonica was presented today in Breno, in Sala Mazzoli at the Comunità Montana di Vallecamonica headquarters. Organized by the Automobile Club Brescia, this year’s event returns to the FIA European Hillclimb Championship, reaffirming its national prominence with the Italian Supersalita Championship and the Campionato Italiano Velocità Montagna.
The press conference were presented by Davide Felicioli, Councillor of the Automobile Club Brescia; Emanuele Moraschini, President of the Province of Brescia; Alessandro Bonomelli, President of the Comunità Montana di Vallecamonica; Massimo Maugeri, Sports Councillor of the Comunità Montana di Vallecamonica; the mayors of Malegno, Ossimo, Borno, Lozio, Cividate Camuno, and Professor Sergio Savaresi representing the Politecnico di Milano.
The 2024 edition is eagerly awaited not only in Vallecamonica. The Trofeo Vallecamonica has awaited the return of the European Hillclimb Championship for 19 years, the last being in 2005. Adding further prestige is the validity for the new Italian Supersalita Championship, which includes the seven best hill climbs in Italy. The Campionato Italiano Velocità Montagna and historic cars will also be part of the game.
This edition will see the return of a showdown between Italy’s two strongest and most decorated active drivers: Simone Faggioli in a Nova Proto NP01 Bardahl and Christian Merli in an Osella FA30 Judd LRM. Both have previously won in Vallecamonica, and their last face-off was in 2021. Having both at the starting line is a great honor and prestige for the Automobile Club Brescia, among many other reasons that make this edition a must-see event.
There will be 49 sports prototype cars, highlighting the Italian Supersalita Championship protagonists. Luigi Fazzino (Osella PA30) will attempt to repeat his Trento win, while Diego Degasperi will race for the first time on the Malegno-Ossimo-Borno track with the Norma M20 GEA Zytek. Watch out for Francesco Conticelli (Nova Proto NP 01), Achille Lombardi (Osella PA21 4C Turbo), and Franco Caruso (Nova Proto NP 01-2), among others.
Among the FIA European Hillclimb Championship drivers, in addition to Merli, all the key players will be present. The continental season reaches Vallecamonica at exactly halfway: five races have been held, five remain. Frenchman Geoffrey Schatz (Nova Proto NP01) currently leads, with Merli second and Alexander Hin (GER) third in an Osella FA30. Swiss driver Joel Volluz (Osella FA30) and Renzo Maria Napione (Reynard 01L) can leverage their track knowledge, as can the expert Fausto Bormolini (Nova Proto NP01 C). Spaniard Joseba Iraola Lanzagorta (Nova Proto NP01) is also a contender for a standout performance.
The spectacle will be assured across all categories with 67 Racing Start cars, nearly 20 GT cars, and a good number of E1 and TCR cars. 13 nations are represented besides Italy: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
A unique initiative by the Automobile Club Brescia, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, will see an autonomous vehicle climb for the first time. The Maserati MC20 Cielo, developed by the “AIDA: Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous” project at PoliMi, coordinated by Professor Savaresi, will test autonomous driving technology in the most challenging contexts with the aim of revolutionizing future mobility concepts. This flagship project is part of the National Centre for Sustainable Mobility MOST, funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU programme of the PNRR – Mission 4.2.
Another side event, organized for Thursday, July 11th, at 7:00 PM at the sports field in Borno, is a charity football match between the National Hillclimb Team and the Vintage Nero Verdi of Darfo. The match will pit the top drivers registered for the event against a local team that includes some former athletes who have greatly contributed to the valley’s sports. Entry to the match is by voluntary donation, with all proceeds going towards purchasing a defibrillator for the local sports center. Playing for the National Hillclimb Team will be Schatz, Merli, Faggioli, Dall’Oglio, Hin, Iraola, Gregori, Di Caro, Pedrotti, Lombardi, Aragona, Bacci, Tosini, Fazzin, Perugini, Leardini, and Chiocci.
Returning to the sporting aspect, numerous local drivers, who eagerly anticipate this event all year, will compete. It is impossible to mention them all, but many have already achieved success on home soil. From Breno, Alessio Armeni will race in a Porsche 911 in the historic category, Antonio Reghenzani (Peugeot 106 Rally), Bortolo Mendeni (Renault Clio RS Light), Erik Zerla (Mini Cooper S), Giulio Panteghini (Honda Civic Type R), the indomitable Luciano Moscardi (Renault Clio RS), and Stefano Gheza (Mini Cooper JCW). Also competing are Daniel Reghenzani from Esine (Peugeot 106 Rally) and the highly anticipated Luca Tosini from Edolo, racing in an Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Leading the Brescia drivers is the 2016 winner Mirko Zanardini, this time in a captivating Lamborghini Huracan GT3. It is impossible not to mention Ilario Bondioni, also from Breno, who will be starting with a Ferrari 488 Evo.
Historic cars will not be absent, with 38 cars at the starting line. Piero Lottini (Osella PA9/90) will aim to replicate last year’s success. Also in contention are Alessandro Trentini (Lucchini SP90), Luca Aires (Osella Formula Ford 2000), and Angela Grasso (Osella PA10). Andrea Fiume (Osella PA 8/9), who won here in 2018, will also return to the race.
The event will kick off on Friday July 13th with scrutineering procedures across the territory for the first time. The paddock in Malegno will host the EHCC verifications, the Borno ice rink those for Supersalita and CIVM, while in Ossimo, Piazza San Damiano, will feature historic cars procedures. All sports prototypes will be verified at the Malegno paddock.
Action will be concentrated on Saturday and Sunday. The start order for the various categories will differ from recent editions. On Saturday at 8:30 AM, historic and CIVM cars will have their only practice run, followed by the first practice run for Supersalita and EHCC cars. This will be followed by Race 1 for historic and CIVM cars and the second practice run for Supersalita and European cars. On Sunday at 8:30 AM, Race 1 for Supersalita and EHCC cars will start, followed by Race 2, featuring all competitors: historic, CIVM, Supersalita, and EHCC. The prize ginving ceremony at the Borno ice rink will follow the conclusion of each category.
Davide Felicioli – Board Member Automobile Club Brescia
“This is an edition that the whole territory awaits with great impatience. The Automobile Club Brescia is there and works continuously for the Vallecamonica Trophy. The international result obtained this year is first and foremost the fruit of great teamwork with the Province of Brescia, the Mountain Community of Vallecamonica, and the mayors of the municipalities of Malegno, Ossimo, Borno, Lozio, and Cividate Camuno. Without synergy, this story of sport and passion could not be written today’.
Emanuele Moraschini – President Provincia di Brescia
“The Trofeo Vallecamonica is a race with a great tradition, I remember it when as a kid I too was along the route. It is an event felt by so many fans, and to be able to raise it to an international level this year is a great victory for the area. Good luck to all the participants and thanks to the Automobile Club Brescia, all the mayors, and the Comunità Montana di Vallecamonica, who together have collaborated to make this edition a success”.
