Feldmann crowned IFMAR 1:5 Touring World Champion
Markus Feldmann is the 2022 IFMAR 1:5 Touring Car World Champion, the German becoming the first repeat champion in the category. As the ISTC World Championship was taking place in Italy, across the Atlantic the large scale World Championships was taking place at Steel City R/C Speedway, Fontana, USA, the same venue that hosted the 2019 1:8 Onroad World Championship. In qualifying it was Marius Hetland who secured the TQ with his fastest time from the six rounds of qualifying coming in Round 5. Also setting his best time in Q5, 2013 Champion Feldmann qualified P2 to book his place directly into the 1-hour A-Main. Having qualified 6th, track owner Kyle Goodwine would win the first of the Semi Finals ahead of 2019 Champion Marko Grigic and Martelli Gianmarco. In the 2nd Semi Final, pole sitter Andrea Catalani would retire from the lead with less than 10 minutes to go allowing Edoardo Repetti to take the win ahead of Austin Sarnelle. The 11th running of the championship, in the final Feldmann would go to the front after just a few laps and while Hetland got back to the lead twice, Feldmann stayed at the front for the second half of the race to take the title. Enjoying a strong performance on home soil, Goodwine would finish on the same lap as Feldmann to become Vice-Champion with Martelli Gianmarco third for an all Mecatech podium. Hetland would eventually finish 5th after late issues.
Image: IFMAR [ifmar.org]