By Technically one of the nearest events you get to an active road race in Italy, the Passo Dello Spino hill climb on Saturday, Sunday had the honour of hosting the FIM European Hill Climb Championship season opener.
Taking successive Superbike race spoils was Italy’s top International road racer, Stefano Bonetti. North West 200 winner, 2019 Senior Classic TT runner-up Bonetti fastest timed run over the weekend stood at 1 minute 30.69 seconds.
Nearest pursuer across the weekend Salvatore Sallustro, is currently ten points in arrears to his fellow countryman within the early Championship standings, as the race to become premier class European Hill Climb Champion for 2021 begins.
Supersport wise, Maurizio Bottalico captured the imagination by finishing overall quickest via a sub 1.29 seconds lap time of 1 minute 28.33 seconds.
Like Bonetti, he holds an early 10 point Championship lead as he bids to retain the middleweight machinery crown.
Overall results from the Passo Dello Spino Hill Climb, are as follows:
250 GP Race 1:
1 Guido Testoni 1.36.72
2 Bernard Depierreux 1.42.05
3 Marco Vigilucci 1.50.43
4 Cosimo Sozzo 1.56.08
5 Rolf Haller 1.57.84
6 Angelo Testoni 1.59.07
250 GP Race 2:
1 Guido Testoni 1.37.75
2 Bernard Depierreux 1.42.06
3 Marco Vigilucci 1.51.99
4 Cosimo Sozzo 1.56.94
5 Rolf Haller 1.57.90
6 Angelo Testoni 1.59.75
Supersport Race 1:
1 Maurizio Bottalico 1.28.33
2 Tiziano Rosati 1.33.24
3 Mauro Poncini 1.33.56
4 Uwe Rademacher 1.38.27
5 Simona Zaccardi 1.40.62
Supersport Race 2:
1 Maurizio Bottalico 1.29.23
2 Tiziano Rosati 1.32.46
3 Mauro Poncini 1.32.82
4 Uwe Rademacher 1.37.66
5 Simona Zaccardi 1.42.96
Superbike Race 1:
1 Stefano Bonetti 1.30.69
2 Salvatore Sallustro 1.32.57
3 Jean Luc David 1.34.64
4 Uwe Rademacher 1.36.61
Superbike Race 2:
1 Stefano Bonetti 1.31.29
2 Salvatore Sallustro 1.32.46
3 Jean Luc David 1.33.41
4 Uwe Rademacher 1.36.84
Super Moto Race 1:
1 Stefano Leone 2.03.57
Super Moto Race 2:
1 Stefano Leone 2.02.98
Photo credit: Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
