Suzuki Racing Cup: The air is thin
TOP-SEXTETT After two rounds of the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup, one thing is already clear: if you want to become champion, you not only have to show skill, but also nerves of steel - like Simeon Schneider. Two races, two winners and four different faces on the podium - not even including last year's dominator. It is already clear that the [...]
Two races, two winners and four different faces on the podium - not even including last year's dominator. It is already clear that the air in the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup has become as thin as on the summit of the Himalayas. But that's how motorsport should be.
It's not just about winning runs, but about a championship in which the overall winner can win 5,000 francs plus non-cash prizes. With eight slaloms without a single scratch result and the narrow gradation in the points system, this is a competition for experts with strong nerves.
It can affect anyone
Fabian Eggenberger, who won seven out of eight races in 2018 with the old Suzuki Swift Sport in the L2-1600 class, put it in a nutshell after his fourth place in Frauenfeld.
Fabian Eggenberger: "I've now got away with a black eye thanks to scoring mistakes in the first two races. You have to keep in mind that you can't afford to slip up. It can happen to anyone. But that makes it interesting. We knew when we registered that the regulations were like this. But the bad races are yet to come..."
By this, the Zurich native means those at the Bière, Bure, Romont and Chamblon ranges. There is no question that the garage owner from Dübendorf will soon be back on the podium.
The winner has done nothing wrong
It is astonishing that the Frauenfeld winner has never actually been at the top in his home race, neither in other cups nor in the SuperSeries.
Marcel Muzzarelli: "I always thought I was doing something wrong. That's why I came here with mixed feelings and knew that I had to change something. I rode a bit more aggressively and braked more into the gates. Obviously that was no longer so wrong..."
Confirmation of a brutally tough season
The winner of Interlaken had to realize after his sixth place that you can also run over your car.
Sandro Fehr: "I always find it difficult here, although I actually like the track layout. I can't understand it. But it's confirmation of how brutally tough the season will be."
Simeon Schneider also confirmed that he is one of the title contenders. After finishing third in Interlaken and second in Frauenfeld, only a victory will make him really happy. Coming second with just one flawless second run speaks for his strong nerves.
On the podium at the first attempt
Although newcomer Patrick Flammer finished third on the podium, last year's "development driver" and co-designer of the regulations only contests a few races for the Flammer Speed Team. He also drives some hill climbs with the TCR touring car.
Patrick Flammer: "I didn't expect to win here straight away. The standard is too high for that. That's why I'm very happy with my podium finish."
Flammer Speed Team has an ace up its sleeve
Like the double starters Eggenberger and Heiko Leiber (P10 in Frauenfeld), the Glarner will be competing as a team. The plan is for none other than slalom champion Martin Bürki to take part in the races in Chamblon, Romont and Drognens. He has already practiced at Slalom Götzis on Easter Saturday, and MB proved that he also knows how to handle production cars as a two-time champion in the OPC Challenge.
Battle at the top of the table and in the front midfield
While former Clio driver Ralf Henggeler once again performed superbly in fifth place, Christian Zimmermann ("I drove straight ahead in both races") slipped to seventh place in Interlaken.
The standings after Frauenfeld now suggest a title fight between six fast men: 1st Muzzarelli (38 points), 2nd Schneider (34), 3rd Fehr (33), 4th Eggenberger (29), 5th Henggeler, Flammer Speed Team (Ullrich, Flammer, Bürki) and Zimmermann (27 each).
The battle for fractions of a second in the midfield is also great. Mario Diethelm (from 26 to 8) and Jürg Jucker (from 27 to 9) have improved enormously from Interlaken to Frauenfeld. The same applies to Alexandra Mühlethaler as the fastest lady.
Instead, Alexander Ullrich (from 8 to 14), Rolf Tremp (from 9 to 12) and Roland Graf (from 1 to 11) dropped out of the top ten, with fractions of a second deciding the outcome. It will be no different on May 18 in Bière and May 26 in Bure. It will be interesting to see.
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