Robert Pietsch is European Champion
Driving the new Mugen MRX-5, a car he was responsible for designing, Robert Pietsch has finally claimed his first big title winning the EFRA 1:8 Onroad European Championship at Locorotondo in Italy today. Starting from pole position the German led the 45-minute final from start to finish. The only driver to follow him closely was Motonica’s Dario Balestri who finished half a lap behind the 2008 World Championship Top Qualifier. The majority of the drivers were on a 3.5 minute fuel stop strategy with one tire change at the race’s mid point. Only Alberto Picco was pitting longer running just over 4 minutes but his chances of victory ended when half way through a glowplug let go costing the Italian a lot of time. Current World Champion Lamberto Collari had to settle for third on the podium after he was forced to do an extra pit stop due to a damaged tyre on his Kyosho. Apart from Pietsch and Balestri, all the drivers were forced to make unscheduled pitstops as they hit problems.