Flammer: Mountain intermezzo with Suzuki Swift
COMPROMISE AFTER ANZÈRE ACCIDENT The high-profile duel between Patrick Flammer and Michel Zemp in the new TCR class will not continue until the Gurnigel. Until the Opel Astra that was badly damaged in the accident in Anzère is ready to race again, Flammer will be driving the E1 Suzuki. The class of front-wheel drive touring cars according to TCR regulations has only consisted of [...]
The class of front-wheel drive touring cars according to TCR regulations consisted only of Michael Zemp in a Cupra Leon and Patrick Flammer in a brand new Opel Astra. However, they fought a tough duel everywhere.
After two narrow victories for Zemp in Hemberg and Reitnau, Flammer struck back on the track in Massongex, which was new to both of them. In Anzère, however, the Glarner was already so far behind after the first race run that he tried to compensate for this in the second and third runs.
Too much risk
The risky venture ended with a hair-raising accident on the second run. Flammer lost control of the 350 hp front-wheel drive car on the approach to the village of Les Flans.
As a result, the Glarner flew off the track between the crash barriers where Ronnie Bratschi had previously tested the robustness of his E1 Mitsubishi.
A few dozen meters below, the Astra crashed head-on into the parked Skoda of a track official at a good 80 km/h. A stroke of luck, so to speak.
Patrick Flammer: "The gap to Michel was too big for me. That's why I gave 105 percent at that point, whereupon the rear broke out on the bumps and I was no longer able to catch the Astra. If the marshal's car hadn't been there, I would probably have gone down even further. The whole thing could have ended even worse."
Apart from the engine and gearbox, everything on the front end of the Opel Astra TCR was broken - but the obviously robust chassis remained intact. The list of spare parts procured from Opel partner Kissling Motorsport comprised 91 items.
Over the past three weeks, the lights have been going out late at Garage Flammer's tinsmith shop and workshop in Glarus.
Patrick Flammer: "The car would already be 95 percent complete. That speaks for the service-friendliness of these modern TCR touring cars. Because I'm not competing for a championship, we were in no hurry. I want to complete a functional test first before I start on the mountain again. We also have the luxury of two race cars."
A good workout for the mind
For this reason, Flammer is starting this weekend in St-Ursanne in the E1 group with the Suzuki Swift Evo 2000, which is otherwise used in the slaloms. Flammer has already achieved two class victories and three second places in the highly competitive class with the Japanese car in 2018, which put him in seventh place in the intermediate classification of the 2018 Slalom Championship.
In St-Ursanne and Oberhallau, however, Flammer is not expecting any comparable results, especially as he will no longer be taking any risks with the Suzuki.
Patrick Flammer: "It's more about the fun of driving and getting your head back in the car after the accident. With the Suzuki, you don't stand a chance against the most powerful and much lighter E1 two-liters on the mountain."
Flammer's return with the Astra TCR is then planned for the Gurnigelrennen (September 8/9) and possibly afterwards at the Ambri slalom.
Michel Zemp, until then a TCR soloist, will be delighted.
