Coelho takes overall 4WD TQ honours at DHI Cup
Bruno Coelho has claimed the overall TQ honours in 4WD Buggy at the DHI Cup. The World Champion’s first time to attend the famous Danish event, the Xray driver became the Top Qualifier despite pulling a corner off his XB4 into Q4 but it was the opening lap that would decide the outcome. Going into the fourth & final round, it was a two way battle between Coelho and David Ronnefalk for pole position, Coelho having the advantage of two TQ runs to his credit. On their first lap however both drivers would make simultaneous mistake one corner apart, Ronnefalk coming off the worst. Recovering, having lost on 9/10ths rather than the 4 second lost by the Swede, Coelho would take up the TQ pace after 3-laps looking on target to claim the TQ in style. However with less than a minute to go he would jump the back section wrong sending his car crashing into the side of a jump in the opposite direction and into instant retirement. It was to make no difference however as further mistakes by Ronnefalk meant the HB driver would end up P7 with Michal Orlowski the big benefactor getting the TQ time for the round. The result means the Schumacher driver starts 2nd in between Coelho and Ronnefalk.
‘Big mistake, too much throtte’, that was Coelho’s reaction to the incident. He continued that with the extra throttle input ‘the rear got loose and it jumped sideways’ sending it crashing into the side of the opposite lane jump. Despite his error, Coelho was happy to be starting at the front of tomorrow’s grid saying ‘the car is amazing’ so apart from replacing the damaged corner the plan is to ‘drive easy and make no mistakes’.
‘I’d prefer to be starting third rather than second’ was Orlowski’s reaction to the outcome being gifted the final TQ brought. The European Champion said while his improved car has ‘pace for a podium for sure’ he added ‘Bruno and David are faster than me’. Running new tyres in the final qualifier he said in the beginning he was ‘pretty slow’ but as the car felt better he was able to run 2nd behind Coelho, a position he was happy with as he would secure him P3 on the grid ‘but then Bruno crashed’.
With the fastest lap of Q4, Ronnefalk said, ‘its not good to crash at the beginning’. With the race marking his first full season with HB, he said ‘it a pity I lost out to Orlowski on the grid but my car feels really good so its game on for the finals’. Running new tyres in the final qualifier, last year’s third place finisher is confident between this set and another he ran in earlier that everything should be fine in that department and that it is going to comedown to him delivering through his driving.
Having enjoy a four year reign in 4WD, Neumann will make his title defence from fourth on the grid. The Serpent driver said ‘I got a 2, 2 ,3 & 4 and I end up with fourth on the grid’. Describing his Orion powered SX4 as ‘easy to drive but lacking steering’ he added with it having been OK in Q1 & 2 (he is) not sure why its not as good now’. Set to cut less pins off his front tyres for the opening final to get more steering, the German said ‘I will go for the win of course but a podium would be good’. Describing the front of the field in terms of pace as ‘pretty close’ he said while ‘Bruno is faster he crashes’ so nothing is a foregone conclusion. Starting behind Neumann and completing the top half of the grid will be Martin Bayer, last year’s runner-up. In the final qualifier the Czech ace showed strong running on the TQ pace before a mistake with 2-minutes to go.
One stand out performance of the event is that of Malin Karlsen, the ever impressive 10-year-old booking her place in the A-Main. The talented Norwegian would conclude a great qualifying run with a P5 in Q4 to secure her ORCA powered Xray 8th on the grid behind Yokomos of 2WD Top Qualifier Tom Cockerill and Danish teenager Frederik Hovgaard.
View the complete 4wd Buggy results here.
View the event image gallery here.
