Advantage Volker in Austrian practice
Ronald Volker laid down his intentions for this weekend’s penultimate round of the Euro Touring Series, the German ace setting the fastest time over 3 consecutive laps to top practice in Austria by a healthy margin over Serpent’s Marc Fischer and title rival Marc Rheinard while Xray’s Alexander Hagberg made it four different manufacturers in the Top 4. Last year’s Traiskirchen winner Yannic Prumper, who is one of the four drivers still in contention for the title, would set the fifth fastest time but for Round 3 winner Viktor Wilck it was not a good start to this crucial weekend as he was only 11th fastest meaning he will run his five qualifiers in the second fastest heat group.
In a position to wrap up the title this weekend if he takes the win on Sunday, Volker declared himself happy with how his LRP powered BD7 ran in practice adding that he just needs to wait to see if it is good enough for a TQ run. Having run new tyres for both the timed practice runs, the German said he hoped his car turns out to be as competitive when he runs on used tyres. Drivers each get two sets of controlled Ride 34 tyres for the 5 rounds of qualifying of which the best 3 determine the grid, meaning every driver will have to run on used rubber at least once. Asked about the title battle the reigning European Champion, who won that title here in Traiskirchen, said he is just focusing on the race in hand and his target as always is to just try and do his best.
After freshening up the front end of his Serpent with new bearings for the final practice, Fischer said the S411 was a lot easier to driver. Also fitting a fresh Protoform LTC-R shell, he said the car did not want to flip as much as in his previous outing. Asked about his pace over a full 5-minutes he said without mistakes he feels a Top 5 is within his grasp. With plenty of banging going on in practice as cars hit the track perimeter wall, Fischer said to be fast you need to get ‘super close’ to the corner dots but this makes it easy to hit them and launch the car adding that ‘all in all its a difficult track’.
Rheinard, who needs to win this weekend of he wants to have a shot at getting back the title he last held three years ago, described his practice as ‘OK’. Suffering from a little understeer on his TRF417 he said while the car is not perfect over 5-minutes he should be fine. Adding that qualifying will be all about who manages a clean 5-minutes he said while Volker is a little faster in lap times when on new tyres on used tyres he is not so sure his rival will have any advantage. Having run a front spool in the two timed practices the Round 4 winner said he might take a gamble on switching to a gear diff for the opening qualifier. Team-mate Wilck is not looking the rejuvenated driver we have seen at the last two rounds, the Swede ‘struggling with everything, the track, the car and his driving’.
After the disappointment of Apeldoorn, where the Xray team clearly struggled, Hagberg said his ORCA powered T4 was really good in the final practice adding if he can keep it on four wheels in Q1 he should be able for a Top 5 time. The Swede, who finished second at this race last year, said the high traction conditions here suit their car. This was reflected in the times with the Slovak manufacturer getting three cars in the Top 10 with its designer Martin Hudy posting the 8th fastest time and team driver Tim Wahl going 10th quickest.
Prumper, who had a great weekend here last year, taking the TQ honours, the win and the ‘Dash for Cash’ win, said his Yokomo is ‘too hard to drive’. Hoping a change of spring for Q1 will improve the BD7, he said this track is not about fastest laps but all about making no mistakes for 5-minutes. Asked about the direction change from last year when the track ran in the clockwise direction Prumper, who sits seconds in the standings, said it was much easier that way but on making the comment was quickly reminded that this wasn’t a good enough excuse as this year’s direction was the way the track was run when he won €400 for running the two fastest laps in the Dash for Cash.
Completing the Top 6 was Eric Dankel with Yokomo DB7 followed by HB’s Andy Moore, the former World Champion struggling with understeer on his TCXX. Outside the Top 10 Team Durango’s Elliot Harper posted the 16th fastest time. The British driver, who has won the opening two rounds of his National Championship with the prototype DEX410TC, is having a problem with traction roll but says he has a few ideas he will try for Q1 and he ‘will see on the warm-up lap’ if they are the solution to his problem.
A driver who came here last year with a shout of the title, Kyosho Christopher Krapp described his day so far as the ‘worst practice ever’. Arriving last night his bag got lost in transit and he had no stuff for the first practice run of the day, then in the second he crash & broke leaving him with no set-up going into the 2 time practice runs. Setting the 23rd fastest time over 3-consecutive laps, he said he will change to his spare car for Q1 in the hope that it actually feels somewhere close to how a car should work.
In the Xray Pro Stock class Finnish ace Viljami Kutvonen took his Awesomatix to the fastest time ahead of the Xray of title contender Marek Cerny and championship standings leader Dominic Vogl. Winning his title here last year after a tough event defending champion & Round 4 winner Zdenko Kunak took his Yokomo to the 5th fastest time ahead of last year’s Top Qualifier & race winner Tony Streit. In the Speed Passion Formula Class Jan Asmer made a return to the series in style setting the pace ahead of Apeldoorn winner Roman Pichler.
Controlled Practice – Top 10
1. Ronald Völker – Yokomo – 0:43.705
2. Marc Fischer – Serpent – 0:44.016
3. Marc Rheinard – Tamiya – 0:44.121
4. Alexander Hagberg – Xray – 0:44.199
5. Yannic Prümper – Yokomo – 0:44.268
6. Eric Dankel – Yokomo – 0:44.336
7. Andy Moore – Hot Bodies – 0:44.356
8. Martin Hudy – Xray – 0:44.431
9. Freddy Südhoff – Awesomatix – 0:44.474
10.Tim Wahl – Xray – 0:44.711
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