Bruno Coelho emerges victorious in Poland

Bruno Coelho has taken the overall victory in 2wd at the Euro Offroad Series in Poland after a mistake by pole man Michal Orlowski enabled the Xray driver to take the lead and subsequent win. Leading for the first 4 laps, the reigning Champion’s race would come undone as he got stuck up on the hairpin on the left side of the track. Coelho got hooked up on Orlowski’s car but was able to get free, inheriting him the lead and dropping the Schumacher driver back to 5th. He would eventually retire 5 laps later, breaking his car following a hard hit with the barriers at the wall ride as he tried to recover lost ground. Lee Martin would finally show some of his qualifying pace to take 2nd for the round but it was too late to salvage a top result and the battle for the final podium spot was between the two young guns, Daniel Kobbevik and Joona Haatanen, the former coming out best as he took 3rd in the final main. Talking with Bruno, he said ‘I had a small mistake in the beginning I touched the board, the car was again a little bit strange. Then I caught Orlowski very fast and he got stock on the corner and I got stuck to him but I was able to get away’ continuing ‘I had a little bit of pressure from Lee Martin after, but I was able to pull away slowly and manage the win.’

Despite leaving Warsaw with the lead in the 2wd series standings, Orlowski summed up his day by saying ‘Slightly disappointed, the car has been great since first practice, but overall it’s a good result. Tomorrow when I wake up i’ll think about the 2wd and think it’s good for the championship getting the TQ and second.’ On the deciding 3rd A-main he commented ‘Bruno was quicker in the final, I made too many mistake trying to push too hard. It was one to win, but not this time. We will keep fighting. Onto 4wd’, drivers attention now switching to 4wd with 2 of the 4 qualifiers being run today following practice.

A very pleased looking Kobbevik said, ‘I’m very happy, it was a very good run, I did one mistake but I was faster. I needed to push to beat Joona, if not he would be on the podium, I am very happy.’ The Xray driver continued by saying ‘It’s my first podium in 2wd, I have 3 podiums in 4wd, so it was good to have one in 2wd as well now.’

In contrast, Joona Haatanen who was championships leader coming in to Rd2 following his win at the season opener in Germany, was extremely disappointed. ‘All mistakes that’s all, and then I couldn’t catch Daniel anymore. He drove good, clean. I just made too many mistakes thats all.’

In the 13.5 2wd buggy class it was a reverse of the top 2 in A2 as Pawel Ntkovca took the win ahead of Sven Rudig but the German would take the overall victory on tie break from Ntkovca courtesy of a faster time. Juraj Hudy would complete the podium in 3rd. Having wrapped up the win early in the 2wd Stock truck class Bartosz Zalewski was 2nd in A3, but with Rudig taking the win he would secure the overall runner up spot with another German, Mirko Morgenstern in 3rd.

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Chassis Focus – Bruno Coelho

Chassis: Xray XB2 ’19
Motor: Hobbywing 6.5T
ESC: Hobbywing Xr10 Pro
Batteries: Sunpadow 3800mAh
Radio/Servo: Sanwa/Bruno RC
Tires: Schumacher (handout)
Body: Xray Lightweight

Remarks – Versatile Portuguese talent Bruno Coelho took the Slovakian manufacturer back to victory in the 2wd class at the wheel of the 2019 version of their XB2 buggy. Equipped with Hiro Seiko screws, his car is also fitted with aluminium steering rack and rear hubs. Bruno was also running some Xray options coming to the market in the next days, such as aluminium shock towers, titanium turnbuckles and a carbon battery strap. To improve the flex he cut the reinforcements in the rear brace.

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Orlowski takes it to A3

It’s all still to play for in Poland as Michal Orlowski took an uncontested win in A2 of 2wd at the Euro Offroad Series held at the Ptak Warsaw Expo. Having made a mistake in the first A-main this morning, the young Polish driver didn’t repeat his error this time and could win by a clear 5 seconds ahead of a scrappy run by A1 winner Bruno Coelho. The current and former champions were chased home by the super quick Scandinavian pair of Joona Haatanen and Daniel Kobbevik, with Neil Cragg again completing the top 5. On his run, Orlowski said ‘My aim for this run was to beat Bruno’s time from A1, so aim achieved.’ On his Schumacher buggy he said ‘The car felt really good so I can’t complain, I had a big gap, so I just cruised around and be consistent.’ Looking to the deciding 3rd A-main he remarked ‘For A3 I will put on my set (tires) from Q4, which felt really good, and just keep Bruno behind me. Basically I’ll keep it on 4 wheels and try to win.’

Coelho took the runner up spot but had to work for it, the Portuguese driver getting caught on the wall, which dropped him back behind 3rd placed starter Haatanen whom he made two identical passes on the left side step down, on 2 consecutive laps. Asked about the final he replied ‘It was good, I had new tires now so in the beginning the car was a little bit strange to drive, very reactive.’ On his mistake and having to fight back he said ‘I did some small mistakes and got stuck on the wall but then I recovered to 2nd place. I had a good fight with Joona.’ Looking to the final A-main of 2wd, before the schedule switches to 4wd, the Xray driver said ‘One more final to go so everything is still open.’

Inheriting 2nd and then trying to keep Coelho behind, Haatanen said of the battle ‘I had a good race with Bruno, he got by by me twice in the same spot, but at least it was fun.’ Talking about his Associated buggy, he said ‘I had new tires, it felt like I had less steering again but overall it was good, I was third.’

Third place in A1, Daniel Kobbevik would finish in 4th this time, running at the back end of the Joona, Bruno battle but unable to get in the mix. Cragg once again would stay out of trouble and claim 5th, this time ahead of Jessica Pålsson who took 6th just in front of Lee Martin, the Yokomo driver again having a difficult final, finishing in 7th.

In the 2wd 13.5 class Sven Rudig took the win with his Associated buggy in front of pole man Pawel Ntkova with Stephan Eberding in 3rd. A1 winner Juraj Hudy managed to work his way up to 2nd and challenge the lead but some mistakes saw him drop back to 4th at the end. In the Stock Stadium truck class Bartosz Zalewski wrapped up the overall with victory in both the first and second finals with A2 seeing him win in front of Sven Rudig and Rene Levetzow.

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Coelho gifted A1 win as Orlowski makes late error

Bruno Coelho has taking the opening 2wd A-main at the Euro Offroad Series in Warsaw Poland this morning, the Xray driver benefitting from a late mistake by then leader Michal Orlowski that saw the Polish driver demoted to 2nd. Daniel Kobbevik came through from 5th to take 3rd at the finish just in front of Paul Crompton in 4th with Neil Cragg completing the top 5. Commenting after the race, Coelho said ‘It was a very good final, I got stuck on the first corner and think I blocked 8 guys behind me’ continuing ‘but after that it was very good. I had a small mistake during the run when I was right behind Orlowski, I tried to close a little more and made a small mistake and then he pulled away.’ Able to close the gap again, Bruno was there to pounce when the Polish driver made a mistake and could come through to take the win.

Orlowski led the race from the start and looked to have the win sewn up but coming through the 5-corner chicane in front of the driver’s stand he managed to catch his Schumacher buggy on the corner. Describing the start of the final he said ‘I had a good start, I saw Bruno pushing really hard but I could see him making small mistakes catching some pipes. In the end I tried to keep my pace and maintain the gap between me and him.’ On the crash that saw him lose the spot to his Xray rival he simply said ‘I guess it was a stupid mistake and some bad luck as well’ but looking forward to A2 he was still upbeat saying ‘The car feels good, there is still two more to go, I have good tires so its all still on the line.’

Young Norwegian Daniel Kobbevik was able to drive a clean race and avoid those crashing around him, first as Lee Martin made a mistake on the opening lap and then when Joona Haatanen pulled up on lap 6. ‘No mistakes, I didn’t push that much. I had new tires so maybe it will be more difficult for the next one.’ commented the Xray driver before continuing ‘The first final was pretty good to have a 3rd.’

Coming through the field, the Yokomo driver starting back in 9th, Paul Crompton kept his head down to take 4th for the round ahead of fellow British driver Neil Cragg in 5th. Jorn Neumann, 3rd place starter Lee Martin, EOS A-final debutant Jessica Pålsson, Joel Valander and Joona Haatanen completed the top 10 standings for the round.

In the Stock 13.5 class it was Juraj Hudy who took the win, the Xray boss taking the lead late in the race following a good race-long battle with 2nd place finisher Marcel Röttgerkamp. Stephan Eberding with finish in 3rd ahead of Damian Rogodzinski in 4th and Rene Levetzow in 5th, while pole man Pawel Ntkovca ended the race in 6th.

View the complete event results here.

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