Euro Touring Series

April 10, 2015

Chassis Focus – Jilles Groskamp

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Chassis – HB Pro5
Motor – Orion 4.5T
ESC – Orion
Batteries – Orion 6000 mAh
Tires – Ride (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa
Bodyshell – Protoform LTC-R
Remarks – 2012 World Champion Jilles Groskamp has made the trip over from Thailand to make his international race debut for HB. Running a kit stock car he is working with the expanded team under the guidance of team manager Hiroyuki Kazuya to find the best setup for the car. Currently looking for more steering in the high speed corners, the rear of the car being planted, he has played around with moving more weight to the front of the car which felt better and was possible to go quicker but not consistently.

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April 10, 2015

Track Focus – Road Race Riccione

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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.

April 8, 2015

ETS makes long awaited Italian return

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The Yokomo Euro Touring Series makes a long awaited return to Italy this weekend (10-12 April) with a record entry that includes six World Champions set to descend on the county’s famous seaside resort of Riccione. Only the second time the world famous touring car championship has travelled to Italy, the town of Scandiano having played host to an indoor race as part of the 2011/12 calendar, this time round the race takes place at the Road Race Riccione track as the third round of Season #8 takes the ETS action outdoor. With over 310 entries the weekend is set to be largest asphalt event in the championship’s 42 race history and but on track the big focus of attention will be on the performances of a number of high profile drivers who will debut with new manufacturers.

A former two time ETS Champion and a key contributor to the early success of the championship, Jilles Groskamp will make his first appearance in the colours of his new HB team. After seven years of been team-mates with Marc Rheinard & Viktor Wilck at Tamiya, the 2012 World Champion will at the weekend hook-up with 2006 World Champion Andy Moore and another of HB’s new 2015 signings Freddy Sudhoff. The Dutch ace will be hoping the first asphalt race of the 2014/15 season will provide a good starting point for the expanded HB team to gel and challenge for the Pro 5’s first ETS podium finish.

Joint leaders of the championship after Marc Rheinard took a convincing victory at Round 2 in Germany, Tamiya Racing Factory travels to Italy with an exciting new line-up. Having lost both Groskamp and Wilck, the ETS’ most race winning manufacturer has reassembled an impressive team around their 3-time World Champion with Rheinard being joined in the TRF colours by reigning World Champion Naoto Matsukura and multiple World finalist Christopher Krapp. Krapp’s move to Tamiya was only announced this week with Rheinard instrumental is the signing of his fellow countryman Krapp from Kyosho and the former ETS race winner is sure to benefit from the input of his two new World Champion team-mates.

With no distractions of new driver signings to worry about defending champions Yokomo travel to Italy with high hopes for both Ronald Volker, Yannic Prumper. Joint points leader having TQ’s & won the season opener, Volker proved last season he is now just as strong on asphalt as he had become famed for on carpet. A podium finisher at the first two rounds leaving him joint 3rd in the standings with Xray’s Alexander Hagberg, Prumper will be determined to build on that and will be hoping the move outdoors provides greater opportunities for overtaking with him having been somewhat frustrated by the lack of passing opportunities at Round 1 & 2. Bolstering the Yokomo line-up, World Championship finalist & former 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Champion Meen Vejrak makes the trip from Thailand with Riccione markinghis return to ETS action.

At Team Xray Hagberg sits third in the standings and is sure to be in the mix but the big interest at the Slovakian manufacturer will be how his team-mate Bruno Coelho gets on. The star of the last October’s World Championships in Florida when he finished runner-up to Matsukura, this will be the Portugese drivers first ETS outing on asphalt. Also a star of last year’s European Championships only loosing out on the title due to an electrics issue, Coelho has opened his first ETS campaign with a 6th and 8th but more at home on asphalt he will his goal is sure to be much higher for Italy.

After a very impressive debut with Serpent at Round 2 in February, Viktor Wilck will be hoping he can build on that form. Last season Marc Fischer enjoyed his best result with the S411 on asphalt finishing 4th in Austria and with Wilck having had more test time with his new car the revitalised Swede be hoping to go at least one better.

February 8, 2015

Video – Modified, Pro Stock & Formula A3

February 8, 2015

Volker & Prumper complete ETS podium

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Ronald Volker and Yannic Prumper completed the podium at Round 2 of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Germany after the Yokomo pairing claimed a 1-2 finish in the 3rd A-main. With Marc Rheinard wrapping up his first ETS win on carpet in 5-years with a second win of the weekend in A2 and sitting out A3, the closing race of the record breaking event would see Volker lead an uneventful race from start to finish. Behind him Prumper, despite making early attempts to pass his team-mate would run the entire race in second despite coming under pressure from a much improved Alexander Hagberg in the closing laps. Winner of the event last year, Hagberg would be classified 4th overall followed by Viktor Wilck and Christopher Krapp, all drivers having started the leg with a chance of a podium finish.

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Despite crossing the finish almost 2-seconds ahead of Prumper, Volker said he still lacked pace & traction at the beginning and until half way he had a ‘mirror full of cars’. Getting better towards the end the defending champion said it still lacked overall balance. Saying he ‘can’t be unhappy with second’, he said he is looking forward to switching to outdoor action for Round 3 in Italy having enjoyed his best season on asphalt last season enroute to his four consecutive title.

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Putting pressure on Volker at the start, Prumper said while he had the faster car he could not find a way passed. With his car developing understeer over the 5-minutes he said this allowed his team-mate to pull away. Coming under the attention of Hagberg in the closing part of the race, both driver former 2-time ETS race winners, he said he was a little surprised at how strong Hagberg’s pace was in the end. Pleased to have two podium finishes from the opening two rounds of the championship, the 21-year-old said having been so close to so many potential wins he hopes Italy will be a better and he can put himself on the top step of the podium.

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Setting the fastest lap of A3, Hagberg said fitting a new carbon chassis plate on his Xray left him with a car that was ‘finally drivable’. Having found the previous chassis on his T4 to be tweaked, the Swede said the discovery came ‘too late’.

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Changing tyres for the last race, Wilck said he still didn’t have enough grip with the switch. Running third for 12-laps on lap 13 he ‘hit the curb and that was it’, the Swede finishing fifth behind Krapp but getting the tie-breaker to finish fifth overall ahead of the German on his Serpent debut. Describing it as a ‘good start with my new team’ he added, ‘the pace was good, I just need to get more points in qualifying and I should be fine for the finals.

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With Pro Stock and Formula also decided in A2, the third main was also about deciding who would stand each side of Marek Cerny and Jan Rathiesky on the podiums. In Formula, despite having already won, Rathiesky lined up on pole position but with Xray team-mate Bruno Coelho unable to get his Xray X1 to respond to the radio, back to back champion Rathiesky handed over his car to the Portuguese driver so he could complete his Formula class debut. Getting passed Francesco Martini, Coehlo would win the leg to finish 2nd overall with Martini making it an all factory Xray podium.

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In the Xray Pro Stock A3 encounter Rathiesky would take the win ahead of team-mate Mike Gosvig, a result that would see them both join Cerny on the podium, Gosvig finishing the overall runner-up.

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February 8, 2015

Chassis Focus – Marc Rheinard

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Chassis – Tamiya TRF 419
Motor – Muchmore 5.0T
ESC – Muchmore
Batteries – Muchmore 6000 mAh
Tires – Ride (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Xpert
Bodyshell – Protoform LTC-R
Remarks – German Tamiya’s star Marc Rheinard got back to victory on carpet using a pretty standard version of the 419, only equipped with a prototype aluminium chassis, mixed titanium and aluminium screws and double joint front driveshafts.

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February 8, 2015

Video – Modified, Pro Stock & Formula A2

February 8, 2015

Rheinard ends 5-year ETS carpet win drought in Germany

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Marc Rheinard took a significant victory at Round 2 of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Germany today, the win marking the Tamiya driver’s first ETS win on carpet in 5-years. The last indoor win for the championship’s most winning driver came in Warsaw, Poland, in 2010, the year the 4-time World Champion claimed his one and only ETS title. Having taken an unchallenged A1 win last night at the Muelheim-Kaerlich event, Rheinard secured his 13th ETS victory by cruising to another easy win over reigning champion Ronald Volker in A2.

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‘A good weekend’ was Rheinard’s reaction, him adding ‘I can’t remember the last time I won an ETS race on carpet’. ‘After the disappointment of Hrotovice I needed to try to come back into contention for the overall championship and this is a good start’. Top Qualifier for the record breaking entry race, as he was at the season opener in the Czech Republic but where he ended up only finishing 4th, the German said the weekend shows Tamiya have made progress with the TRF419 and they are now going in the right direction for the future. Although supported by TRF engineer and competent racer Takayuki Kono who qualified in the B-Main, Rheinard said the win was also important following the departure of longtime team-mate Viktor Wilck with him joking ‘the next race it will be a Tamiya 1-2 with Naoto (Matsukura)’. Making a shock switch from Yokomo to Tamiya last month, World Champion Matsukura is expected to attend Round 3 of the ETS when the championship makes its long awaited return to Italy.

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Having a pretty lonely race, helped by Wilck making contact with Yannic Prumper on lap 2, Volker who won the season opener said ‘you cant win them all’. The Yokomo driver said after struggling last night with his BD7, they took the gamble to use a set-up very close to that of Yokomo team-mate Loic Jasmin, the French Champion enjoying a strong event this weekend. Also changing tyres and opting to do no warm-up at all, Yukijiro Umino placing his car directly on the grid for the start, the 4-time back to back champion said the ‘gamble didn’t pay off’ and the car had too much understeer. While the car improved over the 5-minutes, his fastest lap being his last lap, he suspects even had he caught up to Rheinard his rival had more speed in reserve. With second overall still open, he said they will again have to takes risks for A3 and switch back to his qualifying set of tyres to try and improve rear traction so as he can hopefully keep the field behind him and secure the win, Rheinard sitting out the closing race of the event which attracted 408 entries.

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Describing the contact from Wilck as ‘bad luck’, Prumper who had a DNF in A1 said luckily he was able to get back passed Alexander Hagberg and Christopher Krapp for third. Starting second for A3 behind Volker, the third place qualifier said with 2nd overall still possible he would be going maximum attack for the leg win. Although he struggled with the rear of his car being loose early in the run he said overall the track had less traction than in A1 but expecting that to improve for A3 he will not make any set-up changes.

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Finishing fourth after getting passed by Prumper on the penultimate lap, Krapp said it was ‘a very exciting final’ for him and he ‘really enjoyed’ the battle with his fellow countryman. Putting a really good move on Hagberg at the hairpin after the chicane, the Kyosho team driver said his car had Top 3 pace but he needs to get by Hagberg quicker, last year’s winner struggling this weekend.

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Setting the fastest lap of the race, Wilck was pretty annoyed being called in for a Stop & Go penalty for his contact with Prumper. With his Serpent S411 very loose at the start of the race, the Swede said he unintentionally slid into the back of Prumper immediately waiting to give back position only then to be called to also serve a penalty. With his race over after the Stop & Go as he dropped to 9th on a track where passing is proving almost impossible, he said while the car was fast, him setting the fastest lap of the race, it was difficult to drive as his ‘tyres are done’. Third in A1 and therefore still a contender for a podium finish in his Serpent debut he will run his other set of tyres for A3.

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In the Xray Pro Stock class, A2 also saw the overall win decided as Mareck Cerny repeated another unchallenged tone to tone win. The first win of the season for the back to back defending champion, Cerny would win A2 from Awesomatix’ Max Mächler and Czech Republic winner Lars Hoppe. For Cerny’s team-mates Mike Gosvig and Jan Ratheisky, who started directly behind him on the grid, it was not a good race as Gosvig made a mistake half way in while holding second and Ratheisky got into the side of A1 third place finisher Helge Johannessen. In Formula, Ratheisky had no such issues as he did a 2013 season Sebastian Vettel and left the rest of the field in his track to secure the overall win, the second of the season for the ETS Champion.

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