The Legend of Bernina Gran Turismo 2025

From St. Moritz to the Pass Summit – the legendary Bernina hill climb is celebrating a double anniversary and offers much more than motorsport. An homage to passion, precision and Alpine style.

Late summer in the Engadin and the smell of petrol in the air. A place where stone walls reach into the sky, the wind whistles through cool high valleys and the asphalt vibrates: the Bernina Gran Turismo returns – not as a show, but as a vibrant part of racing culture. It is a hill climb that needs no introduction. The event writes its own history – with every curve, every roaring engine and every daring manoeuvre between La Rösa and the summit.

In 2025, this event celebrates a remarkable double anniversary: ten years since the revival of the Bernina Gran Turismo and a century since the opening of the Grisons passes to cars. Two historic lines meet, over 2,300 meters above sea level.

Rough Luxe: the new luxury is real

“No show. No pomp. Just pure driving culture.” This attitude has shaped the Bernina Gran Turismo from the very beginning. The concept is perhaps best described by the term ​“Rough Luxe”: raw technology, honest machines and genuine emotions, located between the discreet grandeur of St. Moritz and the dramatic nature of the Alps.

Cars are not admired here, but driven. It’s not polished perfection that counts, but history, character, and what happens when man and machine reach their limits. Unlike classic Concours d’Elegance, the focus is not on collector ratings, but the driving experience. The Bernina Gran Turismo views itself as the antithesis of museum-like nostalgia – it is vibrant, loud and passionate.

Racing roots since 1929

The race has its roots in the International St. Moritz Automobile Week of 1929. Just four years after the end of the cantonal driving ban, the aim was to revive summer tourism – and at speed. A 16.5‑kilometre hill climb, a sprint race on the ​“Shell Road,” the crème de la crème of motorsport: Hans Stuck won in 1929 in an Austro-Daimler, Louis Chiron followed in 1930 in a Bugatti.

After just two years, the race was discontinued for safety reasons, which only enhanced its legendary status. The mountain road was too wild, too challenging. And that is precisely what makes it so desirable today.

The modern revival: renaissance over retro

The Bernina Gran Turismo was reborn in 2014, not as an imitation, but as a contemporary continuation of its DNA. Initiated by enthusiasts such as Kurt Engelhorn and Florian Seidl, in the space of just a few years the event has become one of the most prestigious hill climbs for historic vehicles worldwide. Today it brings together automotive personalities, motorsport aesthetes and drivers who prioritise attitude over gloss.

The track: a monument of asphalt and granite

Stretching from La Rösa to Ospizio Bernina, the route is one of the most spectacular in Europe. Over 5.4 kilometres, it winds through 52 curves with an elevation of around 450 metres. From 1,871 m to 2,328 m – in no time at all. The technical challenge is enormous. The air gets thinner, the grip more unpredictable. And the whims of the alpine weather demand maximum concentration from the drivers. Fog, snow, sun: everything is possible.

The winner here not only defeats their opponents, but the mountain itself.

2025 programme: four days of style, substance and speed

The upcoming edition once again offers a carefully curated programme with social depth and driving precision:

- Thursday, 18 September: intimate opening event in Poschiavo with drivers’ meeting and photo exhibition.
 — Friday, 19 September: technology meets style at the Kulm Country Club, St. Moritz – vehicle inspection, exhibition, design meets mechanics.
 — Saturday, 20 September: first timed races on the closed Bernina Pass – practice in the morning, races in the afternoon.
 — Sunday, 21 September: final and award ceremony on the Piazza of Poschiavo – a stylish conclusion.

The cars: mechanical icons – selected, not collected

The competition is not open to everyone. A committee carefully selects around 80 participants – not by market value, but by authenticity. The story behind the car and the personality driving it is what matters. The field resembles a rolling museum: Bugatti Type 35, Ferrari 250 GT Breadvan, Porsche 911 RS, Lancia Stratos, Lotus Eleven, Maserati A6GCS –to name just a few.

Two competition categories bring different talents into play: ​“Competition” for the fastest, ​“Regularity” for the most precise.

Spectators welcome – with a view

One of the most appealing aspects of the event is the free admission. Spectator zones along the route mean anyone can experience the Bernina Gran Turismo live. The absence of commercial grandstands is a deliberate choice. Instead, guests can enjoy alpine meadows, binoculars and the smell of oil in the air.

Travel information: the Bernina Pass Road is completely closed on Saturday and Sunday. It is best to travel using RhB’s Bernina Express or via shuttles from Diavolezza and Poschiavo. It’s worth arriving early for the best spots on the hillside.

More than a race: a cultural manifesto

The Bernina Gran Turismo is a contrast to the digital smoothness of modern motorsport. Nothing here is virtual, nothing is filtered. Every spark, every mistake, every triumph happens for real – on a mountain pass that was home to legends over 100 years ago.

In 2025, the event combines the past and present for a harmonious whole. It is not nostalgic, but timeless. Not elitist, but exclusive. And it proves that motorsport does not need noise to be loud – just passion, style and a mountain.

Don’t miss a thing — we’ll keep you up to date!

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