On August 30, 2026, the high-speed Slovenian track of Ilirska Bistrica took center stage for the FIA European Hill Climb Championship (EHC). At the penultimate round of the season, Europe’s elite drivers put on a thrilling show, battling for hundredths of a second in front of a massive crowd of motorsport fans. While a dominant French driver claimed the overall victory in Category 2 (open race cars), a practice crash by favorite Reto Meisel completely shook up the standings in Category 1 (touring cars).

Category 2 (Race Cars / Prototypes): Petit Unstoppable

In the premier class, Frenchman Kevin Petit celebrated a commanding overall victory, underpinning his absolute peak form. He was followed by top Eastern European drivers, with Igor Stefanovski causing a sensation after his recent step up to the top tier.

• 1st Place: Kevin Petit 🇫🇷 (France) – Nova Proto NP01
• 2nd Place: Petr Trnka 🇨🇿 (Czech Republic) – Nova Proto NP01-2 C
• 3rd Place: Igor Stefanovski 🇲🇰 (North Macedonia) – Nova Proto NP01

Category 1 (Closed Cars / Touring Cars): Taus Seizes the Opportunity

After Swiss championship dominator Reto Meisel was unable to start the race due to a crash during Saturday's practice session, the path was clear for a thrilling battle. Austria's Reinhold Taus seized the opportunity perfectly, celebrating a highly cheered touring car victory.

• 1st Place: Reinhold Taus 🇦🇹 (Austria) – Subaru Impreza P4 Turbo
• 2nd Place: Kevin Raith 🇦🇹 (Austria) – Porsche 992 GT3 Cup
• 3rd Place: Milovan Vesnić 🇷🇸 (Serbia) – Audi RS3 LMS

Following this spectacular weekend, the championship is now entering the home stretch before heading to the traditional season finale in Buzet, Croatia, this September.

In the European Hill Climb Championship overall standings, Croatia's Matija Jurisic leads the touring car category with 204 points, while Italy's "O'Play" leads the race car category with 187 points.