Q2 Update

Ronald Volker backed up his opening qualifying performance with another TQ run in Q2, the Yokomo driver’s gamble to use his second set of allocated tyres paying dividends as he secured another maximum points ahead of a surprise second fastest 5-minute run from Finnish driver Viljami Kutvonen who too had the benefit of running new tyres.  Best of the drivers on used tyres was Tamiya’s Jilles Groskamp who finished almost 6 seconds off Volker’s pace to take third for the round.

Volker said after his run that the plan was always to run new tyres in Q2 if they took the opening round so as to benefit from his No.1 starting order.  Had they saved the tyres for a later run he said they ran the risk of having to pass cars that may get to start ahead of him risking him not getting the best advantage of fresh rubber.

Only his second World Championships, Finnish National Champion Kutvonen was very happy with his heat saying after some small changes his LRP powered Awesomatix was easy to drive. Running in Group 11 of 14, the 20-year-old must now run the remaining four heats on used tyres but having been comfortable with the A700 in practice yesterday on old tyres he will leave the set-up the same for Q3.

Having only completed 5-laps in Q1, Yannic Prumper made the most of his partly used tyres to set the fourth fastest time but the ETS race winner had the pace for second.  Starting last due to his retirement from this morning’s run the computer announced the run was finished and so the German slowed but due to his late start he was in fact still on his last lap.  As a result he lost 4 seconds as he completed a 21.788 second final lap.

Juho Levanen, who is running one heat earlier, also had a problem with the automated computer announcement.  Having sat out his first run, the factory Associated driver posted a 24 second final lap but still managed to take fifth for the round.  The former European Champion said his TC6 is working OK but with the team having done a lot less pre-event testing the result was just a case of good tactics rather than outright pace.

Another to sit out Q1 was former multiple British National Champion Chris Grainger, his new tyres allowing him to take his Schumacher around in the 7th fastest time just behind Viktor Wilck, who was on old tyres, and ahead of Kyosho’s Christopher Krapp.  Defending Champion Marc Rheinard managed only the 9th fastest time just in front of Naoto Matsukura.

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