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Kaerup & Kobbeik Top Qualifiers at MIBO International

Kicking off Mains day at MIBO International with the fifth & final qualifier, it would not net any changes in terms of who will be starting on pole in the Czech Republic, Marcus Kaerup keeping the overall TQ in 4WD while Daniel Kobbevik repeated his 2024 TQ of 2WD.  With 3 from 5 to count, drivers first battle of the day was to decide 2WD with Kaerup needing a TQ run and the fastest time of the weekend to deny Kobbevik, the scenario reversed for 4WD.  While Kaerup started well, his Team Associated running at the top of the timing screens he touched a pipe and rolled ending his chances as Bartosz Zaleswski took the round ahead of Martin Bayer to secure P3 on the grid as Kobbevik’s Schumacher locked in the overall TQ.  In 4WD, with Kaerup on 3rd run tyres, Kobbevik moved quickly to the front on track but it was defending Champion Zaleswski who had the fastest buggy.  The only driver dipping into 16-second lap times, he kicked off his day with a second TQ run finishing almost 6-seconds clear of Kobbevik who got a P2 for the round and held that same spot on the starting grid behind Kaerup.  Again the 18-year-old will be the leading Xray challenger also lining up P3 in 4WD.

Summing up the final round of qualifying Kaerup was pleased to get the Top Qualifier honours for 4WD on his MIBO International debut saying, ‘It was my third run on those tyres so I was a little behind on pace and Daniel could get by me but in the end we have the TQ and I am confident for the finals’.  On 2WD he explained, ‘I hit a pipe and rolled but the car is good and starting from P2 is fine, the finals are going to be all about the 5-minutes’, the track has been challenging even the best of the drivers to go the full distance without a mistake.

‘A good start to the day to get the TQ overall again.  I did the same last year but this time I will try to keep it together in the finals.  I feel the car is good for the Mains’, was Kobbevik’s reaction to becoming the 2WD Top Qualifier.  On 4WD he said, ‘I knew it was going to be difficult to get the TQ and in a better time than Marcus if I was to take the TQ.  I’m happy with second.’  With tyres playing a big role in the final qualifying round, the Norwegian hinted that he has played the tyre game well for the finals.

Kobbevik & Kaerup hold overnight TQ at MIBO

Daniel Kobbevik and Marcus Kaerup hold the overnight Offroad TQs at MIBO International with one round of qualifying to go but it was very contrasting finishes to the day’s action for the pair.  For Kobbevik the penultimate round of qualifying saw the Schumacher driver do the double topping the time for both 2WD and 4WD.  For Kaerup however his day ended with a bang as he clipped a track marker resulted in what he described himself as a ‘major break’ on his Team Associated.  Having TQ’d the second 2WD qualifying the time of fastest time of the day Q4 TQ run means the Norwegian holds the top on the rankings having finished the day equal on points with Kaerup who took the other two rounds.  Now a two way shot out for the pole position, Kaerup needs to take Q5 and better Kobbevik’s time.  In 4WD Kaerup was the only driver to manage to double his TQ tally taking Q3 after opening qualifying with the fastest run.  While Czech Sworkz driver Dominik Vlášek surprised with a TQ run in Q2, it is also going to be a battle of Scandinavians for the 4WD pole position, Kobbevik needing a TQ that is quicker that than set by Kaerup in Q3.  Behind them, top seed for both categories and the defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski completes the overnight Top 3 in 2WD with his Xray with the Polish driver still not happy with the performance of his buggies since qualifying started.  In 4WD it is the Sworkz of Micha Widmaier in third, the Austrian looking very competitive as he ended the day with a P2 despite a late mistake.

‘A perfect way to end the day’, was the reaction of Kobbevik to his double TQ in Round 4.  He continued, ‘2WD was as good as the first one, I made no changes to it.  4WD we improved the car a bit so I have a good feeling with it going into tomorrow.’  Asked about tomorrow, last year’s double podium finisher replied that his objective was ‘a good night sleep to get ready to fight tomorrow.  It has been a long day.’

Asked what happened him in the final 4WD qualifier Kaerup said, ‘I clipped a marker and it was game over.’  The Danish teenager continued, ‘It was going really good.  I feel I found some pace after a set-up change so I am confident for tomorrow.  Overall it was a good day.’  On his 2WD he said, ‘I had good pace and a pace advantage I just need to put a clean 5-minutes together.’

Coming undone from a potential TQ run when he got stuck in a corner, Widmaier said his 4WD ‘feels very good’ and also over the full 5-minutes in terms of consistency.  Declaring he is ‘really looking forward to tomorrow’, on his 2WD he said this is ‘a little bit of a struggle’.  Stopping to save tyres in Q1, in Q3 his buggy broke on a straight forward landing leading him to believe he had actually broken it in a previous round.  These two DNFs mean that he has to delivery a good result in Q5 to give make the A-Main.  He concluded, ‘I remember last year that things were a bit chaotic so I’ll just try to get a good starting position and then see what happens.’