Volker dominates in Czech to retake MIBO title
Ronald Volker has dominated the third edition of MIBO International, the Mugen Seiki driver sending his rivals a clear signal that the former World Champion and his new MTC3 are going to be a serious force to be reckoned with in 2025. With Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski calling the German’s performance in Czech ‘a wake up for us’, after topping all five rounds of qualifying it looked like the finals were just going to be a Sunday formality to Volker picking up his second MIBO International winners trophy. Even contact with a lapped car couldn’t help his rivals get anywhere near challenging him for the lead let alone the win. A2 however would be the first time we wouldn’t see the MTC3 top the result sheets, a pile up on another section of the track sending Adam Iszay’s Xray into Volker’s path and with a body tuck he feel down the order before pulling off. Orlowski took the leg win as a result of the chaos ahead of Patrick Gollner, the new Mugen signing further highlighting the potential of the Robert Pietsch designed car. With outside trouble managing to avoid him in A3, Volker sealed the deal with half a lap advantage over Orlowski – widely recognised as the current benchmark in touring car especially on carpet. Giving Mugen double reason to celebrate, Gollner secured the final step on the podium ahead of Yokomo’s Christopher Krapp and Xray’s Adam Iszay, the latter, like Volker, retaking the Pro Stock title he won at the inaugural MIBO International in 2023.
Congratulating Volker on his dominant performance and highlighting the only foot put wrong was not his fault, he replied, ‘Thank you very much. A2 was very unfortunate, I got taken out by someone else’s accident, otherwise it was a perfect weekend.’ He added, ‘we got the car even better each day and I couldn’t imagine to have such a gap so we are super happy with the new car. I couldn’t ask for more so we are heading in the right direct.’ At the top level of the sport a long time he knows however that the result will motivate his rivals saying, ‘for Orlowski for sure it also motivating, he will come back strong. I think the last time I beat him was 2022’. He continued, ‘the way my car felt and my whole package I am confident for the upcoming races and also for Thailand even though everything is different over there.’ Asked when he expects the new car to be released, he replied ‘within a few months I think is the most accurate answer, it could be a month earlier or later’, Volker clearly not wanting to over promise on people getting a hold of the car for themselves. He concluded by referring to the car as ‘a masterpiece by Robert Pietsch.’
Coming into the weekend as the defending Modified Touring Car Champion, asked to sum up his performance against Volker, Orlowski said, ‘Ronald was really strong this weekend and we have work to do.’ The Pole continued, ‘we had a really good car last year and we keep trying to find new things for the set-up but I can’t seem to be able to improve further on from there so we need to look somewhere else. I was second in the end but the gap was huge, we’ll work towards the next race and see but it was a wake up for us.’ With that next race being the TITC, this year being the first time he will travel to Thailand for the iconic Bangkok race, he replied, ‘not the best feeling right now going into TITC but it is a different story so we will try to enjoy the almost 2-weeks in Thailand for the first time for me and hope to enjoy the race and see what we can do there.’
Summing up his podium finish, Gollner said, ‘for me it is a perfect start to the new season with the new team. I am pretty proud and thankfully to Ronald for his help.’ The Austrian continued, ‘I think we made the right steps and found some new things on the new car. The basic is amazing but I think we are only at 90% of the car’s potential and we can figure out more. I am proud to be in this team here.’
In Pro Stock Adam Izsay claimed Xray’s third straight MIBO title in the race’s biggest category but he did have it all his own way. Securing the overall TQ, he won A1 ahead of David Ehrbar and Martin Hudy, the Xray designer looking to be really enjoying being in the mix against his team drivers. A2 would see Hudy take the win as an altercation ended Izsay’s race early. Double up with Modified Touring Car duties, in A3 lead home Hudy to take back the title he previous won at the inaugural MIBO International 2-year ago. A very pleased Hudy joined him on the podium with Ehrbar making it an all Xray affair. In FWD, German’s Phil Langner becomes the new champion holding outgoing champion Stefan Schulz at bay in both qualifying and the finals. Gergö Valent completed the podium.
View full onroad results here.
