Wilck heads Tamiya 1-2 in Q2
Viktor Wilck headed a 1-2 for the Tamiya Racing Factory squad in the second round of qualifying at the Yokomo Euro Touring Series at the Hudy Racing Arena this morning, the Swede topping the times from team-mate and Q1 pace setter Marc Rheinard. In a round that was all about tyre strategy VBC Racing’s Olivier Bultynck completed the Top 3, with the best performer on used tyres being Yokomo’s Loic Jasmin who posted the 8th fastest time.
Having taken the gamble to pull off immediately after the start of last night’s opening qualifier in Slovakia to save tyres, Wilck’s gamble would pay off despite a less than perfect opening lap when he half spun his Speed Passion powered TRF418. Setting the fastest lap of the round, the pace being slower today with his best lap being an 18.210 compared to Meen Vejrak’s 17.794 Q1 time, the two time ETS race winner said once he got passed team-mate Akio Sobue he was able to find a good rhythm for the rest of the 5-minute heat. One of only a few top drivers now left with a second set of new tyres, drivers restricted to two sets for the four qualifiers, he said he has an advantage for one of the remaining qualifiers but added with the balance of the car different on each set of tyres he just hopes the second set works out.
‘Pretty good’ was how Rheinard summed up his second qualifier adding of all the people to finish second to, Wilck was the best option. The German said he had one ‘rough lap’ in the middle of the run due to the gusting wind but he ultimately threw away the TQ himself on the last lap when he hit the curbing and got his MuchMore powered TRF418 up on two wheels. In a fight with Alexander Hagberg for second overall in the championship, he said the TQ bonus point is very important in that battle so he hopes his 1 & 2 points will be enough for the overall TQ. With both his allocated sets of tyres now run, he said while his car works ‘fine’ on used tyres it is ‘nothing’ compared to a car on new tyres and the remaining rounds will be determined by when those with new tyres opt to run, his team-mates Wilck and Jilles Groskamp being two such drivers. Opting for used tyres, Groskamp said he went into Q2 more as a test session than a qualifier as he knew he would never be a match for those on new tyres. Aiming for a Top 10 for the round the World Champion said his Orion powered TRF418 had the pace and felt really well balanced but rolling the car once ruled that out.
5-time reigning Belgian National Champion Bultynck was delighted with his third for the round. Running new tyres, he said his LRP powered VBC D06, a car that featured strongly at Round 5 in the hands of team-mate Lucas Urbain, was way better also because of the cooler conditions. A pretty standard car other than being fitted with the optional softer chassis plate, which on the Arena track gives the car more steering, he will leave the car the same feeling the set-up should be fine for used tyres also.
Second fastest in the opening qualifier and very positive about his Yokomo, Yannic Prumper said they whole team struggled with their set-up this morning. Describing his MuchMore powered BD7 as very loose in the rear he said they have no choice but to make changes for Q3. Having used up both his sets of tyres, the 20-year-old said for Q3 he will most likely match up and run the rears from both his sets of tyres. Volker, who didn’t want to disclose his tyre choice, said today he had an overall lack of traction adding he almost lost his car twice on the opening lap. After spinning out ‘without touching anything’ the champion pulled off adding that they need to adjust something on the car to suit the conditions and catch up with the Tamiyas. Atsushi Hara would also pull off after a half spin, the former World Champion saying his car was really loose and a new set-up is required.
Best of the Xray’s at the team’s home track was 9-time Italian Champion Alessio Menicucci. Setting the fifth fastest time with his EZ Power equipped T4, he said he gambled on using his second set of tyres early as he needed the quali points. A ‘very clean run’, he said his car was both fast and easy to drive but now having to run the remaining two qualifiers on used rubber he added he is going to lose some steering. Asked if he planned to make any set-up changes to compensate for this he said he wouldn’t for Q3 but most likely would for the last round. Team-mate Hagberg was the second fastest Xray posting the 9th fastest time on used tyres, leaving the Swede in a strong position for one of the remaining two rounds.
Completing the Top 6 was Sobue, the 19-year-old happy with his run on fresh tyres. Describing his TRF418’s performance as good he will continue to run the same set-up for Q3.
Behind the Japanese driver Juho Levanen was slightly disappointed with managing only 7th. Like Wilck he pulled off at the start of Q1 to save tyres but changing his tyre prep for today the Team Associated driver said his TC6.2 was slower in the early part of the run. Still with a new set of tyres at his disposal he said he will revert to his previous tyre prep adding it is all about the ‘tyre game’ and choosing the right time to run them.
In the Xray Pro-Stock class Marek Cerny made it two from two as he topped Q2 by almost 2 seconds from fellow Xray driver David Nemcek with his title rival Jan Ratheisky completing the Top 3. In the Formula class Olivier Bultynck took the second qualifier by just 36/1000th of a second from the Serpent of Q1 pace setter David Ehrbar with former champion Herbert Weber third.
Ride Modified Round 2 Qualifying – Top 10
1. Viktor Wilck – Tamiya Racing Factory – 17/5:15.493
2. Marc Rheinard – Tamiya Racing Factory – 17/5:15.723
3. Olivier Bultynck – VBC Racing – 17/5:18.273
4. Yannic Prumper – Team Yokomo – 17/5:18.647
5. Alessio Menicucci – Xray Racing Team – 16/5:00.703
6. Akio Sobue – Tamiya Racing Factory – 16/5:01.533
7. Juho Levanen – Team Associated – 16/5:02.337
8. Loic Jasmin – Team Yokomo – 16/5:02.492
9. Alexander Hagberg – Xray Racing Team – 16/5:02.516
10.Michal Orlowski – Team Durango – 16/5:02.756
Xray Pro-Stock Round 2 Qualifying – Top 10
1. Marek Cerny – Xray – 15/5:09.545
2. David Nemcek – Xray – 15/5:11.434
3. Jan Ratheisky – Xray – 15/5:12.576
4. Tobias Seidl – Team C -15/5:14.154
5. Henrik Heitsch – ARC – 15/5:14.629
6. Johannes Sperr – Team C – 15/5:14.766
7. Valentin Hettrich – Xray – 15/5:15.465
8. Marco Siegenthaler – Serpent – 15/5:16.497
9. Philip Tschupp – Serpent – 15/5:16.660
10.Thorsten Zorn – Schumacher – 15/5:16.837
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