Euro Touring Series

July 14, 2018

Chassis Focus – Michal Orlowski

Chassis – Schumacher Mi6 Evo
Motor – LRP X22 4.5
ESC – LRP Flow X
Batteries – LRP Graphene 2 HV Lipo 6400
Tires – Volante (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Sanwa
Bodyshell – Montech Racer Lightweight

Remarks – Enjoying a very strong showing here at the Hudy Arena, qualifying 3rd for the A-Main, Michal is again running the same car he ran at Apeldoorn last month when he had his first ETS outing for the season. The car is fitted new pre production versions of an upcoming optional shock set-up Schumacher will offer called ‘Ultra Short Shocks’. The new offering will comprise of new shock towers front and rear and new short big bore shocks. In terms of set-up changes for the track, on arrival in Trencin Michal found the car’s Apeldoorn set-up to be over responsive and so they induced more rear roll with a longer rear link. They also changed to a slightly softer diff with Michal having been competitive ever since. The other change the Schumacher team made, the UK manufacturer sending two engineers to support their drivers at the ETS season finale, was to mount the body more forward on the car for high speed steering. Apart from the car, Michal’s performance has also been enhanced this weekend by input from his electronics sponsor LRP. Jürgen Lautenbach was on hand for Thursday’s free practice to assist Michal in creating a speedo setting that gave him a better feeling from the power delivery.

Image Gallery

July 14, 2018

Video – Modified A-main Leg 1

July 14, 2018

Video – Pro Stock A-main Leg 1

July 14, 2018

Video – Formula A-main Leg 1

July 14, 2018

Video – Masters 40+ A-main Leg 1

July 14, 2018

Coelho wins A1 at ETS Finale

Bruno Coelho continued his reign at the season finale of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Slovakia, the Xray driver winning A1 ahead of team-mate Alexander Hagberg. While a widely predicated result, Coelho didn’t have things entirely his own way with Hagberg for a time looking like he might be able to mount a challenge. Overshooting the carousel a number of times, Coelho was clearly struggling with his car but the Top Qualifier was able to hold on, crossing the line 3/10th in front of Hagberg. Behind them, Michal Orlowski would complete the Top 3 finishing as he started with a 2-second advantage over Viktor Wilck.

Reacting to his win, Coelho said, ‘It was OK but the last qualifier I had a crash and maybe something is broken in the car from that. The first 5-laps it was impossible to drive’. He continued, ‘it was super difficult and was loose in the rear off power so for sure we will look for the problem’.

On his race Hagberg said, ‘At the start there was no grip but I was able to keep up with him (Coelho) and closed in the end but not enough to mount an attack’. One of three of this season’s race winners, taking victory in Madrid, he said we need to work on getting the car better for the first minute of the race and if we can do that hopefully I can mount a bigger challenge tomorrow’.

Orlowski said, ‘It started off pretty good and I was right with Alex. I had a small chance to pass but couldn’t get it done’. The Schumacher driver added, ‘my tyres warm up more than theirs (Xray) which allowed them to pull away. After that I settled for 3rd. I’m glad I kept my position. The car is very good so I will run it the same again tomorrow.

Commenting on his A1 performance, Wilck said, ‘the beginning was good and I felt I was pressuring Orlowski but after 2-minutes it felt like I overheated the tyres. I then had a moment on the curbing and had a slide. We have to change the set-up for tomorrow’. Behind Wilck, Ronald Volker would move up one position, at the expense of Yokomo team-mate Christopher Krapp, to finish 5th just ahead of Infinity’s Akio Sobue.

The first encounter of the Pro Stock A-Main would also see Top Qualifier Alexandre Duchet lead from tone to tone all but for a split second. Xray team-mate Jan Rathiesky looked to have sneaked through on the second last corner but Duchet retook him in entering the final corner to win by 3/10ths. Olivier Bultynck was in the lead bunch but got caught at the line and had to settle for third. in Formula, contact between Bultynck and Rathiesky would allow Simon Lauter and Matej Dobnikar battle it out for the win with Lauter just hanging on for the win from fourth in the grid. In 40+, Top Qualifier Thomas Oehler suffered an early error to come back to the front to take the win and move closer to becoming the classes inaugural champion. Behind Roberto Fabiano saw off Christian Drießle for second.

View complete event results here.

View the event image gallery here.

July 14, 2018

Chassis Focus – Nico Catelani

Chassis – Xray T4 2018
Motor – Muchmore (handout)
ESC – Muchmore (handout)
Batteries – EZ Power Graphene 6600mAh
Tires – Volante (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Savox
Bodyshell – Montech Racer

Remarks – Attending his first ETS asphalt race of the season here in Slovakia, former ETS Pro Stock race winner Nico took the third round of qualifying and starts the A-Main 5th on the grid. Running a more kit standard car than fellow Xray drivers Alexandre Duchet and Jan Ratheisky, which can’t be photographed. Optionals on his T4 2018, include full aluminium steering set-up, low friction belts and harder red blades, all from Xray and then brass weights in the centre of the car, under the speedo, and a brass servo mount and brass battery mounts which are all produced by 7075.it.

Image Gallery

July 14, 2018

Orlowski takes final qualifier at ETS Slovakia

Michal Orlowski took a surprise TQ in the final round of the qualifying at the Yokomo Euro Touring Series, the Schumacher driver securing the ‘best of rest’ position on the grid in Slovakia behind the Xrays of Top Qualifier Bruno Coelho and Alexander Hagberg. With a number of drivers saving their third set of tyres for the fourth & final qualifying, including Hagberg, it was expected the Swede would top the times with Coelho having already taken the overall TQ in the previous round and used his tyre allocation. Instead Hagberg struggled and it was Orlowski who was fastest by 2/10th from Awesomatix’ Freddy Sudhoff and Yokomo’s Ronald Volker who were also on new tyres. The end result was that Orlowski would demote Viktor Wilck to fourth on the grid ahead of Christopher Krapp and Volker.

‘I didn’t change anything on the car. I put on a new set of tyres and just drove’, said a very pleased Orlowski. He continued, ‘It was close the whole run. Freddy was behind me so I could see the gap. I had one slightly bad lap but I’m happy with how I drove. Hopefully I get good sets of tyres for the finals’. With the Hudy Arena a happy hunting ground for the Euro Offroad Series double champion in that championship, the teenager said, ‘In touring car I have always been quick here but had no luck. I made the Euro A-Main here but never in the ETS. I had pace for A-Main but something always prevented me from getting in. We broke that trend today’. Asked if he could take the challenge to the Xrays in the final, all drivers having new tyres for each of the triple A-Main, he replied, ‘Alex was on new tyres now and he wasn’t very fast but they showed crazy speed in Q1 & 2 yesterday. I will try my best’.

Hagberg described his final qualifier as ‘not good’ adding ‘I had no traction’. He added, ‘either it was too hot or the tyres were not good and I need to discuss this with my team-mates’. Asked if he believed he could challenge Coelho for the win, he replied, ‘Of course we will go for the win. Anything is still possible’.

‘Orlowski made an awesome run’, was Wilck’s reaction after Q4. Running the qualifier on used tyres and well off the pace, the Serpent driver added, ‘at least I only dropped one place (on the grid)’. Looking to the final, A1 taking place this evening with A2 & 3 on tomorrow, the former Hudy Arena podium finisher said, ‘for sure I have a chance of the podium’ but cautioned, ‘this track is not known as a place you can overtake. We will see but always something happens up front’.

In the Xray Pro Stock class it is outgoing champion Alexandre Duchet who will start from pole. The French driver secured his first TQ of the season with a P2 run in Q4 behind Xray team-mate Jan Ratheisky. This left them tied on points but Duchet’s TQ run from Q1 was faster than Ratheisky’s Q4 pace and so he secured the overall TQ. Behind them Olivier Bultynck will start third for Awesomatix. In Formula, while Bultynck had already wrapped up pole in the previous round the Shepherd driver would complete the clean sweep with a TQ in the final round. His nearest challenger from behind with come from Ratheisky with Matej Dobnikar starting third and the Tamiya of Simon Lauter fourth. In the Infinity 40+ class, Thomas Oehler took an important TQ. Taking the bonus point from his title rivals means Beni Stutz is out of the chase with only Christian Drießle who starts third having a chance of the title but he must win.

View complete event results here.

View the event image gallery here.