Zalewski defends MIBO 2WD title
Xray’s Bartek Zalewski has successfully defended his 2WD Buggy title at MIBO International, the young Polish racer wrapping up the overall win with two straight wins in the opening A-Mains at the Czech Republic event. Having secured the TQ for the fourth edition of the Michal Bok organised race ahead of Michal Orlowski, A1 would see his compatriot armed with fresh tyres mount a strong challenge but a cool headed drive from Zalewski meant he kept that challenge at bay. In A2 it was the 19-year-old who had the tyre advantage and he was able to cruise to win by a comfortable margin to lock in a very popular overall victory. With another second place to Zalewski securing Orlowski the overall runner-up but the upcoming 4WD title still up for grabs, Orlowski would along with the re-crowned Champion sit out A3 to focus on his 4WD quest. This left team-mate & 3rd place qualifier Daniel Kobbevik to lead away the 8-car field. Despite coming under the close attentions of Sworkz’s Micha Vidmaier for most of the race, the 2025 Top Qualifier & Runner-up would win A3 to complete the podium line-up in Hrotovice.
Reacting to his back to back titles Zalewski said, ‘There was a lot of pressure from Michal in A1 because he was on new tyres and I was on used ones but then for A2 I put on new ones and the car felt amazing. I didn’t push and I was still a making bigger and bigger gap, the speed in the car was incredible and I am very happy to win that race.’ While this year’s MIBO International was staged slightly later than previous years in order to avoid a clash with the famous TITC which ran early this year, MIBO International unique in that offroad and onroad race side by side, putting it Zalewski that it has been a very strong start to his season, he replied, ‘It’s been one of the best for sure. The win at MKGP was something amazing because I was making a huge gap especially in 2WD to win the A-Mains with a 6-seconds gap. So adding today’s MIBO win I am extremely happy how this year has started.’
A driver who felt he was playing catch after his poor opening to 2WD qualifying, Orlowski summed his performance in the class by saying, ‘Bartek was very strong. Our pace was good only on new tyres so when I had new tyres I was able to put a lot of pressure on him but couldn’t find a way passed.’ Using up his new tyre trump card in A1, on the second main he said, ‘Once then Bartek was on new (tyres) I had no chance but still I am happy to get second after the rough start to qualifying.’ Asked on his decision not to run A3 he explained, with the tie break for MIBO based on your qualifying position, I knew I could not lose my second not matter who won and I wanted to focus on my 4WD.’
Asked to sum up his 2WD finals, Kobbevik replied, ‘The first one was horrible. I crashed myself while having quite a gap over the field behind Michal & Bartek and after that it was like carnage at the back and I didn’t get a score then.’ The Norwegian continued, ‘so then I had to do two good ones in A2 and A3, the second one I got third behind Michal and Bartek and then I cruised into P1 in the last one. It was a good fight with Micha which was nice.’
View the action from the second A-Main of 2WD Buggy which would decide the 2026 MIBO International title.
View full results here.
