By Due to safety reasons (delay in racing program following downpours of rain with potential oil on track), Luckendorfer Bergrennen competitors only had two practice sessions today instead of the intended three.
It was preparation time for final European Hill Climb Road Race Championship rounds of 2025 (taking place tomorrow).
Current SBK, Supersport categories leader, TT 2025 plus upcoming Classic TT exponent, Maurizio Bottalico set before the premature end of timed practice, in ideal racing conditions, a new unofficial track-record for Supersport/Superstock 600 tackle, (1.24.368).
Additionally, he managed to get inside the existing Superbike/Superstock 1000 track-record (1.24.107 – set last year in tricky race conditions). Astride R1 Yamaha metal, Bottalico lapped below 1 minute 22 seconds, (1.21.429), nearing the outright lap record (1.19.625) he unofficially set from practice explorations in 2024.
Others setting unofficial lap-records were Thomas ‘Uccio’ Altendorfer (250 GP – 1.32.941) and Philipp Neumuller (Supermoto – 1.31.858).
2025 Manx Grand Prix entrant Salvatore ‘Salvo’ Sallustro obtained second quickest laurels in both Superbike, Supermoto classes whilst Saturday’s swiftest Classic Sidecars pairing was Peter Gierlinger/Helga Gierlinger (1.40.582).
Tomorrow’s action bursts start at 8:00 AM with practice sessions before opening races (provisional start time – 10:30 AM, second races (provisional start time – 1:00 PM).
After Sunday’s race contests, we will know which racers will be this year’s European Hill Climb Road Race Champions.
Luckendorf Day 1 – European Hill Climb Road Race Championships practice results, are projected below:
(Best practice track time located near racer’s name)
Superbike (including Superstock 1000):
1st – Maurizio Bottalico (Italy) – 1.21.429
2nd – Salvatore Sallustro (Italy) – 1.24.486
3rd – Thomas Mitgutsch (Austria) – 1.32.612
4th – Giacomo Failla (Italy) – 1.33.003
5th – Karl Stiefsohn (Austria) – 1.40.528
Supersport (including Superstock 600):
1st – Maurizio Bottalico (Italy) – 1.24.368 (unofficial Supersport track record)
2nd – Thomas Altendorfer (Austria) – 1.26.718
3rd – Thomas Mitgutsch (Austria) – 1.34.308
4th – Giacomo Failla (Italy) – 1.37.702
Supersport 300:
1st – Marco Vigilucci (Italy) – 1.54.576
2nd – Cosimo Sozzo (Italy) – 1.54.809
3rd – Stefano Leone (Italy) – 2.01.819
250 GP:
1st – Thomas Altendorfer (Austria) – 1.32.941 (unofficial 250 GP track record)
2nd – Guido Testoni (Italy) – 1.37.569
3rd – Bernard Depierreux (Belgium) – 1.38.729
4th – Rolf Haller (Switzerland) – 1.45.976
5th – Marco Vigilucci (Italy) – 1.56.443
6th – Angelo Testoni (Italy) – 1.57.784
Supemoto:
1st – Philipp Neumuller (Austria) – 1.31.858 (unofficial Supermoto track record)
2nd – Salvatore Sallustro (Italy) – 1.33.373
3rd – Cosimo Sozzo (Italy) – 1.41.247
Photo credit: Jan Vavra
Words by Jan Vavra
