David Still in the Overall Lead, Markus Betrayed by Technology
Even after the fourth event David Vršecký has kept his top overall position. Markus Bösiger has dropped to the third rank after the Spaniard Antonio Albacete due to a technical defect.
The programme began on Friday already, which is not normally the case. On Friday the drivers could be reminded of the Nogaro traps in two free training rides. The quickest times in both rides were achieved by David, Markus excellently following with the second quickest times. The most important thing was that they did not forget anything of their skills over the night and performed identically in the Saturday time practice. David, in addition, got into the record tables with a new quickest time of the track. The original table entry was even improved by Markus, who lost the mere three hundredths of second after David. Our drivers were only challenged by the third Albacete, the others ending with considerably bigger losses – for example the sixth Briton Oliver lost the whole three seconds behind the winner.
The qualifying race then became a “going off to war” ride of the blue Buggyras. David rapidly took the lead and Markus stuck to his back. For the first four rounds our couple was only followed closely by Albacete and the domestic Belloc, but these two were left behind in the second half of the race to their mutual fight for the third position. The ranking did not change until the end of the race. Hahn arrived in the finish with a more than 20 second loss, still having trouble to get the optimum performance out of MAN after transfer from Mercedes. “Even though I drove at my best, I did not have to fear any aggressive attack from behind, which was a very pleasant feeling. Then I could see in the rear view mirrors that I even had a small advantage over Markus and that Albacete was left behind, and so I could peacefully end the race,“ expressed David his satisfaction after the race.
The start of the cup race offered a dramatic spectacle. David could not keep the best starting position and succumbed to a precise attack of Markus. Albacete made use of the situation and got in front of him too. In the course of the first couple of rounds Markus disappeared in the front, while David still kept close contact with the Spaniard, testing his trace. The expected attack came in the seventh round, when the two trucks even collided, but Buggyra again clearly possessed more strength. This was confirmed soon afterwards, when David donated Albacete something around a second in every subsequent round. “I think that a similar attack was performed in the first round by Antonio himself, leaving me in the third position immediately after start. I then had a fantastic racing experience, chasing him for six rounds, overtaking him in the seventh and then leaving him far behind in the following ones. It was something completely different from zigzagging in front of him all the race, and fearing loss of the position. i am pleased with the duel more than I would be with a victory, even though I still miss a victory in a Nogaro cup race,“ closed the Saturday David with satisfaction. Markus too had a reason to rejoice: “The opening duel was uncompromising, but fair. This is what it should be like, there is no point in eliminating the rival. Tomorrow Albacete will probably want to return this to us.“
His words came true as soon as in the Sunday time practice, where the fight for the top position was again the matter of the first three drivers in the overall championship ranking. This time, however, the field was controlled by Albacete, who defeated the second Markus and the third David by hundredths of second. The time of the fourth Hahn was nearly two seconds slower. But the Spanish predator did not enjoy the first position for a long time - in fact just until the signal of the green lights. After that the conductor ´s baton was taken by the Swiss professor of truck racing and showed his rear to Albacete still before the first curve. David again changed into a tick, circling for the whole eight rounds immediately after the Spaniard. “Today Antonio was absolutely attentive, and avoided every slightest mistake. Perhaps his truck worked better than yesterday, too. I was not given any chance to overtake and I did not want to risk. In the current situation every score point is worth a price of gold!“
This time the start of the cup race did without more serious clashes, even though David tried to get in front of Albacete in the beginning. The ranking settled quickly, copying the result of the qualifying race. In the course of the first couple of rounds Markus developed a small advantage and David again formed a tight tandem with Albacete. A couple of times his attack seemed to be approaching, but the Spaniard kept the ideal route. In the seventh round David had to put aside his plans for overtaking and rather concentrated on a faultless ride. One of the tyres on the rear axle got damaged and I lost the necessary stability in cornering. I rather began to watch my back for any approaching rival. Even though I approached Albacete again towards the finish, a more vigorous attack would equal a suicide. Two second ranks in the cup races are excellent and the score points are much needed,“ said the satisfied David. Markus, however, was disappointed. Leading the field for the whole first half of the race he was then deprived of another triumph by a banal defect of his air system. Albacete rejoiced, as he achieved the victory for free and got easily to the second position in the overall ranking.
In the team competition Buggyra keeps the top position before MAN, the third Renault following with a considerable loss. The Renault team star Frankie Vojtíšek became the king Nogaro losers, not scoring a single point for the whole weekend due to technical problems.
