Albatec Racing continued to show its race-winning potential with a place in the semi finals at the penultimate round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship at the PS Center Greinbach, Austria yesterday. Armed with the team’s two litre 16v Peugeot 208, Team Principal Andy Scott narrowly missed a place in the Final, finishing just behind RallycrossRX title contender Timmy Hansen, and was consistently among the top 12 qualifiers throughout the weekend.
Despite two frantic heats around the 1.1km track this morning, that saw the Dumfries Scotsman sustain a heavy hit in both four-lap races, the 2011 MSA British Rallycross Vice-Champion successfully posted the eighth fastest time in the third heats. In the fourth, he overcame the frustration of being spun out of a possible third place, recovering to finish fifth, but with his race time seriously compromised.
His pace in the opening three heats however was enough to secure a place in the semi finals, the first since the opening race of the nine-round calendar, at Lydden Hill, and comes on the back of an improved performance over the last three rounds that saw the team qualify just outside the top 12 last time out.
In the first heat this morning Scott lined up alongside Alexander Hvaal, Tord Linnerud, Alois Höller and Jos Jansen, and made a good start to slot into second behind Hvaal. A heavy hit from behind damaged the left rear of the car and Scott out wide, allowing two cars past, however a strong recovery allowed him to keep up a good pace finishing third in his heat and securing the eighth fastest time overall.
Heat two proved even more eventful. A good start saw him pass Stig-Olov Walfridson for fourth on the opening lap. Taking an early joker, Scott rejoined but was spun out of contention by Frode Holte, who drove into the Peugeot as he rejoined the main track. With substantial bodywork damage and a puncture, Scott limped to the finish, but was still able to take up his place in the six lap semi final.
In the second semi final this afternoon, Scott lined up on row three, and a reasonable start saw him quickly up into fifth place, just behind Hansen, crossing the line fifth. Despite not making the final, the team now heads to the final round at Estering, Buxtehude in Germany, determined to repeat that form as it looks to bring its debut RallycrossRX season to a close with victory.
Andy Scott, Team Principal and driver Albatec Racing #26 :
“We got through to the semi finals in 12th but I really think with the speed we had this weekend we could just as easily have been sixth or seventh, it’s just the way our luck went in the heats with Bakkerud’s spin and me having to get around the outside, being pushed by Linnerud and then Holte, so we could have easily have lined up in the semis in a better position.
“The semi final had a line-up that would have been sufficient for a final. I had to take a choice in the first two or three corners, either be safe or push very hard, which could have resulted in me coming off better, with damage to somebody, but that’s not my style of racing and on this occasion it resulted in fifth position. I’m pleased we made the semis, but I still want to make the final!”
Marc Laboulle, Team Manager Albatec Racing :
“It was clearly our objective to qualify for the semi finals and we did, which is particularly nice as the level was so high. The result was very good for all the team and for Andy, just two more places higher and we’d have made the final for the first time. When you are beginning to race with the drivers at this level, of course you must be very happy to be here.
“I was not really worried that we wouldn’t have good pace here, as I knew this kind of track would be really fast for us. But it’s obviously very important to be perfect in every corner every lap. And in the end we finished fifth in our semi final. I hope we can have the same result for Germany, if I could sign up for that now I would.”
