At the fourth round of the 2026 FIA European Hillclimb Championship in Šternberk, Czech Republic, spectators were treated to a sporting case of déjà vu, but with the results reversed. Whilst Joseba Iraola Lanzagorta had triumphed ahead of Petr Trnka and Christian Merli in the previous European Championship round, the same three protagonists stood on the podium at the historic “Ecce Homo” hill climb – though this time in a different order.

In a thrilling battle, Italian Christian Merli secured overall victory. He was followed in second and third places by local hero Petr Trnka and Spaniard Joseba Iraola Lanzagorta.

Fans were also treated to spectacular motorsport in the closed-top Category 1 class. Here, Switzerland’s Reto Meisel celebrated a well deserved victory in his powerful Mercedes-Benz SLK 340. He relegated the Czech Dan Michl, who lined up in a Lotus Elise, and North Macedonian Igor Stefanovski in his visibly battered Ferrari to second and third places respectively.