Balestri closes on ENS Round 1 TQ
Dario Balestri closed in on becoming Top Qualifier for the Euro Nitro Series season opener at the track owned by Lamberto Collari, the two Italians swapping position in the latest two rounds of qualifying in Bologna. With Collari posting his first TQ run just ahead of Balestri in Q4, the order would be reversed in the fifth qualifier as the latter claimed his third TQ run of the event. Behind, Q4 would see an improved Albero Picco complete the Top 3 while Q3 pace setter Robert Pietsch would post the third quickest time on his fifth run.
Having suffered with a lean bottom end in the day’s opening qualifier, Balestri said his Telsa engine was ‘perfect’ for the next two rounds. Commenting on Q4, the 2014 1:10 ENS race winner said he had some issues with being held up in traffic but in terms of his Capricorn car ‘all was good’. Leaving it unchanged for Q5, he would set a new fastest qualifying time running half a second quicker than Collari. With only Collari able to deny Balestri pole position for tomorrow’s 45-minute main, once he finishes the round quicker than the 9-time World Champion the overall TQ is his.
Having suffered a stripped second gear in Q3, a number of changes to his set-up for Q4 gave Collari a ‘better’ car. Backing that up with a P2 in Q5, the rc racing legend said his MRX5 is nervous in the corners and for the penultimate qualifier he will make further changes to try and improve stability.
Opening his day with a TQ run, Robert Pietsch would suffer a mistake in Q4. Touching the curbing on the second lap it forced his kit standard MRX-5, the only modification being a cut in the chassis plate for more flex, wide and out onto the dirty line costing the German over a second in time. Running the car the same for round 5 he would get third describing the run as ‘quite OK’ given how close the times are. For Q6, he will try a set-up change his engine sponsor Alberto Picco made which the Italian found improved his MRX-5 which entails removing a side screw from the front upper arm mount bracket.
Fourth in Q5, Andrea Pirani said a rollbar change after Q3 had worked well but he lost time in both runs trying to get by Bruno Coelho. Setting the fastest lap of Round 5, the WRC driver and designer said the championship’s controlled tyres make the pace of everyone very close making it hard to have any advantage to execute a safe pass. For Q6 his only plan is to freshen up his GTX.
Enjoying good runs in the last two qualifiers, Picco said his standard kit MRX5 ‘set-up is fine’ and he ‘just need(s) to push more in (his) driving’.
Completing the Top 6 in the fifth round, defending champion Simon Kurzbuch is struggling with traffic. With rain meaning only a single round of timed practice was run the Team Shepherd driver found himself in the second fastest heat after encountering problems in the practice. Setting the fastest lap of Q4, the Swiss driver said his lap times are good but getting a clean run is the issue.
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