April 14, 2011

Hara moves up to second

Atsushi Hara

Atsushi Hara has moved into second spot in qualifying at the 2011 IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championships after improving his time in this morning’s third round of qualifying at the Homestead RC Raceway in Miami.  The Japanese ace improved by almost 6 seconds as he set the second fastest time in the penultimate round behind provisional Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch who was unable to better his Q1 time.

Atsushi Hara

‘Getting closer everyday’ was the former electric Touring Car & 1:8 Offroad World Champion’s response to the 10:13.653 run which is just .884 of a second off Pietsch’s overall TQ time.  The factory Hot Bodies driver, who is running a Mugen, said yesterday’s rain had changed track conditions to a lighter type of grip which allowed his MRX5 to run more freely and for him the conditions were the best so far.  With a change of order for the fourth and final qualifier when Hara’s run will be the second last of the day he feels by then the track will once again oil up making it hard for him to deny Pietsch his third consecutive onroad nitro World Championship TQ honours.

Robert Pietsch

Topping the round, Pietsch said conditions this morning were good enough to set a new fastest time but he came across too much traffic.  The German said track conditions were for him a little slippy following yesterday’s rain and that the cooler conditions suited both Hara and Shimo who are running one-stop strategies.  Asked if he thinks the last round will prove to be the ‘rocket round’ the European Champion said if the wind stays away he will have to give 100% to hold on to the top spot but if there is a strong wind, which causes the rear of the cars to get loose, the Top 4 should stay as it is.

Third fastest for the round and now third overall, Capricorn driver Balestri said he struggled with the track conditions for the opening few laps ending his challenge for overall TQ honours. Running a different tyre diameter on his LAB C801 he said it was not the right way to go.

Takaaki Shimo

Improving his time and breaking in to the 37 laps for the first time, Kyosho’s Takaaki Shimo said he was disappointed with his time as on track it felt as though he was running a much faster pace.  Having made a few changes to his OS Speed powered Evolva, the 2009 Finalist said he was confused by changes he had made to the car, as while it was better in some areas it also made the car worse in others.  The Japanese driver hopes he can find a better balance for his final run and keep himself inside the elusive Top 4.  One driver who came close to knocking him out of fourth was fellow country man Keisuke Fukuda.  Having been dogged by radio problems yesterday the Mugen driver said the issue was still on his mind during Q3 but now that he managed a trouble free run his confidence is back and he is feeling positive about the final qualifier.

One of the sports most friendly characters Daniele Ielasi was irate after his run.  The factory Shepherd and Picco driver was on target to run an outright TQ time but had problems with traffic including an incident with 200mm World Champion Ralph Burch.  The Italian said it was ‘extremely upsetting’ when you get everything right only for another driver to cost you a Top 4 time and maybe even the TQ honours.  Heading the timing screen in the top group up until the first pitstop he managed to better his Q2 time but drops to sixth overall.

Elsewhere Lamberto Collari improved his time by almost four seconds but the 9-time World Champion is still a long way off the pace as he struggles with the set-up on his Kyosho.  Team Serpent’s Michael Salven was on a good run until his INS Box got knocked off during his second fuel stop.  The German said he had too little brake on his 966 for the pitstop and while pitman Karl-Heinz Meister did a good job of catching the car during the first stop he was unable to pull it off in the second and as a result the filter got knocked off.  Runner-up at the last World Championships in Switzerland, Mike Swauger finally completed a run but the American who is running Xray’s new RX8 said they made too many set-up changes and now they are lost.  Team Shepherd’s Josh Cyrul was on for his best run but having changed to a brand new piston & liner in his OS engine for the round, the still not fully run-in motor eventually cried enough after 19 laps.

Qualification Ranking after 3 of 4 Rounds
1. Pietsch, Robert (D) – 37L/10:12.769 R1
2. Hara, Atsushi (JP) – 37L/10:13.653 R3
3. Balestri, Dario (IT) – 37L/10:14.446 R1
4. Shimo, Takaaki (JP) – 37L/10:15.456 R3
——————-
5. Fukuda, Keisuke (JP) – 37L/10:15.730 R3
6. Ielasi, Daniele (IT) – 37L/10:15.785 R3
7. Terauchi, Takehiro (JP) – 36L/10:01.206 R1
8. Morganti, Paolo (USA) – 36L/10:02.815 R1
9. Romagnoli, Michele (IT) – 36L/10:04.437 R1
10.Verjak, Meen (THA) – 36L/10:04.739 R1
11.Salemi, Walter (IT) – 36L/10:04.889 R2
12.Shimazaki, Shinya (JP) – 36L/10:05.307 R1
13.Salven, Michael (D) – 36L/10:05.691 R2
14.Kurzbuch, Simon (CH) – 36L/10:06.193 R3
15.Vrielijnck, Rick (NL) – 36L/10:06.710 R1
16.Elias, Flavio (BRA) – 36L/10:07.048 R1
17.Cyrul, Josh (USA) – 36L/10:07.384 R2
18.D’Hondt, Robin (BEL) – 36L/10:07.828 R1

View our event image gallery here.


April 14, 2011

Video – Heavy Rain stops completion of Q2

Just prior to the completion of today’s qualifying the heavens opened up over Homestead with three of the 13 groups still left to run their second round of qualifying.  Normally in such a situation the round would be cancelled for all drivers as the entire field did not get to compete under the same track conditions.  Thankfully the organisers have been able to agree that the drivers from the three group who missed out on running Q2 today will be given an extra run in between Q3 and Q4 tomorrow saving the second round of an already shortened qualifying schedule.


April 13, 2011

Pietsch holds provisional TQ in Miami

Robert Pietsch

Robert Pietsch holds provisional TQ honours for the 2011 IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championships at the end of the first day of qualifying.  The German was fastest in both the rounds that made up today’s schedule but it was his Q1 time that puts him top of the ranking ahead of Dario Balestri, Atsushi Hara and Takaaki Shimo.

Top Qualifier at the last World Championships, Pietsch had an incident filled Q2 but said a faster time was never going to be possible as the warmer conditions made for a slower track.  Pushing much harder than in the morning, the Mugen designer was able to improve his outright lap time to claim the fastest lap of the round.  Facing a lot of traffic due to his lower starting order for the round Pietsch had a coming together with Italy’s Andrea Cristiani on lap 9 and then again when he braked too late during his first pitstop.  Missing his box this led to his pitman placing the car back out on top of Cristiani’s Serpent costing both drivers valuable seconds.

Daniele Ielasi

Setting the second fastest time, Daniele Ielasi was one of the few drivers to improve his time in Q2.  The Italian looked to be on target to take the round but in the final three minutes he encountered a clutch problem on his Picco powered Shepherd which dropped him back behind Pietsch and cost him a 37-lap run that would have put him in the elusive Top 4.  Ielasi, who ends the day fifth, said while the track conditions were not as good as the morning his car felt better and is very confident he can now make the Top 4 tomorrow.

Despite spinning his OS Speed powered Mugen as he put a pass on former World Championship Top Qualifier Massimo Fantini, Atsushi Hara was third fastest in Q2.  The spin cost the former 1:8 Offroad World Champion over 2 seconds and he missed out on making 37 laps but the 1:8 Onroad debutant still sits a very impressive 3rd overall.

Separating the Mugen’s of Pietsch and Hara in the overall ranking is Dario Balestri.  Second fastest in Q1 the Capricorn driver gambled on a harder shore tyre for his second outing but it was the wrong decision.

Takaaki Shimo

Having made changes he thought would better suit his Kyosho for the warmer track conditions Takaaki Shimo said they didn’t have the desired effect and his Evolva was very loose.  The Japanese driver was still able to post the fourth fastest time but was unable to better his morning time which puts the 2008 Finalist provisionally in the final direct qualifiers position.

Having driven poorly in the opening qualifier Paolo Morganti said he was better this time but the track was nowhere as fast as Q1.  Setting the fifth fastest time for Q2 he lies 7th overall as the Top Serpent and leading American.

Lamberto Collari

Chasing his 10th World title here at Homestead RC Raceway, 1:8 Onroad legend Lamberto Collari has not had a good start to his campaign.  Failing to finish the first qualifier, he did manage to complete the second with just a single fuel stop but the end result was quite a bit off the pace.

Due to the tyre additive scandal that caused the first day of qualifying to be cancelled, drivers have just 2 more chances tomorrow to post a quick time.  Tomorrow’s running order is Group 4 to 1 followed by 13 to 5 for Q3 and then in the afternoon for the final round Group 4-1 followed by 5 to 13.

Qualification Ranking after 2 of 4 Rounds
1. Pietsch, Robert (D) – Mugen/Novarossi – 37L/10:12.769 R1
2. Balestri, Dario (IT) – Capricorn/Novarossi – 37L/10:14.446 R1
3. Hara, Atsushi (JPN) – Mugen/OS Speed – 37L/10:19.342 R1
4. Shimo, Takaaki (JPN) – Kyosho/OS Speed – 36L/10:00.085 R1
——————-
5. Ielasi, Daniele (IT) – Shepherd/Picco – 36L/10:00.890 R2
6. Terauchi, Takehiro (JPN) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:01.206 R1
7. Morganti, Paolo (USA) – Serpent/Novarossi – 36L/10:02.815 R1
8. Romagnoli, Michele (IT) – Shepherd/Novarossi – 36L/10:04.437 R1
9. Verjak, Meen (THA) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:04.739 R1
10.Salemi, Walter (IT) – Motonica/Max – 36/10:04.889 R2
11.Shimazaki, Shinya (JPN) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:05.307 R1
12.Salven, Michael (D) – Serpent/Xceed – 36L/10:05.691 R2
13.Fukuda, Keisuke (JPN) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:06.490 R1
14.Vrielijnck, Rick (NL) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:06.710 R1
15.Elias, Flavio (BRA) – Mugen/Max – 36L/10:07.048 R1
16.Cyrul, Josh (USA) – Shepherd/OS Speed – 36L/10:07.384 R2
17.D’Hondt, Robin (BEL) – Motonica/G-mar – 36L/10:07.828 R1
18.Pirani, Andrea (IT) – Shepherd/Novarossi – 36L/10:08.615 R2

View our event image gallery here.


April 13, 2011

Pietsch TQs opening Qualifier

Robert Pietsch

2009 World Championship Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch has topped the opening round of qualifying at the 18th IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship.  The reigning European Champion was fastest from 2008 finalist Dario Balestri and class newcomer Atsushi Hara, the three being the only drivers to record 37 laps.

Pietsch was surprised by his own pace of a 10:12.769 as he drove within his limits to ensure he had a solid time should he encounter any problems in the remaining qualifiers.  Describing track conditions as good and happy that the wind which caused him problems yesterday had gone, he said his Mugen worked well as did his pitman who pulled off two very quick pitstops.

Balestri Action

Driving his Novarossi powered Capricorn Balestri said he lost some time during one of his two stops but other than that everything worked really well.  Like most of the leading drivers the Italian said he did not push too hard and now with a strong time to his credit he can push harder in the second of today’s qualifiers. With the skies having filled with clouds since the opening run the potential is there for much faster track times in Q2.

Atsushi Hara

Hara said the opening qualifier ‘worked as planned’.  Having predicted he could run a 37 lap run after setting the pace in yesterday’s extra practice, the Japanese ace achieved it.  Once he made 36 laps, the OS Speed team driver made a fuel stop to ensure he made the finish and hopefully that 37 laps is good enough to ensure him a spot in the Semis, he said he will now try to run just one stop at the 5 minute mark in the second qualifier and run straight through to the finish.

Takaaki Shimo

Having not featured in practice, Kyosho team driver Takaaki Shimo got everything right when it counted as he set the fourth fastest time.  A-finalist in Switzerland, the Japanese driver, who like Hara runs OS engines, made the run with just one fuel stop but said it was very close and this forced him to run a cautious second half of the run. Japanese drivers enjoyed a strong opening qualifier with 19-year-old Takehiro Terauchi setting the fifth fastest time with his Mugen.

Daniele Ielasi

Former 1:10 Onroad World Champion Daniele Ielasi took his Shepherd Velox V8 to the sixth fastest time.  Describing the run as good, the popular Italian said his factory Picco engine was a little too rich but he was happy to have a safe run in the bag.

Top Serpent for the round was Paolo Morganti who he said his 966 was really good but the driver was not and for Q2 the only thing he needed to change was himself.  The best placed American he also set the fastest lap for the round being the only driver to post a 15 second lap.

Lamberto Collari

For defending champion Lamberto Collari his plan to run just one stop did not pay off as his Novarossi powered Kyosho stopped after four and half minutes.  Runner-up at the last World Championships Mike Swauger continued to struggle with the clutch settings on the new Xray RX8 and he only completed 8 laps.

View our event image gallery here.


April 13, 2011

Hara tops ‘extra’ practice

Atsushi Hara

1:8 Onroad debutant Atsushi Hara has topped the extra practice session that replaced the opening two rounds of qualifying following this morning’s tyre additive scandal. The Japanese ace, whose confidence is growing with every outing, was fastest from Italian’s Dario Balestri and Michele Romangnoli.

Third fastest overall in yesterday’s controlled practice, Hara said track conditions were not as good as yesterday but he was happy with his pace in comparison to the lap times set by his rivals.  Running a different OS engine in his Mugen, the former 1:8 Offroad World Champion said with the engine set a little leaner a 37 lap would have been possible and he is looking forward to qualifying which is now set to get underway tomorrow.

Robert Pietsch

Fastest in controlled practice, Robert Pietsch said he suffered ‘brain interference’ resulting in an off that took the front left corner off his Mugen.  The European Champion and designer of the MRX-5 also found that the track was not as good as yesterday and said today’s windy conditions made driving more difficult as it caught the rear of bodyshell causing the car to get loose.

Paolo Morganti

The only other driver to do a 37 lap run yesterday, Team Serpent factory driver Paolo Morganti tried a different Novarossi engine in his 966 but it wasn’t as good and he struggled for pace compounded by the rear sway bar coming off his car.  The American will now revert back to the same package he ran in CP2 for the morning’s opening qualifier.

Takehiro Terauchi

Backing up his surprise CP1 topping pace 25-year-old Brazilian Flavio Elias posted another strong run with the fourth fastest time ahead of former 200mm World Champion Keisuke Fukuda and Serpent 966 designer Michael Salven.  19-year-old Takehiro Terauchi set the fastest lap of the ‘extra’ practice taking his Mugen around in a 16.058 on his way to the 8th fastest time behind fellow ZAC Project supported driver Sinya Shimazaki.

After a day that made headlines for all the wrong reasons hopefully tomorrow we can get on with the process of crowning the 18th 1:8 Onroad World Champion and get qualifying underway.  Our coverage, which has been made possible thanks to Shepherd, Matrix, Blitz and Serpent, continues in the morning when we will have a full round up of the opening qualifier.   Groups 7-13 run their two heats in the morning with the Groups 6-1 running in the afternoon.

‘Extra’ Practice Top 10
1. Atsushi Hara (JPN) – Mugen/OS Speed – 36L/10:02.245
2. Dario Balestri (ITA) – Capricorn/Novarossi – 36L/10:02.812
3. Michele Romagnoli – Shepherd/Novarossi – 36/10:05.688
4. Flavio Elias (BRA) – Mugen/Max – 36L/10:07.527
5. Keisuke Fukuda (JPN) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:08.448
6. Michael Salven (DE) – Serpent/Xceed – 36L/10:08.567
7. Sinya Shimazaki (JPN) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:08.813
8. Takehiro Terauchi (JPN) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:10.105
9. Nicola Marrone (ITA) – Serpent/Max – 36L/10:11.817
10.Meen Verjak (THA) – Mugen/Novarossi – 36L/10:16.924

View our event image gallery here.


April 13, 2011

Video – New in the pits

We sat down with Serpent Chief designer and team driver Michael Salven to have him run through the new features and benefits of the update package given to Serpent 966 racers here in Miami, Florida.