Wolf Racing Cars set to contest the FIA European Hill Climb Championship with Fausto Bormolini and the new GB08 Mistral Aurobay Turbo
Fausto Bormolini returns to the FIA European Hill Climb Championship (Group 2) with an all-new technical programme alongside Wolf Racing Cars. The Valtellina-based driver will line up for the 2026 season at the wheel of the Wolf GB08 Mistral Aurobay Turbo, a brand-new covered-wheel single-seater developed to meet the latest FIA safety and performance regulations.
The car’s first outing took place at Varano de’ Melegari, where Bormolini completed an initial shakedown—an essential step to start building confidence with a completely new package.
Strategic debut at CIVM
The competitive debut of the Wolf GB08 Mistral Aurobay Turbo will come at the 33rd Salita del Costo (April 10–12), the opening round of the Italian Hill Climb Championship (CIVM North).
Organised by ACI Vicenza, the event runs along the course linking Cogollo del Cengio, Caltrano and Roana, officially kicking off the Italian hill climb season. The weekend schedule includes official practice on Saturday and a single race run on Sunday.
For Bormolini and Wolf, this event will represent a key milestone: a functional debut aimed at completing an in-depth shakedown under real race conditions, and the first step of what promises to be a long and demanding season.
A comeback driven by passion (and the Mistral)
After finishing runner-up overall in the 2025 European Championship, Bormolini had been considering stepping away from the continental series due to the new FIA technical regulations. The turning point came with the introduction of the Mistral.
“I was seriously մտածing about switching to international national championships, but this car convinced me to change my plans and stay in the series that has defined my career since 1994. In Wolf I found a serious, pragmatic and reliable structure. The Mistral impressed me immediately, especially for its build quality and safety level, perfectly aligned with the new 2026 FIA rules.”
This decision is fully supported by Renzo Napione and his Team RENAPI MOTORSPORT, who will run Bormolini trackside with direct technical supervision from Wolf Racing Cars.
The Wolf technical project
Wolf Racing Cars has partnered with Bormolini in a dedicated development programme tailored specifically for European hill climbs—one of the most demanding and unique environments in motorsport.
“With Fausto, this is more than a sporting collaboration—it’s a full development project. His 30 years of experience in the European Hill Climb Championship are invaluable. The Mistral has been designed to deliver safety, build quality and performance, and his feedback will be crucial to unlocking its full competitive potential.” — Giovanni Bellarosa, COO, Wolf Racing Cars
First impressions: circuit vs hill
Initial track running delivered positive feedback, particularly in terms of build quality and driver confidence. However, the transition to hill climbs will be decisive.
“On circuit I felt comfortable—the car is technically advanced and inspires confidence. But hill climbs are a different challenge: gradients, guardrails, changing grip levels… that’s where we’ll really understand the car’s potential and, above all, my ability to adapt—especially to the turbo engine, which is new to me. The Salita del Costo will be crucial to begin development with Wolf ahead of the European Championship opener in Rechberg (Austria).” — Fausto Bormolini
Driver profile: Fausto Bormolini
Born in Livigno in 1961, Bormolini boasts over three decades of hill climb experience, having started in 1985. After early years in touring cars, he established himself among the frontrunners in Sport Prototypes and later in Formula 3000 machinery. His record includes eight podium finishes in the European Championship (six second places and two thirds) and two FIA Cup titles.
Career highlights include:
- 5-time FIA European Hill Climb Championship runner-up
- Overall victories at iconic events on the European hill climb scene: Rechberg, Subida al Fito, Falperra, Buzetsky-Dani, Ecce Homo Šternberk (Czech Republic) and Malegno-Borno
- Multiple European Championship podium finishes
- Consistent front-running performances over more than two decades
Wolf GB08 Mistral: engineered to push, built for absolute control
The Wolf GB08 Mistral features a carbon fibre monocoque chassis with Halo, designed to meet the highest safety standards and also homologated to FIA 274A regulations—the new benchmark set by the Hill Climb Commission. A covered-wheel single-seater delivering class-leading performance, it features ground-effect aerodynamics capable of generating up to 1,100 kg of downforce, paired with an Aurobay turbo power unit.
Target: step-by-step development
The 2026 season marks a new challenge for both driver and manufacturer: an experienced competitor rediscovering motivation, and a constructor aiming to strengthen its presence in international hill climb racing.
The Salita del Costo will mark the real beginning of this journey—not just a race, but a crucial test bed for developing the Wolf GB08 Mistral Aurobay Turbo ahead of the FIA European Hill Climb Championship campaign.
Cod. Fisc. e P.IVA 03053820985
