Another TQ run puts Volker on target for pole in France

Team Yokomo’s Ronald Volker is proving to be very much the man to beat here at the European Championships in France after backing up his fastest time in the opening qualifier with another TQ run in Q2, albeit in a slightly slower time.  The German, who is looking to regain the title he won in France in 2007, set the pace over the Tamiya’s of Elliot Harper, Jilles Groskamp and Viktor Wilck, and putting himself in a strong position to wrap up pole for Sunday’s final.  After the run Volker said despite not changing anything on his BD5 it was a little loose for the run but he still managed a new fastest lap for qualifying, recording a 19.796. Asked if he planned any changes for the morning the German said he would wait til the morning to see how the weather plays out with rain being the most common prediction here in the pits.

Changing the camber links on his TRF416, Harper said his car was still easy to drive with the change making no noticeable difference.   Improving his time by 2/10th, the 17-year-old believes that his car is good enough to match Volker’s Yokomo and that the difference will have to come through his driving.  Groskamp echoed that view.  The defending Champion, who didn’t get to do any pre-event practice in Aniche, said he is still learning that track and his lack of consistency is where he is losing out.  Happy with his car, the Dutch Pro believes if he can get into a good rhythm tomorrow he should be able to challenge Volker for the overall TQ honours which he took on his way to winning his first ever European title last year in Luxembourg.  The other two members of the Tamiya Racing Factory remain unhappy with their cars.  Changing back to the set-up he ran in practice Wilck set the fourth fastest time but is far from comfortable with his car.  Marc Rheinard crashed in Q2 and tried to rejoin but said his tyres were ruined by the large amount of dust offline.

Yannick Pruemper enjoyed his best run setting the 5th fastest time but once again the German teenager made a mistake.  Behind him Loic Jasmin was again fastest of the French drivers despite being hit by Rheinard as he tried to rejoin the track after his off.  Costing him around 1 second in time the incident didn’t cost Jasmin a placing.  Having raised the central bulk head on his Tamiya the French Champion said the car had more traction and better steering following the change.  Finishing just 6/10th adrift with the seventh fastest time was fellow countryman Cyril N’Diaye.  Running LRP electrics in his Tamiya, N’Diaye said his car is perfect and he just needs to push more as a driver.

Eight and ninth fastest for the round were German pairing Steven Weiss and Marc Fisher.  Small set-up changes had improved Weiss’s Yokomo and the former Euros Top Qualifier is happy he now has something to build on for tomorrow when he plans to change tyre additive.  Factory Corally driver Fisher said a change from Trinity Tyre Tweak to Marc Rheinard additive had made his car better over the full 5-minutes but he was annoyed by the driving of fellow countryman Freddy Sudhoff after the pair clashed despite the Hot Bodies driver being a lap down on the field.  Completing the Top 10 was French driver Jérôme Carpentier while Losi star Lucas Urbain recorded his first full run to set the 11th fastest time.

Qualifying resumes in the morning when hopefully we will be able to continue with four dry rounds of heats.

Qualifying standings after 2 rounds
1. Ronald Volker (DE) – 0pts (Yokomo/LRP)
2. Jilles Groskamp (NL) – 5pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
3. Elliott Harper (GB) – 5pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
4. Victor Wilck (SE) – 9pts (Tamiya/Speed Passion)
5. Yannick Pruemper (DE) – 13pts (Yokomo/Speed Passion)
6. Loïc Jasmin (FR) – 13pts (Tamiya/Team Orion)
7. Cyril N’Diaye (FR) – 16pts (Tamiya/LRP)
8. Andy Moore (GB) – 19pts (Hot Bodies/Nosram)
9. Steven Weiss (DE) – 20pts (Yokomo/LRP)
10.Marc Fisher (DE) – 26pts (Corally/GM)

Full results can be found here.

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