Don't racers actually manage to ride uphill without assistance?
09/01/2019
Of course, the experienced racing drivers would be perfectly capable of tackling the mountain without external help. But the racing cars don't make it easy for them. Most vehicles trimmed for lightweight construction and racing use lack a handbrake.
In addition, the clutch is usually of limited dimensions and usually has to cope with a lot of power. Letting it slip several times on a hill can mean the end of it.
This is why hillclimb racers like to make use of help in the form of a wheel chock. This ensures that the car does not roll back and even during the waiting phase, the driver can remain engaged and without a gear until he receives the signal to set off. Then, however, the accelerator is consistently accelerated and the car is set off with a little slip.
This is how you can observe it again today (September 1, 2019) for a whole day at the Arosa ClassicCar hill climb.
Our report from the race event follows ...
