Last weekend in Switzerland, the country’s most ambitious drivers were again to be found in the Grisons Alps at the starting line of the Arosa Classic Car. One of the annual highlights in the continental racing calendar, the hill climb, with its 7.3km road that stretches between Langwies and Arosa, delights even the most seasoned of drivers with its 76 corners and 422 metres of elevation change. From long sweepers and tight hairpins to blind crests and rapid downhill sections that serve as effective brake testers, the event offers one of the most demanding alpine drives and, if you are in full control of your machine, one of the most satisfying. 

What makes the Arosa Classic Car so special is the fact that the local petrolhead community races in their tuned hatchbacks alongside professional racing drivers and privateers in their costly Group C or IMSA race cars. Still, in Arosa it is all about camaraderie, fun and adrenaline. Fortunately, the pricetag of the machines that enable the drivers to follow their passion is not relevant when the flag drops. 

Among the more than 170 cars that gathered in the famous alpine village for the hilclimb were many race-specced Alfa Romeos, Austin Healeys, Jaguars, Lancias, Lotus, and Porsches from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as a handful of Group B and DTM legends from the 1980s and 1990s. Still, the most spectacular car on the hill was a 1971 Ferrari 512M that is driven up the 76 corners every year. If you haven't yet attended the Arosa Classic Car, we strongly suggest picking up a ticket when the hillclimb returns to the Swiss Alps next year.

Photos by Rémi Dargegen