Track Focus – Hrotovice
Host – Mibo Sport
Country – Czech Republic
Location – Hrotovice
Venue – Sport-V-Hotel
Track type – Temporary
Surface – Carpet
Direction – Anti-Clockwise
Previous ETS races hosted – 4
The opening round of Season #8 of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series marks two big milestones for the world famous championship. Taking place in the small town of Hrotovice, which is situated in the south of the Czech Republic about a one hour drive from the Austrian border, the event is the 40th running of an ETS event since its creation back in 2007. A significant milestone for the championship, which continues to see growth with over 320 entries turning out for the first of the six rounds that make up the 2014/15 season, the race also sees the Michal Bok hosted event become the championship’s most visited venue, this being the fifth time drivers from around the world have travelled to the Sport-V-Hotel.
The most significant change to the venue, which despite its remoteness is hugely popular with racers, is a new extension to the large hall in which the race is hosted. With the pits somewhat cosy last year, this weekend drivers will have a lot more elbow room thanks to the new side rooms, the largest of which sees pit spacing for 120 drivers. In terms of the track this is also the largest track Bok and his crew has created, the black carpet track covering an area 30 metres wide and 24 metres deep. With 11-second lap times for the leading Ride Modified competitors last year, in early practice 14-second laps look to be this year’s benchmark.
Commenting on the layout defending champion & last year’s race winner Ronald Volker described the track as ‘very flowing’. The Yokomo driver said compared to traditional indoor track layouts it had more long corners instead of hairpin and chicanes. Admitting that it was ‘personally a little too open’ for him, the German ace said ‘in the end it was nice to have such a large track for such a big event’ continuing that adding another lane of carpet was ‘a good idea’. Asked what was key to a successful lap he said a lap was pretty straightforward but added having a centre straight that runs at a 90 degree angel to the drivers stand is little unusual to drive.
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