No change as Bayer & Ronnefalk top practice
The final round of offroad practice at the DHI Cup saw no change at the top of the respective classes as Martin Bayer took top seeding for 4WD qualifying and David Ronnefalk secured the number 1 spot in 2WD. While 4WD saw only 2 improvements from the Top 6 drivers 2WD saw the Top 7 drivers improve their pace over 3-consecutive laps with new Schumacher signing Michal Orlowski improving from 6th to second as he found almost 2-seconds in time.
Bayer said he tested a change to his Xray XB4 in the final practice but with the traction improving from the first practice it didn’t work so well. Almost one second off his earlier pace the former European Champion said he will go back with the set-up change for the opening qualifier which, unlike the other classes that end Day 1 with Q1, will start qualifying in Odense in the morning. In 2WD Bayer improved to third saying he managed to get a little more speed out of his XB4-2WD but added he still needs more.
Improving to second fastest in 4WD, the class being his main focus for this his HB debut weekend, Ronnefalk said lengthening the camber links on his D413 was a step forward. While it made the buggy feel more lazy it was a lot easier to drive having had ‘way too much side bite’ in the earlier practices. Describing the changes as putting him in the right direction for the opening qualifier, the reigning back to back 1:8 Offroad European Champion said he may try some more shock changes for the morning. Topping 2WD with a Team C chassis, he said having tested the car for a month at home he knew it would be good and he doesn’t expect he will be making any changes again emphasising his focus is 4WD and getting to grips with that.
Winner of all previous DHI Cup’s in 4WD, Joern Neumann ended practice third fastest. The German said his 4WD car, the prototype Durango he used to TQ the 2013 World Championships, is good and with the top 3 ‘all (having) the same speed’ the German feels he is good for qualifying. In 2WD he said power out of the corner is still a problem and he hopes heavier diff oil for Q1 will improve things.
Only running in 2WD as he is also running in Touring Car, Polish ace Michal Orlowki was very happy with his final practice. The 13-year-old said he hasn’t made any changes to his new Schumacher and the improvements are coming from better driving. For Q1 he said he hoped he would ‘not have so much mistakes’ as the car is really good.
View the event image gallery here.
