Volker takes first Czech qualifier
The opening qualifier at the second round of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series saw a familiar name at the top of the time sheets in the Czech Republic with Ronald Volker setting the pace. The defending champion managed 25 laps in a time of 5:07.313 with Awesomatix Freddy Sudhoff the German’s closest rival 1.8 seconds adrift. Volker’s Yokomo team-mate Yannic Prumper completed the Top 3 a further 6/10ths off the TQ pace.
Volker said having had trouble with traction roll in yesterday’s practice his engineer Yukijiro Umino made a good call on set-up for the first qualifier with his BD7 very safe to drive. With danger man Adrian Berntsen going out on the opening lap due to a stripped spur gear on his Xray, Volker said his focus was just on putting in a clean consistent run and that approached paid off. The dominator of the season opener in Germany he added that despite setting the equal fastest lap of the round with Sudhoff and posting a TQ run, for the next qualifier they are going to have to make some changes and try and find a little extra overall speed.
The pace setter over yesterday’s four practice runs, ‘Fast Freddy’ described his run as ‘overall clean & safe’ with the car very easy to drive. The German had a moment when a marshal just missed stepping on his A700 EX as he went to retrieve another car which he said put him out of his rhythm for a few laps but overall he was happy to start qualifying a with a second. Running LRP Carpet-2 tyre additive he said he will stick for this for Q2 and the only change he will make is to the roll centres.
At the track at 06:00 this morning to avail of open practice, Prumper said they made big improvements to his BD7 over the three battery packs they got to run. Running a different shock insert this gave it a feel that was better suited to the ETS Austria winner’s aggressive driving style. Mechanic Toni Rheinard said for Q2 they will change to a harder rear shock and a softer sway bar which he said should reduce the amount the car was diving in the first heat.
Setting the 4th fastest time Dominic Fleischmann said his Yokomo was ‘super easy’ to drive. The German said he is ‘maybe lacking outright pace’ but feels just a very small change will give him that very small amount of extra steering he is looking for. Fleischmann plans to try a different tyre prep but said he may also look at adjusting his shock oil.
Another driver to hit the track early and avail of the free practice was Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp. With the car’s design Chikuba traveling over from Japan to the event to help with improving the TF6 on carpet, Krapp said they had a very productive morning. Running the rear diff higher in the car the German said his made for a big improvement to the rear traction and he said the plan for the rest of the day is to focus on just fine tuning the set-up as he is very happy with the development parts Kyosho brought over for the car. Setting the 5th fastest time he said while the car felt good he was not happy with his driving in Q1 and he will be looking to improve on that a lot in Q2.
Tamiya Racing Factory’s Marc Rheinard completed the Top 6 but he is ‘just not fast enough’ and the result was only possible because it was a very clean run. The 3-time World Champion said he will try a heavier oil in the rear diff for Q2. Team-mate Viktor Wilck could only manage the 13th fastest time.
Team Serpent’s Marc Fischer set the 7th fastest time but felt he had a similar pace to that of Prumper. Making a couple of mistakes over the 5-minutes he said he lost a total of around 2-seconds as a result. Happy with how his 411 ERYX, which he took to a podium finish at last weekend’s DHI Cup, is working he will run a harder rear shock in Q2 as he expects conditions in the hall to warm up thus increasing the risk of traction roll.
Elsewhere Xray will be hoping for a better second qualifier. With Berntsen failing to get a run, team leader & ETS race winner Alexander Hagberg struggled with understeer and traction roll and was only able for the 21st fastest time. The Swede said he needs to find a set-up that gives him a car that his better suited to his driving style. Marco Kaufmann was the best placed Xray, the German setting the 8th fastest time just ahead of T4 designer Martin Hudy.
Having endured a 32 hour trip to get to the event Keven Hebert’s luck didn’t improve as the Team Associated failed to make the start of his first qualifier after losing the screw from the steering of his TC6. Team-mate Juho Levanen struggled with a lack of grip in Q1 only managing 30th but the Finn is confident that Q2 will be a lot better.
Ride Modified Q1 times
1. Ronald Volker – Yokomo – 25/5:07.313
2. Freddy Sudhoff – Awesomatix – 25/5:09.168
3. Yannic Prumper – Yokomo – 25/5:09.760
4. Dominik Fleischmann – Yokomo – 25/5:10.730
5. Christopher Krapp – Kyosho – 25/5:5:10.950
6. Marc Rheinard – Tamiya – 25/5:11.000
7. Marc Fischer – Serpent – 25/5:12.009
8. Marco Kaufmann – Xray – 24/5:00.255
9. Martin Hudy – Xray – 24/5:01.500
10.Lucas Urbain – Yokomo – 24/5:01.536
View complete event results here.
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