Preview ETS RD4 Hann. Münden, GER
The time has come: It is carpet season!
With some big races like the TOS in Augsburg, Longwy Winter Series RD1, and the EWS International already in the books, it is about the ETS to roll out the carpet for the first of three indoor races in Season #16 2023/24. With 270 entries, we have reached exactly the same number of racers we had last year at the same venue. The Transworld Hotel Auefeld is prepared for two great events (EOS directly after the ETS) and we can`t wait to get the show startet with free practice on Thursday!
Matrix Modified (31 Entries)
Who will close the gap to “Hidden Leader” Orlowski? Can Völker repeat his win from 2022?
The Matrix Modified class will see the top dogs trying to close the invisible gap to Schumacher`s Michal Orlowski who will race Offroad at the Florida Carpet Champs this weekend. Orlowski is currently not on top of the leaderboard, but with his two TQs and two race wins, he is in the best position to win the championship if he can continue like this in Daun (RD5) and Wiener Neustadt (RD6).
While Orlowski will race his Schumacher Buggys in the USA, it is all about Marc Rheinard (Awesomatix), Ronald Völker (Mugen Seiki) and Eric Dankel (Mugen Seiki) to score the best possible results in Hann. Münden to keep their championship hopes alive. They need to create some serious pressure (points wise) on Orlowski to maybe to let him struggle in Daun.
In the weeks before ETS RD4, Ronald Völker won the TOS race in Augsburg ahead of Marc Rheinard and finished second at the EWS race and in Longwy. Eric Dankel scored a fourth place at the TOS in Augsburg.
Beside the top 3 of the championship, we can expect Awesomatix driver Lucas Urbain to be a contender for the win in Hann. Münden. He won the race in Longwy ahead of Völker and also set the TQ at the EWS past weekend. Some tough luck in the finals saw him dropping down to P4 in the end but Lucas showed a great pace and was also strong at last year`s ETS race in the Transworld Hotel. Michele Manzo and Simon Lauter are completing the strong team of Awesomatix Modified drivers for the upcoming weekend.
The Yokomo team with Christopher Krapp and Yannic Prümper is also pushing their limits. Krapp was testing a lot and Prümper was able to win the TOS race in Hasloh (nothern Germany) in front of Marc Rheinard some weeks ago. Jan Ratheisky, Patrick Gollner, and Stefan Schulz are once again the hot irons in the game for Xray.
Forecast of the ETS Reporter: Urbain, Rheinard, and Völker with the best podium chances in the Modified class!
Awesomatix Pro Stock (28 Entries)
Bultynck, Ellerbrock, and Izsay – the top 3 are going for it at the Transworld Hotel
The Awesomatix Pro Stock class will see the top three drivers of the actual championship batteling it out once more. We have seen great racing between Lukas Ellerbrock, Adam Izsay, and Olivier Bultynck this season and everybody was able to win at least one race on asphalt. Lukas Ellerbrock (Awesomatix) has already won the TOS in Hasloh ahead of Adam Izsay (Xray). Izsay himself has done a lot of testing at the famous Hudy Arena including a victory at the XRS race.
Championship leader Olivier Bultynck has thrown a few smokescreens with not attending any of the bigger races in the alst weeks. It will be interesting to see who will be on the best pace when our event in Hann. Münden will start. It is game on in the Awesomatix Pro Stock class
Forecast of the ETS Reporter: Izsay and Ellerbrock with the best shot for the win while the performance of Bultynck is hard to predict!
Hobbywing Frontwheel (71 Entries)
Izsay and Weffers can cement their positions at ETS RD4
To be honest, the championship fight in the FWD class is not the most thrilling one right now. Adam Izsay (Xray) has a very comfortable lead and if he will finish in the top 5 at the next races, the championship will be his. Izsay was the only driver to finish on the podium at every race of the season and he won two of them. His gap to second placed Max Weffers very big at 13 points at the moment. Max Weffers (Mugen Seiki) had a great start into the season and is sitting in second place of the championship now. His advantage over third placed Andy Murray is already at 9 points and Murray is not racing this weekend.
A driver who could tip the scales is Roman Borschel. He attended only two of the three races until now and therefore he is not ranked very high in the standings. But with his win at RD3 in Andernach he could be the driver to fight with Izsay for the title on carpet. Borschel has won the race at the Transworld Hotel last season, and when he will start a winning streak now he can maybe challenge Izsay and the others on top of the Hobbywing Frontwheel class.
Forecast of the ETS Reporter: Borschel will challenge Izsay hard for the win, Myrberg can be a factor as well with the new Iris FWD car!
1up Racing 40+ Masters (45 Entries)
All eyes on championship leader Thalheimer as the “Masters Class” hits Hann. Münden
Xray racer Mirco Thalheimer was the man of the season so far. He was able to claim his first ever ETS race win during RD3 at Arena33, and he is leading the championship by 7 points from his two Austrian competitors René Kölbel (Xay) and Werner Schmitzer (Xray). Thalheimer was on the podium at every race this season and is in a well-deserved first position of the ranking list when he will start his journey to Hann. Münden.
Behind Thalheimer, Kölbel, and Schmitzer, we have Michel Zierold (Awesomatix) sitting in fourth place. He is a real strong carpet racer and many people expect him to be the hardest rival for Thalheimer in the remaining three carpet races. Zierold was able to win the second race of the season in Aigen (Austria) and his 7-point deficit only comes from his imperfect start into the season at RD1 in the Netherlands.
Forecast of the ETS Reporter: Zierold will set the pace, followed by Thalheimer and Mateo!
Orca 21.5 Stock (44 Entries)
Can Bergheim continue his triumph on carpet
For Awesomatix driver Tristan Bergheim, the current season is running smooth and perfect. He already won two times (Apeldoorn and Andernach) and finished third at RD2 in Aigen. He is leading the championship of the Orca 21.5 Stock class by 11 points from Mugen Seiki`s Timo Siebert and Emeiy Ratheisky.
Young Phil Langner will be a driver to watch in Hann. Münden as he recently won the TOS race in Hasloh in front of Tristan Bergheim and routinier Torsten Baggendorf. Phil Langner stepped onto the big stage of the ETS with a stellar drive to second overall in Aigen, followed by a third place at Arena33. Another top 3 finish would move him into the top 4 of the championship.
Timo Siebert and Tobias Baumbach are two more names which we can expect to aim for a top result in Hann. Münden together with many others who we are not able to rate properly now!
Forecast of the ETS Reporter: Three horse race for the win between Langner, Bergheim, and one surprisingly fast other driver!
ToniSport Formula (34 Enteries)
Everybody to hunt down championship leader Stiebler
Andreas Stiebler (Schumacher) has already scored two race wins this season (Apeldoorn and Aigen). With his worst result being a second place in Andernach, he has the best chances to defend his current ETS championship title. David Ehrbar finished the outdoor season on a high with his win at Arena33, while one of the most successful Formula racers in the history of the ETS, Jan Ratheisky (Xray), is still waiting for his first victory of the season. However, if anyone wants to close up to Stiebler in the rankings, it is time to start the hunt now.
Forecast of the ETS Reporter: Ratheisky will jump onto the championship train with a possible win ahead of Stiebler and Kölbel!