March 5, 2023

Coelho takes 2WD at MIBO International

Bruno Coelho has taken the 2WD Buggy title at the inaugural MIBO International Race, the Xray star making his return to racing on carpet after more than 3-years and took the overall win ahead of up & coming talent Bartek Zalewski and Jessica Palsson.  Starting from second on the grid behind Top Qualifier Zalewski, Coelho would wrap things up early by taking the opening two A-Mains.  After a rough A1 and diff issues in A2, with a fresh diff in his Xray Zalewski would win A3 to secure the runners-up spot while a very consistent performance netted Schumacher driver Palsson a trio of second place that saw her complete the podium line-up.

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March 5, 2023

Volker takes TQ from Brunet at MIBO International

Ronald Volker is the Top Qualifier for the inaugural MIBO International Race.  The Mugen driver claimed pole position in the Czech Republic when he posted the fastest TQ run of the weekend in the fifth & final qualifier this morning (Sunday).  His second TQ run equalling the tally of Xray’s Antoine Brunet, it was the only 25-lap run of the weekend that gave the German the tie break over his French rival here in Hrotovice.  Summing up the deciding run, Volker said, ‘there was some pressure going on as I needed to TQ that one.  In the beginning Eric (Dankel) was all over, he had great pace.  I managed to keep it a clean run and as I hoped the track was slightly quicker than yesterday’.  Looking to the triple finals, the former World Champion said, ‘this is a very very tough track because of the boards so it is important to have as easy a car as I can.  As always on carpet it is not too easy to pass so once I have a car I can hold my line I should be good. Obviously I am hoping to not find myself in the position of having to defend’.

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March 5, 2023

Zalewski 2WD Top Qualifier at MIBO International

Bartek Zalewski is the 2WD Top Qualifier at the MIBO International in the Czech Republic, the young up & coming Polish talent taking the TQ from 4WD Top Qualifier Bruno Coelho.  Coming down to the fifth & final round of qualifying, with two TQ runs on Saturday giving Zalewski the overnight lead, Coelho would top Q5 from Zalewski but that P2 would improve the 16-year-olds points tally and secure him the overall TQ by 2-points.  Coelho’s second TQ run in 2WD, he will start second with Q3 winner Zsolt Bajusz lining up third and Jessica Palsson fourth.  Reacting to his TQ Zalewski said, ‘I’m happy. My goal for the finals is to be consistent and be as fast as I can and see what that brings’.

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March 4, 2023

Havranek hits the top in Q4

Having been close in Q2 & 3, Oliver Havranek finally hit the top in Q4 at the MIBO International Race.  Only a tenth of a second off Xray team-mate Antoine Brunet in Q3,  the Slovak driver would top penultimate qualifier just ahead of the Mugen’s of Ronald Volker and Eric Dankel as he laid down the fastest 5-minute run of the day.  The third different driver to post a TQ run, he now goes into Sunday’s morning fifth & final round up against Brunet and Volker with a chance of becoming Top Qualifier.

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March 4, 2023

Coelho secures 4WD TQ, Zalewski holds 2WD TQ with one to go

With four of the five rounds of Offroad qualifying complete at MIBO International, Bruno Coelho has secured the 4WD while young Polish talent Bartosz Zalewski holds the provisional TQ in 2WD.  Capping off Day 2’s action at the Michal Bok organised race with his third 4WD run of the day, Coelho put the TQ beyond his rivals’ reach.  The only other driver to top the times today when he took Q2, Zalewski also has two P2 runs to his credit to split his two senior Xray team-mates.  With a pair of second fastest times leaving Martin Bayer third and mathematically in with a chance of bumping himself one spot up the grid in tomorrow morning’s fifth & final qualifying.  Overnight Max Gotzl is holding fourth in 4WD ahead of Sweden’s Jessica Palsson and veteran racer Hupo Honigl.

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March 4, 2023

On form Brunet takes Q2 & 3 at MIBO International

France’s Antoine Brunet is the man on form at the MIBO International Race this afternoon, the Xray driver posting TQ runs in the second and third rounds of qualifying at the Czech event.  Having opening the day with P2 behind Ronald Volker, Brunet went one better in Q2 as Volker struggled with a set-up change before crashing out.  Oliver Havranek would make it an Xray 1-2 with ahead of the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp and Eric Dankel who had given Mugen a 1-2 in Q1.  Finding his form even better was to come from Brunet in Q3 as he set a new fastest time bettering that of Volker by over a second.  Again it was Havranek who was second fastest as he got to within 1/10th of  a second of his team-mate.  Back after his Q2 crash but struggling with his new body shell, Volker would complete the Top 3 ahead the IRIS One of Dionys Stadler.

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March 4, 2023

Coelho doubles Q1, Zalewski doubles Q2

There were double TQ runs in each of the opening two rounds of Offroad Qualifying at the MIBO International, Q1 being ruled by Bruno Coelho, and Bartosz Zalewski making his mark in Q2.  Opening the action with 2WD, top seed Coelho took a very convincing TQ run from Xray team-mates Martin Bayer and Max Gotzl before topping the 4WD times from Zalewski for the perfect start to qualifying.  Retiring from Q1 in 2WD, Zalewski made amends second time round capitalising on many mistakes from Coelho to secure the TQ.  With his confidence running high, the Polish driver then added a 4WD TQ run again taking advantage of mistakes by Coelho who finished well down the order, as Bayer claimed P2 ahead of Gotzl.

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March 4, 2023

Volker takes Q1 from Dankel at MIBO International

Ronald Volker has taken the opening round of qualifying at the MIBO International Race, the German topping the times from fellow Mugen driver Eric Dankel.  Behind, No.2 seed Antoine Brunet would set the third fastest time from Xray team-mate Oliver Havranek, the latter having been at the top the timing screen for the early part of the heat.  Third fastest in seeding Christopher Krapp suffered with his driving in Q1, report his Yokomo as working fine he made three mistakes that left him only 15th fastest.  Summarising his run, Volker said, ‘it started off slow, I’m not sure why, but then I had a nice clean run’.  Topping the first of the five qualification rounds by 1.1 seconds from Dankel, the former World Champion plans to try a different tyre prep for his second attempt in the hope of getting his car to to speed quicker than in Q1.  He said, ‘Unlike other races the additive and cleaner here is open so I will slightly change my tyre prep plus I will also switch to a harder diff.’

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