Suzuki: First success for the new Swift Sport
SLALOM CHAMBLON The sixth round of the Suzuki Grand Prix 2018 was once again dominated by the duel between Fabian Eggenberger and Sandro Fehr. But almost more attention was paid to the race of Patrick Flammer with a new Swift Sport in Group L1. 2018 is the last transition year in the Suzuki Grand Prix for the sportiest customers, which [...]
2018 is the last transition year in the Suzuki Grand Prix for the sportiest customers who do not yet want to part with their proven Swift Sport 1600. Suzuki Switzerland rewards loyalty with lucrative bonuses and hopes to make the switch to the New Swift Sport palatable to them for 2019.
The car has definitely passed its baptism of fire. One week after the debut with Alexander Ullrich in Romont, the Flammer Speed Team really got to grips with the new sports car with the 1400cc turbo engine at the Chamblon slalom. Patrick Flammer works in Safenwil, receives support for the slaloms with the Swift Sport Evo 2000 in Group E1 and is therefore virtually considered a factory driver.
Fun ride to class victory
Flammer and his new Suzuki fulfilled the task with flying colors. Divided into the L1 class up to three liters displacement (because of the turbo coefficient), Flammer met the previous series winner Hansueli Zahnd in a Peugeot 208 GTi and others - and he beat them all.
After setting the best time but with a gate error in the first run, Flammer managed a clean second run that was enough to win the class outright. In a time (3'39.4) that was faster than that of all two-liter naturally aspirated cars and the three Renault Mégane RS in the next class up.
No wonder, Flammer drew a thoroughly positive conclusion and also the interest of all Suzuki pilots.
Patrick Flammer: "The car is fun to drive because the ESP never intervenes. The torque is awesome. The experience with a TCR car suited me, since a turbo engine requires controlled throttle response. The New Swift also only has 140 hp, but the kerb weight of 975 kilos is a super value, which makes fast times possible."
Fifth victory in sixth race
Only three of the nine Swift Sport 1600s with slick tires and optimized sports suspensions were faster in the L2-1600 class than Flammer in the brand-new production car with roadworthy sports tires. First and foremost, once again, Fabian Eggenberger.
Sandro Fehr was still ahead in training, but Eggenberger made everything clear in the first run with 3'33.0. If it hadn't been for the one mistake he made, he could have been half a second ahead, the man from Zurich admitted after his fifth win of the season.
Sandro Fehr, who finished second with a gap of 1.5 seconds, could only marvel at this.
Sandro Fehr: "I had to drive insanely in the second run to get 3'34. I have no more reserves and don't know how Fabian can do it."
Fifth place in class and third place in the internal Suzuki standings went to Bruno Bleiker, as in Romont, with only 42 thousandths ahead of Gilbert Denzer. Denzer could not explain why he did not achieve his significantly better time from practice.
Dario Zutter marked the third fastest time in the first run, but unfortunately not without mistakes, so he had to settle for sixth place behind Heiko Leiber.
Andreas Saner, Igor Rodella and Daniel Schneider all fluffed in the second run and thus only finished 7th, 8th and 9th with their first time.
