Neumann tops 4WD at EOS Austria
Despite not being able to improve his time in the second timed 4WD Practice, Joern Neumann ended Day 1 of the TLR/Spektrum Euro Offroad Series at the top of the time sheets. The German was a considerable 1.2 seconds faster than his closest rival Martin Bayer who also failed to better his opening time. Neumann’s Durango team-mate Hupo Honigl was the highest placed improvement to come in closing practice as he moved up to 3rd just ahead of Xray’s Renaud Savoya who knocked 1.3 seconds off his time. Switching to a heavier oil in the front shocks of his XB4, Savoya said his buggy was much better allowing him to go from 8th to 4th fastest.
Having struggled in the first time practice, Robert Batlle was also able to find a large amount of time. Having struggled with his BMax-4, which he said just felt like the chassis was too soft, he gambled on running the shocks softer along with stiffening the roll bars and lowering the ride height and to his surprise he said it worked pretty well. The newly signed Yokomo driver, who despite his impressive 1:8 Offroad CV is a newcomer to 1:10, would set the 9th fastest time again booking himself a spot in the top qualifying heat as he did earlier in 2WD.
Having set the 10th fastest time in the first timed 4WD practice despite not being too happy with the set-up he ran on his Kyosho, David Ronnefalk said the changes he made for the second run made the buggy worse leaving him to drop to 11th fastest in the final practice ranking.
Overall 4WD Buggy Practice Top 10
1. Joern Neumann (DE) – Durango – 3/1:04.567
2. Martin Bayer (CZ) – Xray – 3/1:05.701
3. Hupo Honigl (AT) – Durango – 3/1:05.750
4. Renaud Savoya (FR) – Xray – 3/1:05.801
5. Oliver Scholz (DE) – Team C – 3/1:06.091
6. Jiri Mara (CZ) – Xray – 3/1:06.560
7. Peter Pinisch (AT) – Associated – 3/1:06.846
8. Michal Orlowski (PL) – Durango – 3/1:06.976
9. Robert Batlle (ES) – Yokomo – 3/1:07.221
10.Martin Hansen (DK) – Kyosho – 3/1:07.241
Complete event results can be found here.
View our event image gallery here.
