Track Focus – Road Race Riccione
Name – Road Race Riccione RC Circuit Marco Simoncelli
Country – Italy
Location – Riccione
Host Club – Road Race Riccione
Surface – Asphalt
Direction – Anti-clockwise
Key previous races hosted – 1:5 Bike World Championship
The Yokomo Euro Touring Series this weekend makes a long awaited return to Italy with Road Race Riccione RC Circuit Marco Simoncelli in the touristic seaside city of Riccione welcoming a record entry for an outdoor ETS race. Built in 1999 the track is proving an instant hit with drivers with defending champion Ronald Volker declaring it as one of his all time favourite tracks. Run by the Road Race Riccione club which has a membership of 50, the club originally started out as an onroad nitro club but in recent years has seen electric become the main class. With MotoGP legends such as Valentio Rossi, Loris Capirossi and the late Marco Simoncelli from the area it is not surprising that rc bike racing is also popular with the track hosting the 1:5 Bike World Championship in 2012. The club is very proud of the fact that Rossi has driven the track when the 9-time World Champion drove a Serpent 1:8 nitro car.
During the hosting of the 1:5 Bike Worlds the club, many of the committee close friends of the Simoncelli family, auctioned a replica Marco helmet donating the money raised to the Marco Simoncelli Foundation. After this the two organisations have formed a close association with the club remembering the #58 rider by official incorporated his name in the track title and placing a tribute to him on the top of the drivers stand.
Laid out in an area 70 metres wide by 60 metres deep and having undergone one layout change in its 16-year existence, the main uniqueness is its subtle elevation changes. Last resurfaced in 2007 the greatest challenge of the track for Modified drivers is proving to be a bump just before the sweeper leading on to the 56 metre long straight. Describing the track as ‘not too difficult to look at’, Volker said the evaluations and camber changes make it a lot more challenging when you drive it. Commenting on ‘the bump’, the Yokomo driver said getting the right outside line to avoid it unsettling the car and at the same time carrying good speed onto the straight are key to a good lap time. Joint leader of the standings with Volker coming into the race, Round 2 winner Marc Rheinard described the track as ‘nice except for the one bump’. The Tamiya driver picked out the end of the straight as the key to the track as you try to brake as late as possible without overshooting for the corner. Describing traction levels as ‘medium’, as did Volker, he said a bit more would be ‘nice’ but it not a problem.
