Video – Formula A-main Leg 1
Video – Masters 40+ A-main Leg 1
Video – Stock 17.5 A-main Leg 1
Coelho wins opening A-Main at ETS Netherlands
Bruno Coelho took a tone to tone win in a hot opening A-Main at ETS Netherlands but the Xray driver was shadowed throughout the race by Freddy Sudhoff. While the Top Qualifier looked in full control of proceedings early on, Sudhoff would come back at him reducing the gap to 5/10ths of a second which is how it remained to the finish. Behind, having put pressure on Sudhoff for the opening minute, Christopher Krapp would finish as he started with third place but dropping back 1.3-seconds behind. Krapp’s team-mate Ronald Volker would be highest finisher to make a pass during the race as he, to the cheer of onlookers, found a way around the outside of fourth place qualifier Alexander Hagberg.
Summing up A1, Coelho said, ‘It was a tough final. Freddy didn’t give me space to breath. The gap was 5/10ths all the final. I was not able to pull away and he was not able to catch me’. A very hot day at the Apeldoorn track but expected to be cooler tomorrow, the Portuguese driver who is looking to make it back to back Dutch ETS wins said, ‘The track was better now than the last qualifier but the last A-Main is going to be at a similar time to when it was hottest so again it is going to difficult racing conditions tomorrow’.
‘It was a close one’, was Sudhoff’s reaction to the opening final. The Awesomatix driver explained, ‘at the beginning Bruno pulled away slightly because I was trying to save my tyres but after 2-minutes I pushed 105%. For sure it was a little cooler and easier for the car but I just could find that last bit to catch him’. Looking to tomorrow, the ETS Spain winner said, ‘I think from that race we lose a light on the right side of the track so we might change something for that but I need to check the conditions in the morning’.
Commenting on his third place, Krapp said, ‘I am happy with the car, it was a solid run but pretty I’d say’. The Yokomo driver added, ‘the first minute I was really quick and challenging Freddy but then he found 6th or 7th gear and pulled away. I couldn’t do anything’. Asked about the possibility of a podium tomorrow, the German replied, ‘I want more but a podium is the first aim. I’m not sure what the weather is but we will adjust the car for it. I hope Freddy attacks Bruno’.
In Pro Stock it was also a win for the Top Qualifier as Olivier Bultynck took a controlled win over Frederik Mikkelsen and Dominic Vogl, the Top 3 finishing as they started. Qualifying down in 7th, championship points leader Simon Lauter worked his way up to 4th by the finish. Lauter would make light work of the Formula A-Main taking the win from the TQ some 8/10ths up on David Ehrbar, the Top 5 finishing as the started. 40+ Master and 17.5 Stock were also won by the Top Qualifiers with Toni Mateo having the biggest win of the day with three and a half seconds to spare over Beni Stutz while the new Stock class went to Marwin Riedelbauch who initial lost his lead to Daniel Pöhlmann who ended up third behind Tobias Baumbach.
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Chassis Focus – Freddy Sudhoff
Chassis – Awesomatix A800X Evo (MMCX2)
Motor – Hobbywing G3 4.5T
ESC – Hobbywing Xerun XR10 Pro G2
Batteries – Team Silverback 6400 Siren-HV
Tires – Volante (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa M17/MKS HBL SL575
Bodyshell – ZooRacing DBX
Remarks – Running his Middle Motor Awesomatix A800X Evo ‘Fabulous’ has enjoyed great speed here at AMCA Apeldoorn showing his rival the way in practice and backing that up with P2 in qualifying. His car is equipped with the latest Progressive Spring System called PSS which changes the characteristics of the unique Awesomatix leaf springs. Additionally he installed the SPR08 bodyshell support set in front of the car to improve front end grip and generate a smoother handling under acceleration.
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Coelho to start ETS Netherlands from TQ
Bruno Coelho will for the second year running start from the TQ at ETS Netherlands. Where the Xray driver last year claimed his third championship title in succession, he secured this year’s overall TQ at Apeldoorn when topped the times for a third time in the fourth & final qualifier which took place in very hot conditions. The only one who could have denied Coelho the TQ, Sudhoff was always going to be up against the conditions as not only did he need to TQ the round but he also needed to beat Coelho’s Q2 time which was held in much cooler conditions. At the end of the 5-minute Coelho would have 1.5-seconds in hand over the Awesomatix driver who starts second. Behind it will be Christopher Krapp who will line up followed by Alexander Hagberg and Championship points leader Ronald Volker.
With the entire pits struggling with the heat, Coelho said, ‘That was a hard qualifier, such hot temperature now’. The World Champion continued, ‘I couldn’t force a lot. I had to make sure I didn’t overheat the tyres so I tried to drive as smooth as possible and it was a good fight with Freddy’. Looking to the finals, the first of which takes place this evening, the Portuguese ace said, ‘It’s going to be very interesting. Freddy and me are very similar pace so I expect him to push hard at the start. I might have to defend but I will be trying to pull away. I hope it is a little cooler for A1. Now it is too hot’.
‘That was a stress test on material and driver out in this heat’, was Sudhoff’s reaction to Q4. With the fastest lap of the round, he added, ‘the car felt good for the first minute and a half but then it start to slide a little more. I lost the time compared to Bruno i the second half’. Asked about his game plan for A1, the German replied, ‘we tried a slightly different for that one (Q4) so we’ll go back to the set-up of the previous one for the final. It is quite a flowing track but there are some braking points to dive in’.
Summing up qualifying, Krapp said, ‘Im happy with third in the grid as it was the best I could do’. He continued, ‘I was kind of unhappy with the car that one. We made a change and it was loose in the rear. We changed too much. Now it is unstable but it has too much oversteer. I will use my Q3 set-up for A1 and just race it out’.
Retiring from the final qualifier, Hagberg said, ‘we changed the set-up quite a bit and it didn’t work out so we will revert to previous set-up and try to fight for the podium’. Asked the potential for overtaking, the Swede replied, ‘the track is really wide so it should be possible. It’s a difficult track and easy to make a mistake and miss your line. It is one track on the championship where overtaking is really possible’.
Commenting on his starting position, Volker said, ‘It was tight on points for P3 but I came out the worst of it and ended up 5th which is disappointing’. The Yokomo driver added, ‘almost everyone was on new tyre (in Q3) so it was clear to see what pace everyone is at. To open with a P3 in Q1 and 3rd fastest again in the last one but on end up P5 is a little frustrating. You can’t do much from 5th on the grid’.
In Pro Stock it is going to be Olivier Bultynck who will lead away the field. With three different winners in the opening three rounds it was all to play for in Q4 and the Belgian delivered being the only driver to run 19 laps in the hoy conditions. Behind him, Frederik Mikkelsen will line up 2nd followed by Dominic Vogl. In Formula, Championship points leader Simon Lauter extended his lead by a point for his efforts in securing the TQ. Taking two qualifiers he starts in front of David Ehrbar and Jitse Miedema who took a qualifier each. In 40+ Masters, Toni Mateo will lead away the A-Main field from Andreas Weyhoven and Trygve Berntsen. In 17.5 Stock, Marwin Riedelbauch took the final two qualifiers to secure the TQ from Daniel Pöhlmann and Tobias Baumbach.
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Chassis Focus – Wojciech Rozwadowski
Chassis – Capricorn TE04
Motor – LRP X22
ESC – LRP Flow X
Batteries – R1 8000mAh
Tires – Volante (handout)
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Tesla
Bodyshell – Zooracing DBX
Remarks – One of the more rare cars in the modified class, Polish driver Rozwadowski is running the latest car from the Italian brand in the ‘High Response’ version. The car also offered as a ‘High Grip’ kit and there is also the option to buy the parts separately should you wish to change between versions. One feature of the car is the included quick release shims which mean changes can be made easily without the need for stripping the car. Rozwadowski said the car is designed with durability in mind although the compromise is extra weight.
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