November 19, 2009

Rabitti top seed for qualifiers

Rabitti top seed for qualifiers

Day 1 of the 2009 Arena Offroad Meeting has been completed here in Italy with drivers each getting two practice sessions in which to learn the track and set a time for a reseed of the heats for qualifying.  Based on a driver’s three best consecutive laps it was Italy’s own National Champion Ricardo Rabitti that will carry the No.1 in the top heat tomorrow for both the nitro and brushless buggy categories.  Driving Losi 8ight chassis’ the European finalist managed a best time of 2.16.966 in the nitro class.  Behind him it was former Austrian Champion Martin Karner on 2.18.358 with Italian Matteo Dapporto third for Mugen. Former back to back European Champion Davide Tortorici was fourth ahead of Carlo Jacopini with Spain’s Borja Hernandez completing the top 6.  Managing only the 13th fastest time Yannick Aigoin with line up in the second fastest heat.

Favourite for the 1:8 Brushless Buggy win, Rabitti did his fastest three laps in 2:24.011 to top fellow countryman Fabrizio Teghesi who managed 2:27.363 with his Kyosho.  Karner completed the Top 3 with Mugen’s Fabio Boero fourth.  Tomorrow is a busy day for the Brushless drivers as they have four rounds of qualifying, a Semi and triple A-Main finals to complete.

Rabitti top seed for qualifiers

In the Truggy class Martin Bayer topped the reseed from Losi/Novarossi team-mate Yannick Aigoin.  Setting a time of 2:15.763, the Czech ace was some 4.5 seconds faster than Aigoin but the French ace has a good excuse in that he hasn’t driven his 8ight T for almost six months.  Completing the Top 3 was Kyosho UK driver Simon Willets who is making his debut with Team Orion engines here.

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November 19, 2009

Offroaders go to the Rodeo Italian style

Offroaders go to the Rodeo Italian style

Normally a Rodeo Ring is where a cowboy puts on an exhibition of his skills at rounding up cattle but this weekend the ‘Arena of Cowboys’ will play host to a very different form of taming the wild as some of Europe’s best r/c drivers exhibit their skills at controlling 1:8 Offroad cars. Situated on the outskirts of Voghera, which is around one hours drive south of Milan, the organisers of the Arena Offroad Meeting have created a fantastic US style dirt track and after the opening practice drivers are full of praise for the large indoor track.

The biggest off road meeting on the Italian race calendar, this year is only the second running of the event indoors which was won last year by Austrian off road star Hupo Honigl.  Unfortunately the LRP team driver isn’t here to defend his title but the success of the inaugural indoor ‘Offroad Meeting’ has meant a number of the sports big names have made the trip to Italy to experience the much talked about track for themselves.

While the big focus is on winning Sunday’s Main final and lifting the 2009 Arena Offroad Meeting title there is a lot of excitement among the top drivers about the ‘Race of Champions’.  Based on qualifying for the main event, the Top 16 drivers will line up for this special event on Saturday night.  With a reversed starting grid, the race will see the last placed driver eliminated after 5-minutes and every 2-minutes there after until just three remain when they will have a further five minutes to try stake their claim on the ROC trophy.

Fresh from his Pierrefeu GP win Yannick Aigoin is making his first appearance at the indoor event along with his Losi/Novarossi team mate Martin Bayer.  Competing in both buggy and truggy, the pair described the track as very technical but former European Champion Aigoin said the American style of the track should really suit the 8ight and if they dont get a good result it wont be the fault of the car.  Afterwards he said he hoped he would not regret that statement come Sunday evening.

Current European Junior Champion Elliot Boots is another on his first visit to the Arena and after just one practice run he feels this event could very well become a regular fixture on his annual schedule. The young British driver said the size of the track is very impressive and he is confident of putting in a good performance with his RB powered Mugen.

Having made the trip from Spain, Borja Hernandez is here representing GS Racing.  Running the CLX fitted with BBF diffs all round, the Spanish Championship Runner-Up believes his package will be strong this weekend.  Another leading Spaniard here is Richi Gomez who has informed us that this will be his final outing for Hong Nor.  Gomez, who is running Reds Racing engines, has a yet to be announced chassis deal in place for 2010 but this weekend is focused on ending his relationship with Hong Nor, with whom he claimed a podium finish at the 2008 Euros, on a high.

Italian National Champion Riccardo Rabitti has to be one of the best home hopes.  The race is very much a family affair as both his brothers Stefano and Davide, the guys behind bodyshell design/painting company Bitty Designs, are also racing in the event.  Riccardo is also competing in the new 1:8 Brushless class and is one of the favourites having finished runner up at the similar Neo race earlier this year.

‘I wish I could drive myself’, was Adrien Bertin’s reply when asked about the track.  The man responsible for the Team Orion engine program is here to support new Kyosho/Team Orion signings Simon Willets from the UK and up & coming Italian Stefano Cantoni. The accomplished all round racer was full of praise for the track and thinks its US style would really have suited him but he will have to be content with being an onlooker, for this year anyway.

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August 23, 2009

20 years on & Collari still top of the World

The weather forced us to wait a day longer than originally planned but today we got to witness another great World title drive from the master of 1:8 Onroad racing Lamberto Collari and see just why he is the greatest 1:8 driver off all time. Starting the one hour final from second, the Italian drove the perfect race taking his ninth title 20-years on from when he claimed his very first World Championship. Taking the challenge to Top Qualifier, and the only true danger man, Robert Pietsch in the opening part of the race Collari hit cruise control once he had forced problems on the German. In the end the Kyosho/Novarossi driver took a very comfortable two lap winning margin over American Mike Swauger who came out top of the biggest battle of the race to claim second over former Champion Adrien Bertin.

Following Pietsch for the opening part of the race Collari, who was on longer runs between fuelling than the other nine drivers, caught everyone by surprise with his early pace in particular Pietsch. The Mugen driver was forced to push much harder than planned as Collari, who set the fastest lap of the 1 hour final, chased him down. This extra pace meant both higher fuel consumption and tyre wear for Pietsch and in the end this was to bring an end to his challenge. At mid point of the race Pietsch’s car flamed out as he tried to hang onto Collari. Afterwards Collari was quick to praise the key role played by his pit crew, Andrea Gardini and Luca Poggiali, in helping him to claim the title today. Described as the Ross Brawn of the operation, Poggiali’s strategy just left the opposition with little or no chance, with Collari handed a 7 second extension every 20 minutes thanks to his 5 minute fuel stop stategy.

Runner up Swauger said he obviously came here wanting to win but was pleased with his result considering the man that finished in front of him and his lack of experience on European tracks which he said are completely different to the flat tracks in his home country. After a bad start and his engine needing to be leaned off during the first stop, the Mugen driver said once he settled into a rhythm the race went pretty much as planned. Working his way back up through the field he was part of the biggest battle of the race eventually getting the upper hand over Bertin. Having struggled in qualifying and having to come through from the 1/4 finals, Bertin said he wasn’t surprised by his podium. Having found the problem with his Team Orion powered Kyosho in time for the 1/4 Finals, which he won, the Frenchman said he had the package to beat Swauger for second but in the end it was his physical condition that let him down. Throughout the championships Bertin has suffered with a painful right arm but after the race he paid tribute to Collari saying the best driver won.

Missing out on a podium finish Pietsch was justifiably feeling low about the outcome of the delayed race. Having been the pace setter all week claiming the TQ honours and recording the outright fastest lap of the week, he said Collari’s speed in the early part of the race had caught them out and forced them to change strategy. Disappointed at not even making the podium he said he can take some consolation from the fact he was the only driver to challenge Collari for the victory.

For the other two direct qualifiers the race was a difficult one. Starting from third Alberto Picco said he just didn’t have the set-up to challenge for a podium placing. The Italian felt his Picco powered Mugen was very good in the 1 hour practice yesterday and he was confident of a good race. However this morning his car didn’t suit the conditions and despite changes in the 4-minute warm-up before the final he couldn’t get the car to work. Contact in the early part of the race saw him roll and chunk his rear right tyre. Trying to continue till his scheduled fuel stop he went off onto the grass losing a lot of time as the now wet tyres, from the morning dew, had no traction. In the end Picco finished fifth, six seconds adrift of Pietsch with the Motonica of Dario Balestri completing the Top 6.

Carrying all the hopes of the Serpent team in the final, Mark Green was disappointed to finish 8th. Having claimed his first ever direct qualification to a World Final, starting from fourth, the British ace got tagged a number of times on the opening lap and said his frustration got the better of him and he went off onto the wet grass. Having had to switch to an emergency engine from Novarossi, after problems with his other motors in the warm up yesterday, Green said his 966 and engine was great but his driving was the weakness today.

Final Official results
1. Collari Lamberto (IT) – 172 Laps in 1:00:19.212
2. Swauger Mike (US) – 170 Laps in 1:00:04.276
3. Bertin Adrien (FR) – 170 Laps in 1:00:11.468
4. Pietsch Robert (DE) – 169 Laps in 1:00:14.138
5. Picco Alberto (IT) – 169 Laps in 1:00:20.582
6. Balestri Dario (IT) – 167 Laps in 59:58.875
7. Shimo Takaaki (JP) – 167 Laps in 1:00:06.954
8. Green Mark (EN) – 166 Laps in 1:00:09.586
9. Vrielijnck Rick (NL) – 165 Laps in 1:00:10.562
10.D’hondt Robin (BE) – 164 Laps in 1:00:01.518

Click here for full final standings.

So the two year count down to the next 1:8 Onroad World Championship is already underway when the World’s best drivers will travel to the USA. Rumoured to being hosted at Kissimmee R/C Raceway in Florida, all the team’s need to go back to the drawing board if they are to deny the master, who still has the hunger for success, his 10th title. RedRC would like say ‘grazie’ to everyone at the Mini Racing Ticino E Moesa club for their help throughout our enjoyable stay at what is the most picturesque track settings in the world. Thanks also to Serpent and Mugen for making our coverage of this great event possible.

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August 23, 2009

Collari claims 9th World title

Lamberto Collari has claimed a ninth World title after cruising to a two lap winning margin this morning at the 17th IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championships here in Lostallo, Switzerland.  The Italian ran a perfect race winning ahead of American Mike Swauger and former World Champion Adrien Bertin.  Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch pushed Collari at the start but flamed out ending his chances of a first title and ended the one hour race in fourth.

Final Result
1. Collari
2. Swauger
3. Bertin
4. Pietsch
5. Picco
6. Balestri
7. Shimo
8. Green
9. Vrielijnck
10.D’hondt

Full report to follow shortly.

August 22, 2009

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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