# AF Motorsport Targets Verzegnis as 202,000-Watt Hillclimb Drama Unfolds in Carnia

**By Luca Bertolini**  \nPublished August 5, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> As 202 drivers converge on the SP 1 of the Val D'Arzino for the 55th Verzegnis-Sella Chianzutan, AF Motorsport deploys its multi-class tactical machinery across the Carnian asphalt.

When the 55th edition of the Verzegnis-Sella Chianzutan hillclimb fires into action across the Carnian roads, the logistical scale matches the technical ferocity of the entry list. Across modern and historic divisions, 202 drivers have locked in for the climb—an impressive yield for the classic Friulian cronoscalata organized by ASD E4Run. Serving as the fifth round of the Campionato Italiano Velocità Montagna Zona Nord (CIVM Nord), alongside the Austrian Hillclimb Championship, the IRS Cup International Race Salita, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia championship, the 5,640-meter stretch from Ponte Landaia to Sella Chianzutan offers zero margin for error.

The mathematical blueprint of the climb remains an unforgiving constant: a 396-meter positive vertical drop, a starting altitude of 500 meters, a summit finish at 896 meters, and a punishing 7.2 percent average gradient over the SP 1 of the Val D'Arzino. For technical directors and team managers like those at AF Motorsport, success is dictated not merely by raw horsepower, but by precise mechanical setup during Friday's administrative checks and Saturday's twin reconnaissance runs before Sunday's decisive double-heat battle.

## The E2 SC-SS 3000 Chess Match and Prototype Mechanics

In the premier E2 SC-SS 3000 prototype class, the target is squarely on the back of Sicilian pacesetter Franco Caruso. Driving the Nova Proto NP01 for Best Lap, Caruso set the standard during previous iterations, but he faces relentless pressure from perennial front-runner Federico Liber in a sister Nova Proto NP01 and Trentino veteran Diego Degasperi aboard the Norma M20 Gea Zytek. The prototype battleground also features the evergreen Marietto Nalon—born in 1949—maneuvering his Dallara Nissan, alongside the 1600cc motorcycle-engined Nova Proto NP03 brigade featuring Omar Magliona, Damiano Schena, and local favorite Stefano Gazziero.

Tactical priorities in the prototype ranks hinge on thermal management and power delivery across the 5.640-kilometer ascent. Teams must balance differential lock-up against rapid transitions through the high-frequency technical hairpins that define the middle sector of the Val D'Arzino climb. Tire degradation over consecutive race heats further complicates the engineering equation, rewarding setups that preserve front-end bite without inducing snap oversteer on exit.

## AF Motorsport's Multi-Class Architecture

AF Motorsport’s operational footprint underlines the meticulous preparation required for modern hillclimb warfare. Operating across highly competitive production-based and touring categories, the stable balances championship defense with developmental testing:

- **Luca Tomaselli:** Piloting the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA Cup under the Michael Racing banner, tasked with defending his championship lead in the RS Cup 2 class for naturally aspirated machines.
- **Giordano Anelli:** Returning to action after missing the Trento-Bondone, stepping into the Seat Ibiza Cup within the fiercely congested Turbocup 1 category featuring nine entries.
- **Francesco Laffranchi:** Debuting new developmental solutions at the wheel of a Mini JCW Challenge Evo in Turbocup 2.
- **Alex Leardini:** Seeking a clean weekend in the TCR category with the Seat Leon Cupra TCR after a pair of DNFs at Trento-Bondone dealt a heavy blow to his IRS Cup ambitions.
- **Luca Tosini:** Utilizing the Friulian tarmac to test critical aero and chassis updates on his Audi RS3 LMS ahead of the immediate turnaround for the Supersalita round at Ascoli.

## The Historic Field and Regional Undercurrents

Beyond the modern touring and prototype grids, the historic division brings its own pedigree to the Carnian slopes. Renato Sartoretto headlines the 36 historic entries with an Osella PA20/S, flanked by local aces like Rino Muradore on a Ford Escort RS1600 and Michele Massaro in a BMW M3 E30. The entry list also plays host to the Austrian contingent, featuring Christoph Lampert in a Nova Proto NP01 3000 alongside Vladimir Stankovic and Hermann Waldy Junior in their Wolf prototypes, ensuring that the battle for absolute supremacy transcends national boundaries.

## Evidence-Led Forecast: Tactical Patterns and Decisive Sectors

*Tactical Pattern:* Expect the opening morning heat on Sunday to favor drivers with supreme cold-tire confidence through the shaded forest bends near the lower lake sections, while the afternoon heat rewards precise brake-marker discipline as asphalt temperatures peak.

*Decisive Matchup:* The overall podium battle between Franco Caruso's Nova Proto NP01 and Diego Degasperi's Norma M20. Caruso's raw developmental momentum clashes directly with Degasperi's tactical consistency on technical climbs.

*Strongest Counter-Case:* A sudden shift in mountain weather or mechanical attrition in the high-stress turbo classes could open the door for agile, lower-displacement prototype runners like Omar Magliona to steal an absolute podium spot.

*What Would Change the Read:* Heavy precipitation over the Carnia region would instantly neutralize horsepower advantages, shifting the predictive model entirely toward drivers possessing exceptional throttle modulation and wet-weather car control in the touring and GT categories.

## Sources

- [acisport.it](https://www.acisport.it/it/CIVM/notizie/2025/124568/la-54%5E-verzegnis---sella-chianzutan-sar-agrave;-avvincente) — original
- [ennapress.it](https://ennapress.it/numeri-alti-alla-55a-verzegnis-sella-chianzutan/) — original
- [Redazione](https://www.studionord.news/in-202-al-via-della-verzegnis-sella-chianzutan/) — original
- [iltornante.it](https://www.iltornante.it/af-motorsport-alla-54-verzegnis-sella-chianzutan-per-il-sesto-round-del-civm/) — original