Warwick makes the most of his upgrade
DARREN WARWICK has added another brilliant success to his hill climbing CV – by winning a round of the FIA European Championship.
The 41-year-old Guernsey star travelled to Saint-Ursanne in Switzerland last month to race on one of the world's most famous circuits.
He initially thought that he would be entered as a 'guest driver' and that his times would not be on the leaderboard, but he was upgraded upon his arrival to official championship status.
It put him among a sizeable class of 29 competitors and he showed his class against his continental rivals by beating them all in that single-seater category.
Furthermore, he was fifth-placed overall and behind only V8 drivers Simone Faggioli, Christian Merli, David Hauser and Marcel Steiner – all regarded as big-hitters in the European hill climb scene and battling for the 2016 championship title.
Despite his previous successes, Warwick says this one now goes to the top of the list.
'Just to be going there to race at Saint-Ursanne was a dream because it is the hill climb I have wanted to race at my whole life and it certainly lived up to the billing,' he said.
'It was by far the best and most exciting hill climb course I have ever competed at and to be offered the chance to compete in the championship was something I wasn't expecting.
'And then to win my class, all I can say is "wow" – it is the best achievement of my career.'
More in Thursdays Guernsey Press.
