Form continues for Martin in 4WD practice

Having topped 2WD practice at Round 2 of the Euro Offroad Series in Berlin earlier in the day, Lee Martin carried that form through to 4WD with the Yokomo driver setting the pace in the classes free practice.  Setting his best 3-consecutive laps in the second of the 3 rounds, the British driver set the pace from defending champion Joern Neumann although the gap between them was just 0.006 of a second.  2/10ths off them, Hupo Honigl completed the Top 3 followed by Robert Battle, David Ronnefalk and Martin Bayer.

Having made little changes to his new YZ-2 during practice, it was opposite in 4WD with Martin making significant changes to his B-MAX 4 for each run.  Changing diffs, shocks and the steering set-up, he said they all brought benefits but so far they are ‘not marrying up right yet’.  Getting good steering in the car for the last round he said the rear end became the problem and they have yet to get a good balance front to rear.  Planning to go back on the diff changes, add more toe, and adjust the front shock position for the first of the two timed practice which will determine the order for the qualifying heats, he hopes this will give him the car he is looking for.

Running a standard kit version Durango DEX410, Neumann, who uncharacteristically struggled in 2WD, summed up his performance with ‘4WD is good’.  Making only a small front roll bar change, the German’s only concern is the high tyre wear, something he said is being caused by the carpets low traction.  Other than fit new tyres for timed practice the 3-time back to back champion will leave the car unchanged.

Running a DEX410 from when he was team-mate to Neumann at Durango which having loaned to a friend he had to get back for his participation in last weeks Reedy Race as he doesn’t yet have a 4WD from new team Serpent, Honigl was pleased with his runs.  Hoping to get his first SRX-4 once the four pre-production cars that exist are finished with at the Nurnberg Toy Fair, he said the Durango is a car he knows works and so there were no surprises.  Having started out with a modified rear end that worked well on the dirt at OCRC as the batteries sit wider apart he said it doesn’t suit the carpet and for the second practice he reverted back to the standard chassis.  The change gave the car less roll as well as better rotation in the corners.  For the first timed practice the Austrian will test gluing up his tyre side walls.

Having had a good run in 2WD practice, former 1:8 Offroad World Champion Batlle described his 4WD pace as ‘not bad’.  Like in 2WD, the factory Team C driver said his 4WD was also pushing a little on the front but having made small changes over the three runs the car was at it best in the third run.  With his tyres pin well worn going into the last free practice he said he is hopeful a fresh set of tyres for timed practice will cure the slight understeer.

Ronnefalk described his D413 as ‘really good’ adding ‘it was actually better than I though it would be’.  Debuting the car on carpet at the DHI Cup and struggling a little with it, the Swede has since been able to make a few improvements and now he is a lot more comfortable with the car.  Having changed to a stiffer shock set-up during practice he said for timed practice his only plan was to fit a new set of the pre-glued handout Schumacher Mini pin tyres.

One of the championship only three winners in 4WD, Bayer said he came into the event expecting more traction and so he still working on getting a set-up he is comfortable with.  With the Top 6 covered by 7/10th over 3-laps, Martin’s time being a 57.971, the Xray driver said its very close and if he can find more steering through the 180 degree corner,s pointing out the track has many, he should be right in the mix at the front.  Behind Bayer, team-mate Martin Wollanka set the 8th fastest time followed by Yokomo’s Shin Adachi and Team C’s Nicolas Risser.

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