Volker TQ’s third qualifier at ETS
Ronald Volker claimed a second TQ run at the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Gran Canaria when he again topped the time sheets in the third of the five scheduled qualifiers. Fastest in Q2, the Yokomo driver posted a similar pace in Q3 to once again take maximum points ahead of the Xray’s of Adrian Berntsen and Alexander Hagberg. Magnus Vässmar made it three Xray’s in the Top 4 as he found improvement to post the fourth fastest time.
Volker said while he was pleased to top the round, his main focus was to finish ahead of Berntsen as his rival is for now the main contender to become Top Qualifier. Feeling another TQ run by the Norwegian will make him impossible to beat, due to his faster Q1 time set in the morning’s cooler condition, for last two qualifiers tyre strategy is going to be key as both drivers still have a second fresh set of Ride tyres at their disposal. Planning to leave his car set-up as is he said even for the final qualifier he doesn’t think it will be cool enough to beat the Q1 pace.
Bernsten said in the warmer track conditions of the last two qualifiers his car felt ‘slow and more difficult’ to drive. Planning to work around the conditions rather than change his set-up and based on how loose the track feels he will leave it till the final qualifier to run his second set of tyres.
Hagberg said there wasn’t much to report about the latest run. Changing his set-up each round he said due to the track conditions it makes no real difference to how the car feels. Set to change his set-up again for Q4, the Swede said hopefully he will find a change that actually makes a noticeable difference and improves his car that fraction that allows him challenge Volker & Berntsen for a TQ run.
Starting out qualifying with a new set-up, Vässmar said for Q2 he reverted to the set-up he ran in practice yesterday. Posting the 7th fastest time he said his T4 was much better but the run had too many driver errors. A better drive in Q3, he was pleased to take fourth for the round and hopes to build on that for Q4. Describing the car as feeling ‘alright’, the Swede added that if you ‘drive it right for the conditions’ the balance is ok but he still plans to make a few small changes for his next qualifier.
Posting the fifth fastest time was Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp. The German said the pace of Volker & Berntsen was a little frustrating but between everyone else it is ‘super close’. Running in the second fastest heat, he said watching Volker as he marshalled their qualifier he maybe needs to adjust his driving as his fellow German is drifting while he is trying to be keep everything too much under control.
In the Tamiya pits the form is not good to say the least. Setting the 6th fastest time, Marc Rheinard said he had ‘no feeling’ between his car & the track and he was ‘just drifting everywhere’. Setting again the 9th fastest time team-mate Viktor Wilck said it was ‘unbelievable’ how low traction was adding there was ‘just no grip’.
Setting the 7th fastest time HB’s Andy Moore said he made a few changes for the round but it ‘didn’t really make any difference’. ‘Sliding around’ the former World Champion said he is missing a couple of seconds and for Q4 he ‘will make a big change and see what happens’.
Completing the Top 8, Volker’s team-mate Naoto Matsukura said he had ‘no traction and no good feeling with the car’. The 1:12 World Champion added he’s not sure what to try for the remaining two qualifiers.
Ride Modified Q3 times
1. Ronald Volker – Yokomo – 15/5:11.523
2. Adrian Berntsen – Xray – 15/5:13.594
3. Alexander Hagberg – Xray – 15/5:14.616
4. Magnus Vässmar – Xray – 15/5:15.974
5. Christopher Krapp – Kyosho – 15/5:16.247
6. Marc Rheinard – Tamiya – 15/5:16.435
7. Andy Moore – HB – 15/5:16.556
8. Naoto Matukura – Yokomo – 15/5:16.868
9. Viktor Wilck – Tamiya – 15/5:17.242
10.Kyle Branson – Capricorn – 15/5:17.935
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