February 17, 2024

Orlowski Top Qualifier at MIBO International

Based on recent form there was never much doubt he’d be a force on his MIBO International debut and in a dominant performance that is exactly what Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski has done securing the overall TQ in Modified Touring Car.  Starting the day in the Czech Republic with a TQ run, the Pole continued to make the top of the times sheets his own locking in pole position with a third TQ run in Q3 but not done he would cap off the day with a fourth in the day’s final onroad action.  Shadowing the 1:12 World Champion every run but never close enough to mount a challenge, defending inaugural MIBO International Champion Ronald Volker will start 2nd on the grid with one final qualifier on Sunday morning to determine how the rest of the grid will line up behind the World Champions.

Reacting to his TQ, his third at an international race already this year having started with the GP3F in France and then the ETS in Germany, Orlowski said, ‘I am happy to seal the TQ early.  The new car is good as always and we have shown it works well.  I haven’t changed much on it because I want to see if the grip changes but it seems to be staying consistent.’  With the first job of the weekend done after 3 rounds, Orlowski had the luxury of the remaining two rounds ‘to test a few things’ and see if he can further improve the car on a few specific points on the track.  Still on the same set of tyres, having matched his two sets for the opening qualifier, he said ‘Pekko (Iivonen) has more experience with these tyres and says they last long and tend to get better and better.  After a strong start to qualifying Iivonen finds himself P7 going into Q5 after suffering a battery issue in round 3.  Copying Orlowski set-up on to his example of Schumacher’s upcoming new chassis release for the final run of the day the Finn said it was better but contact with the boards meant he pulled up early but he used the opportunity to watch Orlowski drive and said his brake set-up is different and that is something he will adjust for Q5.

Having gone too safe with his Mugen for Q1, Volker said a change of tyre additive for Q2 meant he started better than Orlowski but then the performance faded and so he returned to his previous additive.  Putting more steering lock on his MTC2R for Q3, the German said it was better but added ‘Michal is on his A-game so I need to find something extra but I am enjoying him being this competitive.’

Holding P3 overnight ahead of the man responsible for designing his car Martin Hudy and the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp, Jan Ratheisky said changes he made after Q1 was too much of a step so he reverted back for Q3 to claim his first Top 3 run.  Changing to a softer top deck for Q3 to get more steering the German would register his fastest time of qualifying once again posting a P3 run.  Also racing in 17.5 Stock Ratheisky secured the overall TQ when he posted his third TQ in a row in the Q4 with Xray team-mate Stefan Schulz having taken Q1.  Schulz will start the FWD class on pole after getting the job done early as he topped the opening 3 rounds.

View our event image gallery here.

February 17, 2024

Chassis Focus – Micha Widmaier (Sworkz)

Chassis – Sworkz S12-2C Evo
ESC – Spower by LRP Prototype
Motor – Spower by LRP Prototype 5.0T
Battery – TPRO 4800mah LCG
Tires (handout) – Schumacher
Radio/Servo – Futaba T10PX/ Savox SB2262SG
Body – JConcepts F2 (S2 for photo)

Image Gallery

February 17, 2024

Widmaier holds overnight 2WD TQ at MIBO International

Sworkz’s Micha Widmaier holds the overnight TQ in 2WD Buggy at MIBO International with today’s four rounds of qualifying producing TQ runs from four drivers all representing different manufacturers.  Having opened the second edition of the Czech event with a TQ run, Widmaier holds a 1 point advantage over the Xray of Martin Bayer who topped the time sheets in Q4.  Equal on points with Bayer, having taken max points for Q3, is Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik for whom a last lap error cost him a potential second TQ result as he finished just 2/10ths back from Bayer.  Setting the pace in Q2, Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen is one of four drivers in contention for the overall TQ in Sunday mornings fifth & final qualifier.

Reacting to his overnight TQ status at the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice, Widmaier said , ‘It’s a great feeling, I’ll try for another in Q5 tomorrow and try to stay at the front’.  Describing Q2 and Q4 as ‘both good’ he said Q3 was challenging being on third run tyres and having many mistakes.  The German’s debut at MIBO International he said irrespective of the final qualifying outcome he feels the ‘finals are going to be very interesting’ adding everyone is ‘super close’.

On his 2WD TQ, adding to the two he had already posted in 4WD, Bayer said he made a’ big push for the last four laps’ adding he ‘surprised myself with the performance.  Responsible for the design of Xray’s Offroad vehicles, the Czech driver added, ‘I have not been changing anything on the car since coming here.  I am trying to better myself driving and just enjoy the day and being with friends’.  Asked about tyres, he said the difference between new and used is significant and tyre strategy could be important tomorrow.

On second run tyres in Q4, Kobbevik said he lost out by not adjusting his Schumacher’s set-up for the tyre wear.  The 19-year-old explained that is car is normally good on second run tyres without any set-up adjustment on this occasion he found himself ‘fighting for (his) life not to drift on the last laps’.  The Norwegian is excited about the final qualifier saying it ‘Q5 should be fun.  Four guys get take the (overall) TQ’.

On his Q2 topping run, Haatanen said, ‘it was the first time the car felt fast and easy to drive.  It was a comfortable run’.  The Finn was not too happy with his follow up performance in Q3 explaining, ‘I was on old tyres but I was giving up because of that so the result could have been better’.   Starting out Q4 on new tyres and noticing a lot of other drivers did the same, the 20-year-old said after an early mistake he pulled up to save the tyres for Q5.  Confident he will have better tyres than his rivals and happy with how his car is working he said Q5 will be ‘me rather than the car now’.

View our event image gallery here.