Groskamp tops free practice in Bangkok
At the end of the second day of the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, it was Capricorn’s Jilles Groskamp who in the final round of Free Practice jumped to the top of the time sheets ahead of arch rival Atsushi Hara who was unable to better his best three consecutive laps set earlier in the day in FP2. With FP3 interrupted by heavy rain causing a long delay to proceedings, the penultimate qualifier resumed on a dry track however the traction built up over the previous runs was washed away with Team Xray’s Surikarn C the only leading driver to be able to improve on his previous best.
Run under flood lights and in much cooler conditions than earlier in the day Groskamp posted a best time of 45.206 in FP4 bettering Hara’s fastest time of 45.314. Having used the first three practice runs to test set-up and tyre size with a view to the finals, for the closing run of the day the now Thai based Dutch driver reverted to his qualifying set-up for last free practice round jumping ahead of Hara on the final lap as he threw his car down the pitlane entry. With the loop positioned in the hairpin in front of the drivers stand, driving in the pit allows for more corners speed and a better third lap.
Commenting on the feeling of his Maxima powered LAB-CO2 Groskamp said the grip didn’t feel as high most likely as a result of the rain but he was still almost the same pace as he was yesterday when he took the opening day’s action. Having been 15 driver groups for free practice the electric touring car World Champion said he struggled a little with his position on the drivers stand in the final practice being too far to the right but added that tomorrow with only 10 drivers per heat there will be more room and he will be able to resume his normal spot. A moral strike topping the free practice, Groskamp said he plans to use tomorrow’s three controlled practices to gather as much information as possible in terms of a set-up for the finals. He will also use each run to try each of his three race engines ahead of qualifying.
Although unable to improve on his earlier time, Hara tested different springs in his final run. Finding his HB R10 very easy to drive he thought it felt too slow but the timing showed that car had improved pace only he didn’t manage to pull together the 3-laps. Trying Ride Yellow springs and HPI Silver springs on the front he said the Ride springs where perfect for the ‘Happy Hour’ cool conditions while the HPI versions which made the car more aggressive where the better option for the other times when track conditions are warmer.
Just less than 2/10th of a seconds off Groskamp’s pace, double former European Champion Dario Balestri ended the day setting the 3rd fastest time with his Novarossi powered KM Racing K-H1 unable to improve on his second run of the day. Having switched to a softer rear diff the Italian said his car was ‘very good’ but unfortunately he didn’t get to record a time as his personal transponder failed to register with the timing system. Team-mate Meen V ended the day 6th fastest and like Balestri could not better the time he set in FP2. Thailand’s top international racer he said he needs to find more steering something he hopes to achieve by playing with the anti roll bars.
Unable to better his FP1 time, Teemu Leino dropped from being third in the morning to fourth fastest. The Finn who is a former European Nitro Championship Top Qualifier, said his HB R10 was working well until it traction rolled and hit the ‘Wall of death’ at the end of the main straight. The heavy impact resulted in a bent chassis plate with he will replace for tomorrow.
17-year-old local racer Chavit Sirigupta was the second biggest improver in FP4 behind Groskamp. The local took his Maxima powered Mugen to the 7th fastest time ahead of factory Capricorn driver Francesco Tironi after switching to a harder front and rear diff set-up on his MTX5.
Elsewhere Robert Pietsch improved slightly to the 14th fastest time with a 45.668 but said he used too much additive on his front tyres. Playing around with moving the position of weights on the car he was responsible for designing he said after moving the middle chassis weight forward during the run it started to work well by the end of the run. Having played around with weights in his earlier runs today the German said it was ‘crazy how moving them around effects the car’ at this track.
View our event image gallery here.