Bernsten tops opening Gran Canaria qualifier
Team Xray’s Adrian Berntsen topped the opening round of qualifying at Round 3 of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Gran Canaria this morning, the Norwegian outpacing Ronald Volker by .283 with Round 2 winner Alexander Hagberg completing the Top 3. For last year’s winner Viktor Wilck another speedo issue resulted in him failing to start the qualifier.
‘Surprisingly good’ was how Berntsen summed up his 5-minute run. Reverting back to his own set-up having tried team-mate Hagberg’s set-up in yesterday’s controlled practice which was ‘difficult’, he said his Muchmore powered T4 ’14 was now ‘super easy to drive’. Despite a sprinkling of rain just before the start of the top heat, Bernsten said it didn’t appear to have any effect on the track. Setting his fastest lap of the weekend he said it felt pretty much the same as yesterday and he will leave his car as is for Q2.
Defending Champion Volker said it was an ‘interesting Q1’ with the rain before the start but added it resulted in ‘no disadvantage’. The Yokomo driver said a few mistakes early on due to him getting on the throttle ‘too early’ cost him a TQ run. Describing every lap as challenging he said overall the pace of his LRP powered BD7 is good, him setting the fastest lap of the round. Planning to make a set-up change for Q2 he said he doesn’t know yet what it will be adding it will be ‘nothing major’.
Hagberg described his run as ‘not too bad’. The Swede said while his ORCA powered T4 ’14 felt good it was just a little too slow. Setting a faster lap time than his team-mate Bernsten, he felt the car is lacking a little steering and plans to make some changes for Q2 to try and improve his overall pace, his time being 7/10ths off the TQ time.
A ‘decent start’ was the response from HB’s Andy Moore to his run to the fourth fastest time. The British ace said he needs to improve his Hobby Wing powered TCXX pace in the early laps of the run. Setting his fastest lap on his last lap, he said the difference between his early laps and closing laps was quite big. Planning some changes for the second run he said his main focus will be on tyre prep.
Running in the second fastest heat Naoto Matsukura posted the fifth fastest time. Suffering a similar sprinkling off rain but during their 5-minutes, the Japanese ace said conditions between the two top heats were different. With no mistakes to top the heat, the Yokomo driver said weather was the main reason for the 4-second difference between his time at the TQ pace. Describing his BD7 as ‘good’, he said he will leave it as is for Q2.
Completing the Top 6 was Serpent’s Marc Fischer. The German said his Viper powered S411 was difficult to drive adding it had ‘no rear traction, no steering’. Running an aluminium chassis plate he said he will stick with the car again for Q2 and change his tyre prep – opting for no additive and different heating. Should he still struggle with a lack of traction for Q3 he will switch to his second car which has the more conventional carbon chassis.
2012 Gran Canaria ETS winner Christopher Krapp said his run ‘felt ok’. The factory Kyosho driver who is running in the same heat as Matsukura said with the rain/sun effects on the track he had bad luck but the ever positive German said ‘thats racing’. Happy that the performance of his Orion powered TF6 is good he will leave it as is for Q2 and just focus on his driving adding that hopefully his luck with the weather will be better. Behind Krapp the Top 10 was completed by the Marco Kaufmann, Marc Rheinard and Magnus Vässmar.
Ride Modified Q1 times
1. Adrian Berntsen – Xray – 15/5:07.583
2. Ronald Volker – Yokomo – 15/5:07.866
3. Alexander Hagberg – Xray – 15/5:08.279
4. Andy Moore – HB – 15/5:08.637
5. Naoto Matukura – Yokomo – 15/5:11.609
6. Marc Fischer – Serpent – 15/5:12.218
7. Christopher Krapp – Kyosho – 15/5:12.741
8. Marco Kaufmann – Xray – 15/5:13.097
9. Marc Rheinard – Tamiya – 15/5:13.157
10.Magnus Vässmar – Xray – 15/5:13.534
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