Volker tops seeding at MIBO International
Defending MIBO International Champion Ronald Volker has topped Touring Car seeding in the Czech Republic this morning, the Mugen Seiki driver fastest ahead of Xray’s Adam Izsay who had set the pace in yesterday’s five rounds of free practice. Making his MIBO debut, it was Volker’s young team-mate Sören Sparbier who completed the Top 3. In the first of the two seeding runs on the new for 2026 Racestar’s built track, it was a very Mugen affair at the top of the timing sheets with Volker fastest from Sparbier and last year podium finisher Patrick Gollner with Izsay only managing P4. With the track’s new carpet continuing to grip up, Volker would knock another 2/10ths off his time in SP2 with an improved Izsay the only on to manage to join him on 29-seconds for his 3-consecutive fastest laps. Gollner will carry the No.4 for seeding ahead inaugural 2023 MIBO podium finisher Oliver Havranek with the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp, who stripped a spur gear in SP2, completing the Top 6. In 17.5 Stock, Izsay continued to set the pace in Hrotovice, topping seeding from the Mugen Seiki of German Phil Langer and Austrian Tobias Sutrich.
Summed up his morning of seeding runs, Volker said, ‘I made some changes with the flex and it not only improved for the 3-laps but also for the 5-minutes.’ Asked if he added or took away flex he replied, ‘Let’s say my flex was too stiff for the first seeding and even with the grip getting slighter higher I made a bit more flex. The tyres are also getting more grippy as they get older. Normally less flex is good for high grip but I just didn’t have enough flex at all. So I improved this for the second run and the consistency was a lot better.’ Looking to Q1, drivers getting 5 rounds which Volker managed a clean sweep of last year to TQ ahead of Michal Orlowski, he said, ‘I will for sure continue to make small changes to learn. Adam had a pretty good run (in SP2) and Sören and Patrick have really good pace too so its good to have them close to the top. Also it was good to see Phil Langer P2 in Stock after seeding which was a major improvement after some changes to his car. So as a team we are looking strong for qualifying to start.’
On his seeding efforts, Izsay said, ‘Stock was good, the car was working wel,l but in Modified I had some struggles in the first one but then I changed back to my P5 set-up from yesterday evening and it was good the second run.’ The Hungarian, who now lives in Slovakia due to his full time R&D role with Xray, added, ‘I think the pace is OK, Ronald is a bit ahead. Maybe the 3-lap pace is similar but he is more consistent so I’ll try change a few small things for Q1 and hopefully close the gap to him and race it out with the other guys who are fast as well.’
Opting to run an aluminium chassis on his MTC3 while both Volker and Gollner are running a steel version, Sparbier summed up his seeding as ‘OK’ pointing out that ‘Adam was a bit faster in the last one but I think on 5-minutes I am better’. Adding a little more glue to his tyres for SP2, on his decision to run an alu chassis, the 19-year-old said, ‘I think the steel is too easy to drive as I like the car to be a little bit aggressive which suits my driving style better.’ His first attendance at MIBO International, asked how he is finding the track layout, the German said, ‘I think it is really good. It’s not big but I like it.’
