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.

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.

View our event image gallery here.

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

View our event image gallery here.

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.

View our event image gallery here.

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.

View the full grid listings here.

View our event image gallery here.