Last weekend, the 1:12 scale European Championships took place in Sicily (Italy).There had been 43 entries for the Spec class (13.5T Morors.), and 24 entries for the Modified class (6.5T Motors). The fast track layout was a huge challenge for the drivers as the carpet featured some bumps which made it even harder to go fast. In the end, the best of the best found themselves on top of the board again showing that it doesn`t matter how good or bad a track is….
The Modified class saw Schumacher factory driver Michal Orlowski confirming his great form as he claimed the pole position for the finals after qualifying. Orlowski`s Schumacher teammate Ollie Payne was lining up in second on the grid, followed by the Xray of Alexander Hagberg, and the Awesomatix of Marc Rheinard. Jan Ratheisky (Xray) was fifth after qualifying.
Michal Orlowski was able to win the first two A-Mains to take the title back which he had lost to Alexander Hagberg last year. Payne, hagberg, and Rheinard were fighting for the positions in teh finals and it was Marc Rheinard who took second overall in front of Alex Hagberg after the Swede received a controversal 5 seconds penalty in A3 after a side-by-side contact with Ollie Payne.
In the Spec class it was Awesomatix driver Simon Lauter who was TQ after qualifying. Not a bad achievement at his first ever 1:12 scale race. Ollie Payne (Schumacher) and Jan Ratheisky (Xray) qualified second and third on the grid and the finals had been a close affair. Jan Ratheisky was bale to win A1, before Simon Lauter won the second and third final to become the 2024 european champion. Ollie Payne managed to secure second overal and Ratheisky came home in third place followed by the reigning world champion Max Mächler(Awesomatix).
Pictures: Facebook (Max Mächler, Michal Orlowski, Ollie Payne)