Zalweski & Volker on top after opening 2 qualifiers at MIBO
The opening two rounds of qualifying at the fourth edition of MIBO International in the Czech Republic saw repeat TQ runs from Xray’s Bartek Zalewski on the event’s offroad track while over on the onroad track Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker continued his reign over touring car. With both drivers topping the morning seeding practice, Zalewski opened qualifying with a TQ run in 2WD which he duly repeated on the switch over to 4WD. Repeating the feat again in the second of the five planned qualifiers, the Polish racer leads the 2WD ranking from the Sworkz of Micha Vidmaier, the Australia opening with a P5 but improving to go second fastest in Q2. With No.2 seed Michal Orlowski struggling with his driving in 2WD, sitting only P8 after 2 rounds, it is Sweden’s Elias Johansson who leads the Schumacher challenge in third, team-mate Daniel Kobbevik suffering a DNF less than a minute into Q2. In 4WD, Kobbevik looked for a time like he might be the first to knock Zalewski off the top of the timing sheets this weekend but a mistake in Q2 cost him around 1-second and Zalewski moved a step closer to wrapping up an early overall TQ by 3/10ths of a second. With a pair of P3 runs Orlowski sits third ahead of Johansson. For the defending Touring Car Champion Volker, Xray’s Adam Iszay is keeping the former World Champion honest and got very close in Q2. Setting the third fastest time in both rounds Sören Sparbier holds third ahead of Mugen team-mate Patrick Gollner. In Stock, like the other Top Seeds, Izsay converted his No.1 starting position in to two TQ runs.
A very pleased looking Zalewski summed up his perfect start to qualifying by saying, ‘It is all going really good, my cars feel really strong and everything is running perfect’. On his own performance the defending 2WD Champion said, ‘I had some small driver mistakes but nothing big where the car touched something but combined it was a few second lost but everyone is making small mistakes.’ Asked how the track is evolving he felt, ‘the grip is changing and is getting lower and lower so we need to watch that but for the next one I will just refresh the car and leave the set-up as it is and to be on point with my driving will be important.’
On his 2WD performance Vidmaier said, ‘so far I am happy with how it’s going’. A driver who has attended the last three editions of MIBO International, on this year’s track layout he said, ‘In general it is fun to drive. It’s super flowing so you need a good rhythm to time the jumps well and alway be on the line because if you are a bit off you lose a lot of time or you make super easy mistakes.’ On his 4WD performance he said, ‘the first qualifier was not that bad but it’s a little more difficult to drive than 2WD for me but it’s OK.’ Looking to the second half the day’s qualifying, the fifth & final round taking place on Sunday morning, the 24-year-old said, ‘I think 2WD I will keep the car like it is but 4WD I am thinking what I can change to make it more easy to drive.’ Asked if he was running anything new on his cars, most teams testing new parts here in Hrotovice and requesting no detailed photos be taken, he revealed that they are trying a number of new parts on the 4WD to evaluate if they are better for carpet. His 2WD he said is ‘more or less the kit car but I am trying a little different gearbox with the motor more forward but this is just a small detail. For example Dominik (Vlasek) is running his completely standard’. Vlasek opened his 2WD qualifying with an impressive P2 ahead of Kobbevik.
On his 4WD qualifying, opening with the second fastest time in both rounds, Kobbevik said, ‘A pair of twos was ok. The first one was just consistent, Michal and Bartek were quicker and fighting for the TQ so I got a second there. In the second one it was quite good. I was leading until maybe 1-minute left and then I had a 1-second crash and I finished .3 behind, so yeh its definitely going in the right direction with 4WD.’ He explained, ‘ 2WD is a bit more difficult now. I tried some stuff on the 2WD and I got a 3 in the first which was not too bad but in the second one someone crashed in front of me and I could not avoid them and broke my car. Lets see for the next one.’
Summing up his start to qualifying here on his MIBO International offroad debut, Orlowski said, ‘I am struggling a bit. 2WD I had some issues with traffic in the last one which cost me a Top 3 and the first one I just crashed a lot. 4WD has been OK and really close, I just made a few small bobbles in Q1 & Q2 and dropped to third so we are just trying to make the car more comfortable at that pace.’ Asked how the track conditions are, the multiple EOS Champion said, ‘I think the grip is getting a bit lower because you can see the fluff coming out of the carpet but it’s nothing major.’
‘I had no mistakes but Adam was quite close, quite fast, and seems quite strong here’, was how Volker his qualifying so far. Chasing a third MIBO International title in touring car, the German added, ‘I did a small change for Q2 and also changed a set of tyres and it didn’t work as well as Q1 but anyway now for Q3 I will change my diff and spool position to test that.’ On the track conditions, he said while it is getting slightly faster each round, ‘the grip is good and consistent’. Running 9-second lap times, asked if traffic has been an issue for him, the multiple ETS race winner at this venue, said, ‘the traffic has been fine because everyone is respectful of the leaders and there is good race direction from Zdenko (Kunak – former International Touring Car racer) but it is also critical for them when opening as they have to go off line.’
