Marc Fischer reports on the GP Longwy in France.

Over 100 drivers competed in the very nice and large indoor hall.  The organisers did a superjob. This event is becomming bigger every year and well worth attending.

Top-drivers Like Fischer, Ehrbar, Volker, Prumper, Krapp, Kaufmann, Benson  and Sudhof came over, as well as  local heros Urbain, Loic , N-Diaye and Bultync.

 Saturday practise  + 4  Qualifiers

 

In the first practise runs, the 411 car was good , but in the 3rd the carpet had a lot more grip and my car was pushing over the front axle !  In the 4th and last practise  I then converted to the new lower proto shock towers and new lower proto shocks  ( using normal  length springs)  and the 411 car was  much better to drive, faster respons  under load changes, more corner  speed and traction !  Also easier to drive and better over the curbs.

 

First Qualifier

I started quite well with a 3rd place, very close to run in 2nd, but overtaking backmarkers cost time.

 

Second Qualifier

I went front  a little softer on the spring  so I got a little more steering, and I could run in 2nd place behind Volker

 

Third Qualifier

In this run , I changed the geardiffoil  and I was able to recod a 2nd place again now only  0.6 sec behind Ronald Volker !

 

4th Qualifier

Here I ran my 2nd set of tyres, but they  little traction and I therefore only a 6th place was possible.

 

 

Sunday 5 qualifier and 3 x A Finals

 

5th Qualifier

For the last run I used again the older tires,  but swapped  the front and rear tires from left to right and that worked really well, so I could win this one , a nice TQ run with 0.7 seconds gap on Ronald Völker

 

Line-up

 

Tq. Ronald Völker

Second Marc Fischer. Serpent S411

Third Lucas Urbain

4th David Ehrbar. Serpent S411

5th Loic Jasmin

6th Chrissi Krapp

7th Yannic Prümper

8th Marco Kaufmann

9th Tim Benson

10th Alexandre Laurent

 

First Finals

I was able to follow Ronald well until I made a little mistake and Ronald created some gap , I had fight understeer as I had treated the tyres little too early , but still made 2nd place.

 

Second Finals

From the start Ronald was able to create some gap, but he made an error, and I closed up again, satying on a 0,5 sec gap  and finished again 2nd, but only 1 second gap on Ronald duet o backmarker passes, really close racing.

 

Third Finals

I  trued to run near the limit, and was very close to Volker all the time, but passing was impossble this time.  So again a 2nd place for me, with an all 3 finals between 4 and 7 seconds lead on the 3rd driver, so I was really pleased.

 

In the race the following proto parts were used:

Chassisplate, split blocks Front and Rear,  improved  arms, new servoholder and lower towers and shocks.   These new parts and an updated kit are planned for mid january release.  We try to have ready even before.  The new parts can also be used to upgrade yr current 411 car.

 

The car was very good and I around Christmas, I am going to test a few other things so that we are well prepared  DHI Cup , ETS and Snowbirds.   Team mate David Ehrbar also used the new parts  on his 411 and also ran really well, with a 4th place after qualifying and 5th after the finals.

My set-up : MRC_Longwy_Serpent_411xx

Thanks again to David and especially to Michael and Ronald!

 

Marc Fischer

Team Serpent