Saturday, August 21, 2010
Wischnewski is Euros top qualifier
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Reigning European Champion Dirk Wischnewski has claimed the top qualifying spot at this year’s 1/10th 200mm European Championships in Gothenburg Sweden today. Rain fell on and off today meaning that the front runners were unable to improve their times and so with Dirk’s TQ run from round 1 he was able to take pole position and is now one step closer to retaining his title that he won in Italy last year. Dirk is of course happy to take the top spot but didn’t expect it after what he believes was a disappointing Worlds. With the weather forecast expecting rain tomorrow he has now tested rain tires with his rain car in the last qualifier but he said it was hard to test, as the track was drying again.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
European 200mm Championships practice update
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The EFRA European Championships are underway this week in Gothenburg Sweden on the VAST 8 track. The weather has been less than ideal, resulting in lost track time and in the case of earlier in the week, the loss of entire days. Today had seen the conditions drivable with the rain holding off but the temperature quite low. As you would expect the race has attracted the top European racers including the only 3 World’s finalist from earlier in the month in the form of podium finisher Marc Rheinard, reigning European Champion Dirk Wischnewski, and TQ man Robert Pietsch.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Robert Pietsch is European Champion
Categories - Events, Gas, International, Racing
Driving the new Mugen MRX-5, a car he was responsible for designing, Robert Pietsch has finally claimed his first big title winning the EFRA 1:8 Onroad European Championship at Locorotondo in Italy today. Starting from pole position the German led the 45-minute final from start to finish. The only driver to follow him closely was Motonica’s Dario Balestri who finished half a lap behind the 2008 World Championship Top Qualifier. The majority of the drivers were on a 3.5 minute fuel stop strategy with one tire change at the race’s mid point. Only Alberto Picco was pitting longer running just over 4 minutes but his chances of victory ended when half way through a glowplug let go costing the Italian a lot of time. Current World Champion Lamberto Collari had to settle for third on the podium after he was forced to do an extra pit stop due to a damaged tyre on his Kyosho. Apart from Pietsch and Balestri, all the drivers were forced to make unscheduled pitstops as they hit problems.
Robert Pietsch with new MRX5 on pole position at 1/8 EC
Categories - Events, Gas, International, Racing
Driving the brand new MRX5, Mugen factory driver Robert Pietsch has captured pole position at the 1/8 nitro on-road European Championship held in Locorotondo, Italy. His first heat on Friday afternoon with 27 laps in 7.02,675 minutes proved to be the fastest run even he did all four heat within two seconds. While he was hampered by slower cars in heat two and three, Pietsch surprised in heat four when he did lap times down to 15,1 seconds and repeated his 7.02-run at very hot conditions with air temperatures of about 37 degrees and tarmac temperatures close to 60 degrees. “I am really happy about the pole position”, admitted Robert Pietsch. “My MRX5 is running really well and it looks like that there is no difference in the performance of the car regarding to high or low temperatures.”
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Robert Pietsch on overnight TQ at 1/8 EC
Categories - Events, Gas, International, Racing
Robert Pietsch has taken the provisional pole position after one of four heats at the 1/8 nitro on-road European Championship in Locorotondo, located between Bari and Brindisi in the south of Italia. The Mugen factory driver has pushed the new MRX5 to 27 laps in 7.01,675 minutes. The MRX5, which has been responsibly designed by Robert Pietsch himself, will hit the market at the end of July.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Ilia van Gastel dominates Dutch EFRA GP
Categories - Events, Gas, International, Racing
Last weekend saw the EFRA Grand Prix 1/8 IC on road run at the beautiful AMCA track in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. A relatively low attendance of drivers for a GP, but with plenty of famous names of European top drivers attending it was sure to be very close racing for everybody and a highly competitive event. TQ went to Belgium driver Ilia van Gastel ahead of Serpent team mate Michael Salven, with Rick Vrielijnck in 3rd for Mugen and Oliver Mack taking the final direct qualifying position for Shepherd in 4th. The Fastest lap time of the event was done by Belgian race Gunther van Staey, a 14.078 seconds, which he did in qualifying round 3 on Saturday afternoon.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Easy win for Michael Salven in Western Germany
Categories - Events, Gas, National, Racing
Michael Salven took an easy win at round two of the Western German Championship 1/8 held at Dueren close to the Belgian and Dutch border. Following an incident of Serpent fellow Tobias Hepp in the first lap which caused a short pit stop and a 44 seconds lap time, Salven was never under pressure during the 40 minutes final. Even the handsome crowd saw excellent racing with very fast laps by Salven and Hepp, the 16 years old local hero couldn’t close the gap and came in second three laps down. Third place on the podium went to Mugen/Sirio racer Christian Wurst who lost four laps on Hepp but had an advantage of two laps over Frank Schewiola (Serpent/Novarossi). During the four heats only Salven with his Mega powered 966 and Hepp powered by Novarossi did 21 laps with Salven taking TQ just 1.221 seconds ahead of Hepp while the young talent achieved a new lap record with 14,178 seconds (Salven 14,241s).
Monday, May 3, 2010
Salven takes West German 1/10th Rd2 victory
Categories - Events, Gas, National, Racing
More than 20 years after his last visit at the track of the RMC Dueren close to the Belgian and Dutch border Michael Salven achieved victory at round two of the nitro 1/10 Western German Championship. With rain pouring down for most of the day Tobias Hepp made it a 1-2 for Serpent crossing the line just five seconds behind Salven.
