Wilck fastest in Q3
Viktor Wilck has become the third different driver and brand of car to top qualifying here at the ETS finale in Germany. The third & penultimate round of heats saw the Swede head team-mate Marc Rheinard by 1.2 seconds to move into provisional pole for tomorrow’s A-Main ahead of this evening’s final qualifier. Switching to the same set-up that took Thomas Pumpler to the second fastest time in Q3, Wilck said the car was a little better but feels his Speed Passion TRF416 is tweaked, with it suffering understeer through right hand corners.
Switching from a Mazda Speed 6 to an LCT-R, World Champion Rheinard said his car was pretty good now and he backed this up by setting a new fastest lap of 18.039, beating the previous time set Atsushi Hara in Q1. Although quicker than his team-mate, the German gave away 1.5 seconds on the third lap when he missed his line through the chicane and got badly out of shape.
Switching additive Ronald Volker enjoyed his best round of qualifying setting the third fastest time. Back running a gear diff in his Yokomo BD5, which he says he is getting more comfortable with, the German still needs to find more time with understeer causing him problems on the long right hand sweeper. The former European Champion plans to run lighter shock oil for the final qualifier. Yokomo team-mate Yannic Prumper can not be accused of being inconsistent as he again set the fourth fastest time. The German teenager used shorter camber links and LRP tyre additive but will revert to his Q2 set-up saying the changes had made his Toni Sport supported BD5 easy to drive but slow. Another Yokomo backed driver to make the Top 10 was Martin Hofer. Going back to a ball diff for the round the German said the car was much more predictable allowing him to run his best and the seventh fastest time.
Xray backed Czech driver Zdenek Hamak was fifth fastest. Trying a different shock position and running a fresh set of rubber he said his LRP powered T3 was better but knowing he was on a good run he got nervous and made a mistake 4 laps from home which cost him 3 seconds.
Running a Tamiya TRF416 with a soon to be release 2.3mm Smokem chassis plate Loic Jasmin completed the Top 6. The French Touring Car Champion said a new set of tyres had allowed him to break into the Top 10 for the first time but in the final minute one of the rear tyres tried to part company with the rim costing him a little time. Fastest in Q2, Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp recorded his best 5-minute run but it was only good enough for 8th on this occassion. Andy Moore and Australia’s Simon Nicholson rounded out the Top 10.
In Pro Stock we finally saw a different name at the top of the time sheets as Czech ETS winner Daniel Wohlgemuth set the pace from fellow Xray driver Michael Kiesewetter. Top Russian driver Ivan Laptev was third fastest ahead of Q1 & Q2 top qualifier Alexander Stocker who had to0 many incidents during his run. While the Modified and Hobby qualifying will be decided this evening, Pro-Stock drivers will have to wait till the morning for their fourth and final chance at securing a top starting position in the finals.
Qualification Ranking
Modified after Round 3 of 4
1. Wilck Viktor (SE) – 307
2. Rheinard Marc (DE) – 306
3. Krapp Christopher (DE) – 302
4. Völker Ronald (DE) – 302
5. Prümper Yannic (DE) – 302
6. Pumpler Thomas (AT) – 301
7. Moore Andy (GB) – 300
8. Hamak Zdenek (CZ) – 300
9. Hara Ataushi (TH) – 297
10.Hofer Martin (DE) – 293
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11.Maker Ryan (AU) – 293
12.Jasmin Loic (FR) – 291Pro-Stock after Round 3 of 4
1. Stocker Alexander (DE) – 310
2. Wohlgemuth Daniel (DE) – 306
3. Kiesewetter Michael (DE) – 306
4. Streit Tony (DE) – 304
5. Tschupp Philip (CH) – 303
6. Laptev Ivan (RU) – 299
7. Klöckner René (DE) – 298
8. Larsen Thomas (DK) – 297
9. Madsen Carsten (DK) – 296
10.Janssen Rob (NL) – 293
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11.Still Steffen (DE) – 292
12.Hagnauer Philipp (CH) – 290
Full results can be found here.
View the event image gallery here and Live video stream here.
