Orlowski holds off Ronnefalk to win first 4WD encounter
Fresh from wrapping up the 2WD win with ease at the DHI Cup, Michal Orlowski has won the first 4WD A-Main encounter but this time round the Schumacher driver had to work hard to stay out front. Having claimed the overall TQ yesterday, Orlowski came under intense pressure from the No.2 starting Ronnefalk in a battle that went on for the entire race. Keeping his calm however, he would manage to hold off fellow World Championship finalist Ronnefalk by 9/10ths of a second. Behind, Joern Neumann managed to see off the challenge of Marc Rheinard, the Serpent driver looking to lack the kind of performance he will need to retain a 6 consecutive DHI Cup title.
‘The track conditions are getting worse and worse’ was Orlowski’s reaction after the final. The teenager continued, ‘we expected it to be worse and made a change but it was not enough for how much the track has changed and my car was very loose’. Struggling with the conditions he said, ‘I just tried to keep calm ahead of David and that worked and now we will make some changes to have a better car for the next one’.
Ronnefalk described the encounter as ‘a great race’ but added ‘it is hard to pass online on a carpet track’. Setting the fastest lap of the race, the HB Racing ace said, ‘I knew from the last qualifier Michal and me would be super close on pace and while I had a little more speed I couldn’t make the pass’. The Swede, for whom the track felt the same as qualifying, said ‘I tried to put pressure on Michal for a mistake but he kept his cool and I couldn’t get by. I’ll try again in A2’.
Neumann said, ‘at the beginning I tried to stay with David and Michal but they were a bit faster’. The reigning European Champion added, ‘after that I just settled for third’. He continued, ‘I need to find a little more steering’ and to achieve that he will cut a row of pins from his rear tyres for A2. Asked about track conditions compared to qualifying, he replied, ‘it feels more loose and you can feel the carpet have less traction’. Behind him Rheinard would cross the finish line on his roof, the Yokomo driver trying to get passed his fellow countryman out of the final corner, but the 4 time onroad World Champion felt his car is ‘still not fast enough’.
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