Video – ETS Italy Highlights
Video – Mod & Pro Stock A-main Leg 3
Yokomo claim first ETS 1-2 finish
Reigning Euro Touring Series Champions Team Yokomo scored their first 1-2 podium finish of the series this evening in Italy with Yannic Prümper securing second overall behind team-mate Ronald Volker with a convincing win in the third leg of the Ride Modified A-Main. Leading from start to finish the 18-year-old took an easy win with Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp finishing second after a great battle with Tamiya’s Marc Rheinard who came home third to claim the final step on the podium in Scandiano.
Having traction rolled in Leg 2 while challenging his team-mate for the race lead, Prümper glued up the tyre walls of his front tyres which was to transform the feeling of his Thunder Power backed BD5. Pushing hard over the opening laps he said once he established a gap over Rheinard, who started directly behind him, he was able to control the race and cruise to the all important Leg victory. Proving this weekend that he may be on the verge of breaking into the same league as Volker and Rheinard, who are widely recognised as the best Touring Car drivers in the World, the German was very happy with this weekend having just made it into the A-Main at the season opener where he only finished 6th. Asked if he thinks he can continue today’s form at next ETS event which is on asphalt Prümper said due to school he is not sure he can even make the March event.
Choosing to run his spare TRF417 in Leg 3, Rheinard said the feeling he got in the warm-up with the thinner chassis was a false one as it was ‘really bad’ in the race proper. While Prümper cleared off in front, the World Champion found himself under attack from the No.6 car of factory Kyosho driver Christopher Krapp. Eventually with the World Championship finalist on his bumper Rheinard traction rolled through the right hand sweeper three laps from home allowing Krapp through to second.
Finishing fourth overall, Krapp said his Orion powered TF6 has been competitive all day but his starting position meant he never got a clean run until Leg 3 but he was really happy to show the car is quick especially following the announcement earlier in the week that its designer Shin Adachi is to leave Kyosho. Third in the standings the German said while they have made great progress on carpet he is really looking forward to Gran Canaria as the car has always been much stronger on asphalt.
With the Xray Pro Stock winner also decided in the second A-Main with Steffen Leinburger adding another international win to his CV since moving to Hot Bodies at the start of the season, the German sat out the Leg 3. With a blank spot on the grid behind him Top Qualifier Zdenko Kunák was able to take the win to secure second spot on the podium which sees him extend his lead in the standings over Oliver Franke who ended the day third overall.
In the inaugural Speed Passion Formula class, which attracted a very encouraging 39 competitors, there was success for the locals with Marco Donadelli getting the better of Swiss driver & Top Qualifier Roman Pichler.
The first time Italy has played host to the Yokomo Euro Touring Series, the event has been a huge success and combined with the special atmosphere of the weekend it set to become a regular fixture on the ETS calendar.
Ride Modified Leg 3 Result
1.(2) Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Speed Passion – 24/5:09.824
2.(6) Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 23/5:00.015
3.(3) Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 23/5:03.370
4.(8) Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 23/5:04.832
5.(10)Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 23/5:05.162
6.(4) Alexander Hagberg (SE) – Xray/LRP – 23/5:05.162
7.(7) Eric Dankel (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 23/5:08.082
8.(9) Loic Jasmin (FR) – Yokomo/LRP – 23/5:15.038
9.(5) Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 20/4:35.320
10.(1)Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – DNS
Ride Modified Overall Result
1. Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 2 pts
2. Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Speed Passion – 3
3. Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 5
4. Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 7
5. Eric Dankel (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 11
6. Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 11
7. Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 11
8. Alexander Hagberg (SE) – Xray/LRP – 12
9. Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 13
10.Loic Jasmin (FR) – Yokomo/LRP – 14
Xray Pro-Stock Leg 3 Result
1.(1) Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 22/5:03.686
2.(5) Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 22/5:05.143
3.(4) Felix Wiessmann (DE) – Yokomo – 22/5:07.996
4.(3) Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 22/5:10.274
5.(8) Michal Orlowski (PL) – Tamiya – 22/5:11.366
6.(9) Fabian Bucher (DE) – Xray – 22/5:13.402
7.(6) Alessio Menicucci (IT) – Xray – 22/5:13.794
8.(7) Philip Tschupp (CH) – TOP – 21/5:01.311
9.(10)Francesco Martini (IT) – Xray – 21/5:01.553
10.(2)Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Hot Bodies – DNS
Xray Pro-Stock Overall Result
1. Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Hot Bodies – 2 pts
2. Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 3
3. Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 4
4. Michal Orlowski (PL) – Tamiya – 8
5. Felix Wiessmann (DE) – Yokomo – 9
6. Fabian Bucher (DE) – Xray – 9
7. Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 10
8. Philip Tschupp (CH) – TOP – 13
9. Alessio Menicucci (IT) – Xray – 14
10.Francesco Martini (IT) – Xray – 18
View the complete results here.
View the event image gallery here. Videos from all mains to follow.
Video – Mod & Pro Stock A-main Leg 2
Video – Formula A-main Leg 2
The Formula class makes its series debut in Italy and with 39 cars competing, there was plenty of action on track. Check out the video above from the 2nd leg of the Formula A-main, which was eventually won by Marco Donadelli.
Volker pulls off perfect Italian job
Ronald Volker has pulled off yet another perfect weekend on the Euro Touring Series’ first ever visit to Italy with a win in the second A-Main of the Ride Modified class securing the defending champion his second overall win of the 2011/12 season. Having held off the close attentions of his factory Yokomo team-mate Yannic Prümper in the opening final, the German this time had to hold off the attention of Tamiya’s Marc Rheinard who looked far more like the threat we were expecting from the World Champion this weekend.
Volker said after the race his LRP powered BD5 was more difficult to drive this time round with the traction feeling different to Leg 1 and admitted if the race ran a few more laps he may have struggled to hold off Rheinard. Delighted to have maximum points from the opening two rounds of this the 5th season of the ETS, the former European Champion is already focused on Round 3 in March which travels to Gran Canaria which is an asphalt event. Having struggled to match Tamiya outdoors last season, Volker believes it is going to be a tough challenge on the Spanish Island and his team will have to work extra hard to continue their winning run.
Rheinard said his TRF417 was better this time round but having tested his spare car in the warm-up for the 2nd leg believes if had he decided to run it he would possibly have able to mount an earlier challenge on Volker. Using instead the same car he has ran all weekend which has a 2.5mm chassis he made a late challenge for the win until he went off line and across the dots on the final lap. With second overall still to play for Rheinard will use the spare car in Leg 3 as its 2.25mm chassis appeared to give more steering in the brief run he tried it.
Finishing third after he traction rolled while chasing down Volker, Prümper said his BD5 was really difficult to drive following the extension of the timing of his front tyre prep. The roll which saw his car require marshalling cost the 18-year-old 5-seconds and dropped him to fourth. Again setting the fastest lap and the only driver to run a 12-sec lap he recovered to take third after getting passed the Tamiya of Viktor Wilck. With Volker sitting out the next final, Prumper will essentially have pole position and will be looking for the win as this would allow Yokomo to claim their first ever ETS 1-2 podium finish.
In the Xray Pro-Stock class Steffen Leinburger backed up his Leg 1 win with another victory to secure his first overall ETS success. The German is enjoying a great start to 2012 having also won Pro Stock at the recent DHI Cup. Leinburger had to over come an action pack race which saw him and Zdenko Kunák come together dropping them down the order and handing the race lead to the No.3 Awesomatix of Ivan Laptev. Setting the fastest lap of the race Hot Bodies driver worked his way back to the front but almost undone all his good work when he rolled on the final lap. Landing rubber side down he stayed at the front to win from fellow Hot Bodies driver Oliver Franke by just over a second with Kunák third.
Ride Modified Leg 2 Result
1.(1) Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 24/5:10.903
2.(3) Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 24/5:11.450
3.(2) Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Speed Passion – 23/5:02.006
4.(5) Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 23/5:05.101
5.(6) Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 23/5:05.292
6.(9) Loic Jasmin (FR) – Yokomo/LRP – 23/5:12.051
7.(8) Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 23/5:13.572
8.(10)Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 22/5:05.970
9.(7) Eric Dankel (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 22/5:08.818
10.(4)Alexander Hagberg (SE) – Xray/LRP – 22/5:09.262
Xray Pro-Stock Leg 2 Result
1.(2) Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Hot Bodies – 22/5:06.512
2.(5) Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 22/5:07.624
3.(1) Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 22/5:10.206
4.(9) Fabian Bucher (DE) – Xray – 22/5:11.184
5.(7) Philip Tschupp (CH) – TOP – 22/5:11.619
6.(3) Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 22/5:14.007
7.(4) Felix Wiessmann (DE) – Yokomo – 21/5:01.547
8.(6)Alessio Menicucci (IT) – Xray – 21/5:02.801
9.(8) Michal Orlowski (PL) – Tamiya – 22/5:08.251
10.(10)Francesco Martini (IT) – Xray – 21/5:12.477
View the complete results here.
View the event image gallery here.
Video – Mod & Pro Stock A-main Leg 1
Völker sees off Prümper to win first A-Main
Euro Touring Series Round 2 Top Qualifier Ronald Volker led a 1-2 finish for Team Yokomo in the opening A-Main of the Ride Modified class in Italy but the champion was made work hard for the win as team-mate Yannic Prümper mounted a serious challenge over the race’s closing laps. Seperated by just 8/100th as they crossed the finish line, the pair were the class of the field with Tamiya Racing Factory’s Marc Rheinard finishing a distant third.
Happy with the result for his team, Volker was not so happy with his own personal performance over the 5-minute encounter saying he did not drive with the same level of confidence as yesterday which resulted in some less than perfect lines. After catching a number of corner dots in the opening laps the German ace tried to take a more safe approach which was fine until Prümper found his rhythm and closed in. Forced to push once again he started to make very small errors allowing his teenage team-mate to further reduce the gap. Volker said his LRP powered BD5 is working fine and it is his driving that he needs to focus his attentions on.
Setting the fastest lap, Prümper said his car only came good around half way into the race. Suffering with understeer over the opening laps this forced him to defend his position from former team-mate Rheinard. With the World Champion eventually dropping back the former race winner had a clear track to close in on the leader. Looking on a number of occasions to make a move on Volker, Prümper said he didn’t want to take any risks and was only willing to try a pass if he was sure it could be a clean one. Planning to apply additive to his front tyres for longer for the second A-Main he hopes he can challenge for the win from the start and force the first ever Italian ETS race to go down to the third leg.
Rheinard said after his car ran the first two race laps and the tyres warmed up he felt like he might be able to mount some sort of challenge but at around the two minute mark the title contender said the performance just dropped off. Leaving him to run a lonely race to third, he said he is totally lost as to what to do to cure the sudden lack of pace his TRF417 develops.
In the Xray Pro Stock class Steffen Leinburger got the better of Top Qualifier Zdenko Kunák to take the win in what was also a close opening A-Main. The German Hot Bodies driver won from the Xray of the current championship leader by 6/10th while former Hobby Class Champion Michal Orlowski put in a great drive to complete the Top 3. Driving a Tamiya the young Polish talent who is making his first Pro Stock A-Main appearance started the race from 8th on the grid.
Ride Modified Leg 1 Result
1.(1) Ronald Völker (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 24/5:10.118
2.(2) Yannic Prümper (DE) – Yokomo/Speed Passion – 24/5:10.199
3.(3) Marc Rheinard (DE) – Tamiya/Speed Passion – 24/5:13.925
4.(7) Eric Dankel (DE) – Yokomo/LRP – 23/5:03.514
5.(6) Christopher Krapp (DE) – Kyosho/Orion – 23/5:03.820
6.(4) Alexander Hagberg (SE) – Xray/LRP – 23/5:05.030
7.(5) Viktor Wilck (SE) – Tamiya/Thunder Power – 23/5:07.103
8.(8) Andy Moore (GB) – Hot Bodies/HPI Flux – 23/5:11.286
9.(9) Loic Jasmin (FR) – Yokomo/LRP – 23/5:11.430
10.(10)Dominik Fleischmann (DE) – Hot Bodies/LRP – 10/2:11.887
Xray Pro-Stock Leg 1 Result
1.(2) Steffen Leinburger (DE) – Hot Bodies – 22/5:07.561
2.(1) Zdenko Kunák (SK) – Xray – 22/5:08.121
3.(8) Michal Orlowski (PL) – Tamiya – 22/5:12.389
4.(5) Oliver Franke (DE) – Hot Bodies – 22/5:13.927
5.(9) Fabian Bucher (DE) – Xray – 22/5:14.099
6.(4) Felix Wiessmann (DE) – Yokomo – 21/5:00.895
7.(6)Alessio Menicucci (IT) – Xray – 21/5:01.439
8.(3) Ivan Laptev (RU) – Awesomatix – 21/5:07.209
9.(10)Francesco Martini (IT) – Xray – 21/5:09.372
10.(7)Philip Tschupp (CH) – TOP – 21/5:11.871
View the complete results here.
View the event image gallery here.
