Pietsch breaks 30 laps in Q5
He was on target for it in Q3 yesterday but misheard the timing computer and pitted before completing the full 10-minutes, but this morning in the penultimate qualifier Robert Pietsch became the first driver to set down a 30 lap run. The German ace was clearly delighted with the impressive run saying his Mugen was perfect for the conditions. Paying compliments to his pitman for two perfect fuel stops, the factory driver feels it will be very difficult to better the time in the last qualifier with the forecast predicted today as the hottest of the championships.
Setting the fastest 29 lap run was defending Champion Lamberto Collari. The eight time World Champion said the run was good but felt conditions were better yesterday in Q3 but unfortunately on that occasion he had an off caused by a faulty battery lead in his Kyosho. The time moves the Italian back ahead of fellow countryman Alberto Picco who failed to better his Q3 time.
He said yesterday that his Serpent 966 was capable of running in the Top 4 and that is exactly what factory driver Mark Green achieved this morning. The British driver has been happy with his Serpent/Novarossi combination throughout qualifying but said his driving was letting him down. Finally completing a run free of driver error he managed the fourth fastest time to put himself in the direct qualification position for the Main Final.
Just outside that highly desirable position is Serpent team leader Michael Salven. Improving from 12th overnight to 5th the German had problems with his engine running very rich for a few laps after each pitstop causing his 966 to shift late and making it difficult to drive. Once the Mega engine cleared out Salven said it was very good. Incidentally using a radar gun the fastest top speed we seen this morning was 111 Kph for European Champion Jernej Vuga but more impressive was the speed recorded by Japanese driver Tadahiko Sahashi’s, his Serpent exiting the pitlane at 94 kph.
Completing the Top 6 and now heading the American challenge is Winternats Champion Paolo Morganti. The factory Serpent driver said his new found speed is down to him becoming more consistent as he gets more accustomed to the banked corners of the Lostallo track. Used to racing on completely flat US tracks he said it takes a bit of time to adjust to the banked corners which pull the car into the apex.
Having not really featured so far here in Lostallo, old tyres transformed the Mugen of factory driver Rick Vrielijnck. Asked if he had found something that caused the huge jump in pace the Dutch Champion replied ‘Oh Yeh’. Having run a new batch of tyres all week and suffered with excessive tyre wear this morning he ran a year old set which allowed him to complete the full 10-minutes without struggling for traction over the second part of the run. Vrielijnck believes the new batch of tyres are too fresh and thats the reason for the high wear rate.
Holding fourth overnight Robin D’Hondt drops to eight. The Belgian, who was tipped as a real danger man this morning, suffered a leaking front bearing on his Novarossi engine which resulted in a lack of brakes on his Motonica P81. For Motonica team-mate Dario Balestri, who had all his qualifying times disallowed yesterday for running an unmarked engine in Q4, the penultimate heat saw him record the 13th fastest time and this should be good enough to see the 2007 Finalist qualify for the Semis.
Elsewhere Josh Cyrul didn’t live up to expectations this morning. The Team Shepherd driver was expected to challenge for a Top 4 time but as he put it himself, ‘Drove like shit’. The American said his car and engine were perfect but the run was the ‘Worst I’ve driven in a very long time’. 2007 World’s Top Qualifier Massimo Fantini was on for a potential Top 4 run until he got hit by Marco Müller in the pits taking a wheel off his Serpent 966. Muller got a stop go for the incident but that was little consolation for Fantini who lies 31st. Former World Champion Adrien Bertin continues to struggle with a very painful right arm. The French ace is finding the 10-minutes very hard going with the movement in his steering arm very difficult. The man behind Team Orion’s engine development, Bertin said the motor he used in Q5 was better and its just a case of soldiering on. Currently he lies 24th on the times sheets.
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