4WD Practice day coincided with the first proper sunshine we'd had at the Bilbao track. The 4WD cars were looking quicker but without proper timing it was hard to really know - we did the rounds and a few mechanics had been timing some top drivers.

Hupo Honigl and Jorn Neumann were both being timed and were apparently on very similar times of approximately 25.1 seconds - nearly a second and a half faster than the quick 2WD laps. Simon Moss was putting in around 26.0 seconds. Robert Itoh from Yokomo claimed a 24.8 second lap for Jorn but we'll have to check that out when the AMB timing is active tomorrow.

Some of the very best (or maddest) drivers are doing the whole quad in one jump now - some drivers even claiming it's easier than jumping the 3+1 which was most popular in 2WD. One things for sure though, getting the timing for the quad isn't an easy transition from 2WD with even the top drivers unable to jump consistently so far - but it's early and maybe some drivers still suffer from last nights drinking sessions.

TRF501X

TRF511 - Hupo goes for a roll

HUPO'S Tamiya TRF511
Hupo Honigl is the Worlds best Tamiya driver - FACT! And he's the one to go to for the latest developments. Hupo never gets sent kits by Tamiya Japan, only parts to build up his cars. Hupos car for this year is the latest Tamiya TRF511 - he's not had a lot of track time with the car and competed at the warmup for the first time on Astro Turf with the 511 so this will be the second time on this surface.

Hupo's car is fairly standard - there's no massive surprises but a few interesting little developments. The easiest to spot are perhaps the grey rod ends - the originals are frankly a bit naff and the team drivers didn't use them, prefering to use white Losi items or similar. These new ones are according to Hupo many times better.

Hupos car also has some new split top decks to add flex. Hupo uses the latest servo from Sanwa - the SDX-801 low profile, which gives extra room for his LRP SXX

Some parts on Hupos car are pre-production, like upper bulkheads front and rear - slight variations in looks but not performance from the final versions.

New split top decks front and rear

New grey ball cups

Hupo uses the latest low profile servo from Sanwa

LRP Power - MRT PT

Alloy rear hubs

No spring height adjuster to lower the rear

Modified bulkhead to allow room for LiPo + raised posts

 

Team Hungary: Gabor Forrai

Hello Team Hungary, you've travelled a long way to get to Bilbao, was it worth the trip?
It was ok, I was just sleeping in the back seat, my father was driving so he's the hero. Bilbao is nice.

How are you finding the track to drive, is it the sort of surface that you are used to?
I've never driven on a surface like this, it's a very difficult track to drive. Mark and Hupo have helped me to set up the car though so that has helped.

Which cars do you normally race?
Tamiya - I drive touring car 1/10th scale electric modified, and the buggy. This is the 2nd time I have driven this car outdoors, we don't race a lot of offroad outdoors at home, there is a better championship indoors though. The racers in Hungary are getting more used to off road though so we are planning to do more.

Have you won many titles in touring cars in Hungary?
I have won the Tamiya cup many times, this time there were 5 classes and I was champion of 2. The Tamiya Euros was held in Germany last weekend and I finished 9th.

Do you get fed up of jokes about your countries name?
Haha, you are kidding with it, it's ok. Normally when I am racing abroad it's in Austria, Czech republic or Germany, so we speak some English but they don't joke about the name because it doesn't mean the same thing.

What is your favourite Hungarian dish?
My favourite food is Austrian - Wiener snitzel, it's a meat dish. My mother, grandmother and girlfriend cook nice food :)

What surface do you normally race on back home?
Mostly carpet when we're indoors, and outdoors track would be made out of dirt.

After 3 rounds of qualifying you're in 43rd place overall, are you happy with this? And where would you like to finish?
It's ok, I was really happy with 35th after 2 rounds. The other guys are getting faster and faster and I am losing time. I am suprised in a good way, I thought I would be about 80-100th, but we'll see at the end.

Do you see toy car racing as a hobby or a career?
It's a hobby, I like doing it. I'm actually studying car design / engineering so it is quite close to what I am studying. I am also interested in real cars and the way the engines and suspension work.

What are your favourite tyres to use at this event?
First I tried the minispike, then Marc gave me a slim minispike, but then I tried the stagger ribs and I think the car is easier to drive with these tyres.

Does it get lonely being the only Hungarian racer, or do you have plenty of support?
No, I'm not feeling lonely. I have my parents here and plenty of support from the other drivers.


Interview with Lee-Mag Farrer

TV superstar - tell us the story of how you came to be famous on the television.
The Eurosport one? Well, I was drunk and it was Tour-de-France, the company that we're working for is an Australian firm so they had some Aussies over with a big blow up kangaroo. They were trying to get it on tv but didn't succeed, so I took control of it. There was a road open near where the start line was, so I hopped up on the back of this 6ft kangaroo and pulled up next to a Ferrari at traffic lights and gave 'the look' of wanting to race, and I didn't realise it at the time but I was on TV from a film crew in a helicopter.

Speaking of telly, which is your favourite tellytubby?
The red one - Po isn't it?

How come no-one saw you at Stotfold national?
Cos I had to hire someone to put the tape on Northys car - I wasn't actually there, but it was my tape that got lost.

Or any other event this year for that matter?
I went to Blyth regional, and people saw me there. We tied ben up with gaffa tape, we didnt lose any tape at Blyth though.

Did you find your gaffer tape?
Northy has it but won't give it back, I think he's holding it to ransom.

What's the food like in Monaco?
Is it true you now follow a liquid diet?
Everything is really expensive, you can't go out without spending £300. Even McDonalds? I don't really go there. The liquid diet is my preferred option, although you can pay 30 quid for a drink over there. In one bar there were blokes spraying girls with £24,000 bottles of Crystal champagne.

Do you think it's true that some people have more money than sense?
Yeah!

Do you have any sense?
I have sense when I want to have sense, most of the time I don't. Well it just depends if Chazz is watching. Darren finds me amusing so it's ok.

Where are Stu's losi shocks?
I swapped him a set of tyres at a rally-cross meeting for those!

How would you rate the hire cars over here in Spain? How does it compare to your usual choice of transport?
Err, well the hire cars over here are poor in general, I find the handbrake cable to be particularly weak. It struggled with the mountains, carried a lot of corner speed though, Ellis can vouch for that. DC was scared, and it was the quietest Little Ben has ever been.

How much Spanish have you learnt in preparation for your trip here?
I know how to call a waiter, and I can say Hello. Hello is English. Yeah, but Hola, sorry, I didnt want to confuse you, didn't know whether you were fluent.

What is your favourite pizza topping?
Ham and oranges.

Do you think you are in with a chance of winning this event?

If I go faster than everyone, and I don't crash - and they do, then I might TQ the event, but I don't know about winning.

Now for some more serious racing questions - what were your first impressions of the facilities here in Bilbao?
The track facilities are pretty cool, the track looks good, it's quite good to drive. Bilbao isn't quite up to scratch though, they haven't finished building it yet, Bilbao is like a spanish Beiruit.

Does it disturb you at all that the building of bilbao hasn't quite reached completion yet?
I think they do build it up, but people keep blowing it up as well which doesn't help, and it probably annoys them. It's like when you were little and you built a lego house or garage, then your little brother came and kicked it over, probably the same level of frustration.

You have already TQ'd the event in the chassis breaking department - do you feel it would be wise to quit whilst you're ahead, or are you going to persevere?
 I'm going to persevere. I'd like to do the double but I've only got one chassis for 4wd.

What is your favourite tyre?
I would say J Concepts double dees - yeah baby.

Can you offer some of the less talented drivers any useful tips for navigating this track?
Go big or go home.

What is your Spanish name?
Hector Flamingo.

Are you going to write a book about your adventures and experiences?
Yes, I think I will, just to please Darren. If he can fund it, I'll give him the first copy as well, signed

 

Tom Cockerill is looking for some more power - we think he can find it with Piespeed.

Whilst Daddy Ellis is hoping to complete a practice run without breaking his car.

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Top UK racer and all-round great guy Scott Whyman was snapped wrenching on his car yesterday - without any reason to! This was the first time in 25 years that surrogate father Glyn Ward had seen Scott pit on his car when it was not broken. The panic was soon over however, as during the ominous procedure Scott discovered a broken front bulkhead.

Glyns despair was heightened today when following a routine front spring change, during which one of Scotts springs mysteriously disappeared, his 4wd car endured problems during one of the practice runs, and started making strange noises. It was upon removing the front wheels from the car that the missing spring was finally found - jammed inside the front wheel. We think this deserves a nomination for tool of the meeting :)

The Yok guys stealthily set Yardys car up for him.

Symbollic flag for the Spanish team.

Durangos Adam Skelding is so confident about his car just half a day into practice, that he abandons all pitting in favour of a sack of crisps.

These Austrian dudes had also built up a good appetite during the mornings practice and were seen preparing a feast fit for a small country. Like Austria really.

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Once again at the Euros this year, who did we bump into other than Chris Longs very own fan club, months after Chris made his move from X Factory to Schumacher. We admire this guys dedication. When asked about his affection for Chris Long, our friend (Sorry, I forgot his name) replied 'I liked the colour red'. Stu then entered a rather lengthy discussion with himself explaining why Chris had made the move over to Schumacher, whilst also justifying Chris' absence from this event being something to do with the money munch. Stu was going to tell Chris' #1 fan some legendary Chris Long tales, but thought better of it in the end as there were ladies about.

 

 

Paul Robinsons Atomic Carbon S4 - including set-up sheet for those with special vision.

Yardys slipper clutch was so tight that it took two strong chaps to loosen it off.

Tom Cockerill

Ellis Stafford

Carrie Evans!

Andy Jones and Paul Robinson

 

Jorn Neumanns B-Max4 '09

Jorn Neumann is the top sponsored Yokomo driver at the Euros this year and has the backing of the guys from Japan - alongside their other main driver Tom Yardy from the UK these are the only two drivers racing with the new big-bore shocks.

The 'big bores' are the biggest new part on the car for this euros. The rest of the car is mostly a '09 spec Yokomo B-Max which comes with the blue alloy parts you can see here - added cooling and bling factor around the motor/spur etc. Jorns car is also running new carbon fibre cell straps that should be available soon.

 

'09 spec - nice blue bits.

New cell straps

Big bores - EVERYONE wants these, Yokomo driver or not.

Yardy showed us one of the pistons from the new shocks.

Tom Yardys car - the Yokomo dudes are also helping to get Toms car working well with the new dampers.

 

 

By the end of the day some drivers were still trying - but failing, to 'do the quad'. The line to take seemed to be to go out wide after the table top to get up enough speed to clear the lot. Those doing the 3+1 could cut in tighter so it remains to be seen if the risk is worth it. There were of course a lot of breakages in this area throughout the day though.

Not the way to do the quad

Hupo was ruling the air

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