Round 1 of the Swiss Nationals was held last weekend at the track of Sitterdorf, hosted by the Modell Rennsport Club St. Gallen. The weather forecast wasnâ™t good so I prepared all the stuff for rain â“ air filters, engine, tyres, etc.
We arrived at the track on Friday morning and it was cloudy and cold but no rain so we could test the car. My father and I worked a lot on the set-up with the help of Traugott Schär. The track had really low grip on Friday and we had to find the right set-up in order to have enough grip and steering.
At the end of the day the car was good and quite easy to drive but the track wasnâ™t so good.
Saturday was another very cloudy and cold day and the car was really good! In the first three runs I managed to be in the Top 5. In the last run the track was better and the car was really good, but after the start my engine stopped so I finished the qualifying rounds in 5th position.
(click to enlarge)
EXPERT 1/8 Top 5 after qualifying:
1. Hächler Silvio
2. MĂĽller Marco
3. Kurzbuch Simon
4. Martinelli Luca 5. Pesenti Mattia XRAY RX8 2012
In the 1/10th class, Schär Traugott and Kuriger Sandro were fighting for TQ. Traugott was really fast but at the end Kuriger got the TQ.
1/10 Top 5 after qualifying:
1. Kuriger Sandro 2. Schär Traugott XRAY NT1â™12
3. Lehnerr Christian XRAY NT1â™12
4. Lechner Klaus
5. Scheidegger Silvio
Unfortunately, on Sunday the rain came and so in the morning my father and I prepared the car for rain conditions. Air filter, engine, electronics⦠and we locked the car in 2nd gear in order to more easily manage the acceleration. During the semi-final I mounted an old set of Kissling Rain Tires and they werenâ™t so good, with no grip and steering, but I finished 5th so I qualified for the final.
For the final I mounted a new set of Kissling Rain Tires and the car was really good. I started from 9th position but after 3 laps I was already in the Top 5. Pethoud Christophe and Henzi Thomas were setting the pace ahead of me and Hächler Silvio. Pethoud had a problem and he slipped down to 4th position and also Henzi had some engine problems so I took the lead at 10mins to the end.
My tires werenâ™t so good at the end so Pethoud and Hächler were pushing really hard. Pethoud was right behind me at 2mins to the end, but he had an engine stoppage. But it wasnâ™t finished yet and Hächler was pushing hard. In the last 2 laps you could hear my father and Hächlerâ™s father⦠âśPUSH SILVIO!!!! MATTIA CALMâ¦NO MISTAKES!!âť I won the race with less than a 1second gap! WHAT A RACE!!!
