Kobbevik delivers TQ run in Q4
Having opened qualifying day at the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championships with an impressive P3 run, Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik closed the day out with a TQ run in the penultimate round in Australia. With Marcus Kaerup dominating the first three rounds to secure the overall 2WD TQ, the Team Associated driver used Q4 as a test session, the front tyres he opted to try leaving him with ‘no steering’ and causing him to ‘drive like a wild animal’. This opened the door for us to see a new name at the top of the timing, and running in the second fastest heat it would be Kobbevik who took that honour. While unable to match the 12-lap TQ time set the previous round, the Norwegian managed 11 laps in 5:01.373 to finish ahead of Team Associated Aydin Horne on 5:03.814 and his Schumacher team-mate Michal Orlowski on 5:03.842. Clement Boda and Davey Batta completed the Top 5. Close to a TQ run in Q3, Spencer Rivkin couldn’t back that up, a mistake on his third last lap leaving the 2015 & 2019 World Champion with a P7 ahead of Broc Champlin.
Holding P2 on the grid overnight following his TQ run, asked about his performance, Kobbevik said, ‘I did some changes to the car to get some more steering and added a bit more power for the run since the grip is coming up. From the first lap I did a 26.9 and just got into the rhythm, but towards the end I felt like it dropped off a bit, I don’t know if the tyre was used but I felt I had less rear grip so I just tried to get it around for the last laps and it turned out to be a quick run.’ On the increased powered the 19-year-old explained, ‘I just change the setting on my Hobbywing speedo’. Asked if he was motivated for tomorrow when he will line up at the sharp end of the A-Main grid, he said, ‘I am but I am ready for bed now. I have finally found a nice day rhythm, the jet lag from Europe is finally good.’
Reacting to his best run of the day, Horne said, ‘I cleaned it up for the last one. I was able to keep working with the team trying to figure out what we were missing through the rest of the day but figured it out at the end there and found some pace. Finally got good points but it’s going to be tight to make the main even with a 2, so I’m going to need to have a good run in the morning to lock it in.’ Asked about the previous three qualifiers the American said, ‘the first round everything was fine, I just drove really tight and nervous and had my mistakes and it didn’t work out, just a bad run.’ He continued, ‘the second run I ended up running a new set of front tyres and I didn’t realise I had no steering so it was everything I could do to get 12. The third run it was a good drive, the car was good, just I got 9th but I was 2/10ths off 5th so its tough out there and tight. We are able to be on the good end of tight that time so it equals out but we are going to need a good one in Q5.’
Giving his thoughts after Q4, Orlowski said, ‘Its been a struggle, ever changing conditions and trying to find the speed, but the last run pace wise was very positive as I had my best score with a marshal. A lot of bad luck in that one but let’s see tomorrow.’ He continued, ‘We have one more then finals and anything can happen so we just need to try start as high as possible.’ Asked how his car was working now he replied, ‘yes it’s ok, it’s just getting the right set-up at the right moment of the day is important and I wasn’t good at it today.’
With a good finish to the day, asked about his earlier runs Boda said, ‘I have two times 8th, then a 15 with one mistake and then the last one 4th so I have 8,8, 4 which I think is not sure for the main but we have one more run tomorrow.’ The French Champion continued, ‘I think the track will be different with the weather they give for tonight but we have a good set-up, the car was really good, the power was really good also, so we need to stay on four wheels tomorrow morning. The car was good all day I just made some little mistakes and one big mistake but the car was really good all the day.’
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