Track Focus – Minidrom Ettlingen

Track Name – Minidrom Ettlingen
Club – Mini Car Club Ettlingen
Country – Germany
Location – Ettlingen (SW of the country)
Direction – Anti-clockwise
Surface – Asphalt
No. of ENS Races hosted – 1 (2015)

Having made a popular debut on the Euro Nitro Series calendar last year achieving a record entry for the high profile onroad nitro championship when it hosted the penultimate round, Minidrom Ettlingen is back this time playing host to Round 2. Attracting an increased entry on 2015, the track is run by the predominantly nitro Mini Car Club Ettlingen who built the track 26-years ago on land owned by the local city.   The first major change to the track layout over that time came 2-years ago when during a resurfacing of the track it was extended to 265-metres with the addition of a new 25-metre section.  The asphalt used during the work has left the track with a very fine/smooth surface. Last year’s ENS marked the first international race on the new layout.

Top Qualifier here last year, Dominic Greiner said the track has ‘a very special surface’.  Causing the car to have ‘a lot of front steering’ he said initially ‘it is a bad feeling’ and you need ‘a special set-up just for here’.  Having found that set-up last year and running just a few tweaks to that this year, the German is enjoying the track.  Last year’s 1:8 Top Qualifier, Simon Kurzbuch called the track surface ‘unique’.  A ‘fast layout with low grip’, the World Champion said its important to ‘carry a lot of speed onto the straight’ and then coming off the straight to be ‘nice & smooth on the throttle (so as to) carry good speed into the next section’.  Describing the track as having ‘low tyre wear’, he said ‘it requires a different set-up to normal tracks’ adding ‘its interesting though trying to get the car working’. One big factor outside of the control of the drivers and organisers that looks set to effect this weekend’s racing is the weather.  The first official practice day already interrupted by heavy rain.