Rain causes postponement of Worlds Final

We will have to wait another day to find out who will be crowned the 17th 1:8 Onroad World Champion after IFMAR was left with no choice but to postpone the Main Final when the heavens opened up over the Lostallo track as the Top 10 drivers made their way onto the rostrum for the 1 hour race.  Race Director Franky Noens has announced that the rescheduled race will now take place at 10:00 tomorrow (Sunday) morning.

Having luckily booked our flights home for late Sunday night we will be here in the morning to bring you full coverage, which is supported by Serpent and Mugen, of the race which will see German’s Robert Pietsch start from pole position.

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Worlds Final grid completed

The 10 drivers that will line-up and fight it out for the 2009 IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World title have been decided after two dramatic Semi Finals here in Switzerland.  The first of the 30 minute affairs was won by Japanese ace Takaaki Shimo but that was only after early leader & pole sitter Paolo Morganti broke an engine 5-minutes in while looking in control. This gave Josh Cyrul the lead but his Shepherd stripped a rear belt with 12-minutes to go handing Shimo’s OS powered Kyosho the lead. Adrien Bertin, who called for a delayed start which put him to the back of the grid, pulled off a stunning drive. Coming from the 1/4 Finals he finished second recording the fastest lap of the two Semis. Always in contention for a Top 3 finish Robin D’hondt claimed the third place in a run time that was good enough to secure the 20-year-old Motonica driver 8th spot on the Main Final grid.

In the second Semi, there was also a delayed start called by pole sitter Michael Salven due to radio problems. It soon transpired that a change of frequency made by the German had not being registered by officials and so as the problem was not due to the driver he was allowed resume his pole position placing on the grid. Leading comfortably from Rick Vrielijnck’s Reds Racing powered Mugen, Salven’s chances of a position in the final came to an end when he flamed out on the in lap for his first stop. This allowed Vrielijnck to take the lead, but hitting the pit wall as he left the pits during his third stop the Dutch driver ripped the bodyshell and while it didn’t effect the car too much it was a distraction and the very fast Mike Swauger was eventually able to find a way through to win. In the end the American took a comfortable victory as Vrielijnck battled to the end to hold off the Motonica of Dario Balestri who due to his race time completes the grid for this evening’s one hour final.

So the stage is now set for 10 drivers, representing 8 nations, 4 chassis and 5 engines manufacturers to do battle to become the 17th World Champion. We will bring you minute by minute coverage of the race starting with the driver presentations at 15:40.

World Championship Final Grid
1. Pietsch Robert – Mugen/Novarossi
2. Collari Lamberto – Kyosho/Novarossi
3. Picco Alberto – Mugen/Picco
4. Green Mark – Serpent/Novarossi
5. Shimo Takaaki – Kyosho/OS
6. Bertin Adrien – Kyosho/Orion
7. Swauger Mike – Mugen/Novarossi
8. D’hondt Robin – Motonica/Novarossi
9. Vrielijnck Rick – Mugen/Reds Racing
10.Balestri Dario – Motonica/Novarossi

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Bertin & Ielasi progress to Semi Finals

Former World Champion Adrien Bertin and reigning 1:10 World Champion Daniele Ielasi will progress to the Semi Finals after winning their respective 1/4 Finals here this morning in Lostallo. Starting from 3rd on the grid Bertin took his Orion powered Kyosho to a five second victory over Spanish Team Motonica driver Oscar Cabezas. The French driver said the run was pretty easy but by the end of the 20-minutes his right arm, which has been causing him problems all week, was starting to get painful. 2007 Worlds Top Qualifier Massimo Fantini took third to ensure his graduation to Semi. Casualties of the  1/4 B, which started 10 minutes late after Sirio driver Francesco Tironi called time, included top female racer Sabrina Lechner who hit car problems and Shepherd owner Patrick Schafer who ran out of fuel on the in lap for his final stop while holding a bump up placing.

In the second 1/4 Final, which saw Mugen driver Walter Salemi called for a delayed start, Ielasi took his Picco powered Shepherd to victory over 2007 podium finisher Chris Tosolini. Completing the all important top three was Kyosho driver Ilia Van Gastel who denied Brazil Champion Flavio Elias from playing any further part in the event. Having come through from the 1/16 final Michele Romagnoli was on target for a fourth final but ran out of fuel.

The Top 4 Qualifiers are currently on track now for their one hour practice session with the first of the half hour Semi Finals scheduled to get underway at 13:00 local time.  We will publish minute by minute reports on these two races which will decide the six drivers that will complete the grid for the 2009 IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championships.

View the full grid listings here.

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Worlds field reduced to Final 38

Today was for many the one on which their World Championship dreams came to an end with a number of big names failing to make it through to tomorrow’s main day when, weather permitting, the 16th 1:8 Onroad World Champion will be crowned.

Running through the lower finals the day closed with the 1:8 Finals with the Top 3 finishers enjoying the elation of progressing to the big day. First driver to secure a place in the 1/4 Finals was Thai driver Meen Vejrak. A finalist at the electric touring car Worlds, the Mugen driver won ahead of fast female driver Sabrina Lechner who was delighted to progress. Also progressing from the 1/4 B is the sole South African driver here in Switzerland Wayne Joelson who is at the controls of a Mugen. Big casualties of the 20-minute affair were top French driver Stephane Bouche, who had moved up from the 1/32 Finals, and Japan’s Tadahiko Sahashi after the pair clashed in the pits.

In the other 1/8 Final, which just finished before the rains opened up over Lostallo, it was two time Brazilian Champion Flavio Elias who stormed to victory with his Mugen. Behind him Marco Vanni benefited from a 5 minute fuel stop strategy to take second ahead of fellow countryman Michele Romagnoli. The Serpent driver, who had come through from the 1/16 Finals, was pushed right to the line by current European Champion Jernej Vuga but the Slovenian couldn’t find a way passed and can now pack his bags. This race was also the end of the road for 2006 European Champion Fabio Domanin who finished 5th. Pole sitter Steven Cuypers had his race ruined by a controversial Stop/Go penalty for his Sirio powered Mugen apparently being badly placed in the start box.

Tomorrow, Day 10 of the 2009 IFMAR 1:8 Onroad Worlds, kicks off with the first of the 1/4 Finals at 10:00 as 34 drivers chase an elusive spot on the grid for the Main Final where they will join Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch, defending Champion Lamberto Collari, Alberto Picco and Mark Green.  Our coverage which is supported by Serpent and Mugen will start with reports after each of the 1/4 Finals right through to the end of the 1 hour title deciding race which is due off the line at 15:30.

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Pietsch is Worlds Top Qualifier

Factory Mugen/Novarossi driver Robert Pietsch will start the 2009 IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship from pole position on Saturday ahead of defending Champion Lamberto Collari. Setting his time in the penultimate qualifier this morning the result was made official when his rivals failed to better the German’s 30 lap run in the sixth & final round. Coming to Switzerland as the pre race favourite Piestch, who was a direct qualifier at the 2005 Worlds, said it was an incredible feeling to be on pole ahead of such a legendary driver as eight time World Champion Collari. In the final round of qualifying Pietsch pulled up early as the track proved slower and his Novarossi started to run lean.

Lining up second on the grid Collari is very pleased with his performance in the championships so far with his hopes of a unprecedented 9th World title still very much alive. In Argentina the Team Kyosho/Novarossi driver won from the number two spot and having focused on a one stop fuel strategy all week this could be his making in the 1 hour final.

Having had problems with his car sliding around this morning when most drivers recorded their top run, Picco will line up third having being demoted one place by Collari. The Italian said he was very satisfied with 3rd and used the final qualifier to test some new things with his car in preparation for the final.

Completing the much sought after Top 4 placings and ensuring Team Serpent will have a presence in the one hour final was British ace Mark Green. Complimentary of his Novarossi powered 966 all week, the UK National Champion said he finally got his driving together in Q5 and was ‘over the moon’ to claim his first direct qualification for a Worlds Final. In the final qualifier he suffered radio problems in the warm up but said track conditions wouldn’t have allowed him to improve his time and so he ends the day a very happy man.

Fastest for the final round ahead of Collari was Serpent’s Michael Salven who will start pole in the Semi A. The only driver in the Top 18 to record their best time in the final qualifier, the German improved by just over 1/10th of second but it wasn’t enough to move him ahead of team-mate Green and he remained fifth. The designer of the 966, said Q6 was a perfect heat but track conditions were just slower. Leaning off his Mega engine 1/2 a turn it allowed him to record the fastest lap of the round, with a 20.156, something which he was very pleased with.

Josh Cyrul was third fastest for the round but is still kicking himself for his poor driving this morning when the track was at it fastest. The American said his Shepherd was once again really good but the track was too hot. Running in Group 12 which had the full force of the Swiss sun, he said he would really liked to have run in the top heat, Group 15, when the sun had dropped behind the mountains as those conditions would have given him a better chance to redeem himself from this morning. Starting 4th on the grid in the Semi B Cyrul is confident he can move up. Fellow American Paolo Morganti will line up on pole for that 30-minute affair having ended qualifying as the sixth fastest driver. The Serpent driver failed to better his Q5 time but said his is still pleased with sixth.

Top Qualifier at the last World’s, 2009 is proving a total different affair for Massimo Fantini. Setting his best time in the final qualifier, the Italian could only manage 28th and will line up in the 1/4 B Final two places behind former World Champion Adrien Bertin.  2007 podium finisher Chris Tosolini who qualified one place behind Fantini will line up in the 1/4 A Final where he will be joined by current 1:10 Onroad World Champion Daniele Ielasi.

Final Starting order
Final – A
1. Pietsch Robert (DE) – Mugen/Novarossi
2. Collari Lamberto (IT) – Kyosho/Novarossi
3. Picco Alberto (IT) – Mugen/Picco
4. Green Mark (EN) – Serpent/Novarossi
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1/2 Final – A
1. Salven Michael (DE) – Serpent/Mega
2. Vrielijnck Rick (NL) – Mugen/Reds Racing
3. Mack Oliver (DE) – Shepherd/Novarossi
4. Tanaka Masao (JP) – Kyosho/Max
5. Balestri Dario (IT) – Motonica/Novarossi
6. Swauger Mike (US) – Mugen/Novarossi
7. Solaroli Stefano (IT) – Motonica/Sirio
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1/2 Final – B
1. Morganti Paolo (US) – Serpent/Max
2. D’hondt Robin (BE) – Motonica/Novarossi
3. Cristiani Andrea (IT) – Serpent/Max
4. Cyrul Josh (US) – Shepherd/Novarossi
5. Fukuda Keisuke (JP) – Mugen/Novarossi
6. Shimo Takaaki (JP) – Kyosho/O.S.
7. Müller Marco (CH) – Shepherd/Novarossi

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