Robin D’Hondt takes victory at Belguim nats RD.4

Last weekend took place the 4th round of Belgium 1/8 On-Road Championship.Without time to rest after the Euro Championship in Valencia, Robin D’Hondt, managed to take the victory in a hard racing day, clearly conditioned by the scattered showers and changing weather.Here is the full Chornicle: Last weekend the 4th round of the Belgian Championship was held at the track of Roeselare. I came straight from “every day 35°” Spain to “4 seasons in one day” Belgium. The weather forecast wasn’t so good for the weekend with sunshine turning to wind & rain and then sunshine again, so grip was changing every hour.On Saturday I was curious how my setup from Spain would work on Roeselare … and like I thought, not really. Springs much to hard, and no stability all around.As I was driving purple all around and front shocks in middle hole I went to all blue springs and moved front shocks in highest hole. After I changed this it started raining and I couldn’t try anything anymore.

On Sunday the first qualifier came up and while I was racing I was thinking of what I could change on my car because the fastest laptime I was driving was 14.4 and last year it was 13.6 so I was way off the pace.For the next heat I just changed the whole setup of my car. I tried to find a setup in my head that was just easy to drive and fast. I like to drive with a car that has much stability in the back so I went to red springs in the back, blue in the front, 45W in front, 40W in rear (was driving 45 all around), rollcenter in front 1 mm down, expodential in my transmitter from 0 to -10, and from 2 toe-in to 2.5.  Once again it started to rain so the second qualify round was literally flushed away.Third heat and there was no grip at all so I thought maybe my setup would work … and it did.Car felt good, constant and fast enough to set the pace but then after 3 minutes of racing it started raining for 30 seconds or so.  This ruined my chances of TQ but I still took second place on the grid.While we were training just before the final it started to rain but on slightly.  This is how it had been all weekend – Rain for 20 minutes just enough to make the track wet and then it stops and dries again. So it wasn’t wet enough for rubber tires. I tried 33 shore but for this is it was to wet.  I told my dad to put aqua tires on and take my car to the grid. As the countdown began I was looking to the other cars to see what tires they had on. Gunther Van Staey on TQ had rubber tires. Some parts of the track were still dry so after one lap racing I took over the lead and drove away from the pack while Gunther was struggling to get his car around the track.I stayed in the lead for the entire race. Gunther was most of the time in second I think but in a tire change all went wrong and he lost many laps. For me the last pit stop my dad asked me to put 33 shore again because the track was almost dry.But I thought for the last 4 minutes … why change tires and risk something going wrong. Leave the tires on and I will drive safely … uhum, wrong choice, as I was driving trough slow corners I took a good look at my front tires and was thinking isn’t there supposed to be black there?I saw white spots where there used to be black … weird … my car was suddenly on the surface and I was driving on my rims. So the last 2 minutes I came in for the 33 shore (I had 5 laps in front of the second). With these 33 shore tires I drove the fastest lap of the race, almost 4 seconds faster then the fastest laps of the other drivers, and took the victory.

1:8 F1 Result

1. Robin D’hondt – 83 laps

2. Marc Van Passel – 79 laps

3. Nico Vandewynckel – 77 laps

4. Tom Smolderen – 75 lapsIn the 1/8

F2 class it was young driver Daan Haling who set the pace in a dry race with his Serpent.

1:8 F2 Result

1. Daan Haling – 110 laps

2. Patrick Vannieuwenhuyze – 107 laps

3. Bert Poesen – 105 laps

4. Akinori Yamauchi – 102 laps

235mm Result

1. Roger Capelleman – 97 laps

2. Leo Heremans – 84 laps

3. Sebastien Quintin – 81 laps

4. Wuyts Willy – 78 laps

would like to thank my sponsors for all what they do and for the good support in Valencia:Serpent Motorsport, Mega, ATS tires, Merlin Fuel, Ghiant Aerosols RC Car Colors and RC Tech.And special thanks to my 3 mechanics, my dad, Lode Haling and my girlfriend.GreetzzzzzInfo and pictures from: Red Rc and Serpent.

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, On Road

Cto. Bélgica 1:8 – Pleno Merlin

El pasado fin de semana se disputó en Roselare la 4ª prueba del campeonato de Bélgica 1:8 F1 y F2.

Como viene siendo habitual en Roselare durante las últimas competiciones, la prueba estuvo marcada por la lluvia intermitente. Esto se tradujo en una quimera para los participantes a la hora de  elegir neumáticos.

Periodos de lluvia de 20 minutos, dejaban la pista en condición húmeda y daban paso a un Sol, que sin calentar demasiado, era suficiente para dejar la pista casi seca.

Gunther Van Staey consiguió la pole con neumáticos de lluvia, seguido por Robin D’Hondt.

Poco antes de la final, apareción de nuevo el íncomodo invitado en forma de chaparrón. Robin D’Hondt montó neumáticos de lluvia instantes antes de darse la salida en le resto de participantes la elección era variada, desde “aqua” hasta ruedas de 33.

Robin tomó pronto ventaja sobre Van Staey que pasó su pequeño calvario por una mala elección de neumáticos que le hizo perder toda posibilidad de podium.

Al final de la carrera la pista estaba prácticamente seca, lo que hizo que Robin tuviera que entrar a cambiar neumáticos cuando sólo faltaban 2 minutos para la cobnclusión. Sabedor de su ventaja, optó por sustituir lo que quedaba de sus gomas de agua y salir de nuevo  a pista, alzándose con la victoria final.

Robin se coloca líder en la clasificación general con todas las opciones para revalidar el título absolubto Belga en la categoría 1:8.

Mención especial al jonvecísimo Daan Haling, vencedor de la F2, equivalente al campeonato de España “B”.

Final “A”

1. Robin D’Hondt

2. Marc Van Passel

3.Nico Vandewynckel

Final “B”

1. Daan Haling

2. Patrick Vannieuwenhuyze

3. Bert Poesen

4. Akinori Yamauchi

Información y fotos de: Red Rc y Serpent.

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, Racing

Robin D’Hont wins Belgium 1:8 Nats Rd 2

The Belgium 1:8 On-road Nat Rd 2 was held last weekend in Luxembourg.

 

Too small podium for such a big driver :)

Our Team Driver, Robin D’Hont has sent us a complete chronicle of the race.

This is the final result;

1. Robin D’Hont – 103 laps

2. Gunther Van Staey – 100 laps

3. Richard Dirk – 98 laps

Press here to read the complete chronicle and some more pics

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, On Road, Racing

Campeonato de Bélgica 1:8 – 2ª Prueba Luxemburgo

La segunda prueba del campeonato de Bélgica de 1:8 pista se disputó el pasado fin de semana en Luxemburgo.

Las instalalciones de Luxemburgo se quedaron “pequeñas” para Robin :)

Nuestro Team Driver Robin D’Hont nos manda una completa crónica de la carrera, en la que relata con detalle los pormenores de su victoria.

El resultado final fue el siguiente;

1. Robin D’Hont – 103 laps

2. Gunther Van Staey – 100 laps

3. Richard Dirk – 98 laps

Click aquí apra leer la crónica y algunas fotos más.

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, On Road, Racing

Robin D’Hont wins 1st Round of Belgium Nat. Championship

Robin D’Hont reports us about the 1st. round of Beligium Nat. Championship, where he took the victory.

This victory, is a great starting point for this season to defend his 2007 Champion Title.

A tricky race with rain for the whole weekend. This is what Robin is reporting;

“The first round of the Belgian Championship was held at the rather small and very technical track of Houthalen (Limburg). Weather forecast was not as a normal racer would want it to be …

Many rain on Sunday they said so I prepared some rain tires for this weekend and a second radio plate also for the rain.

On Saturday morning I was the first man on the track racing, trying to get my car between the bars so fast and smooth as possible. The first laps were good but not fast enough, the back of the car was a bit loose and in some corners I wanted some more steering. The first thing I changed about the setup were the springs. I went from purple to blue in the front and from pink to red in the rear of the car because the car felt to drifty, not much grip all around the car.

The other springs improved the car a lot, but still a lot of things had to change. I was running with downstop in the back 8 and I thought because of the fast reactions that the car has to make 10 would probably be better. And indeed it was much better.

After this I changed to 11 downstop in the back and 2 in the front => PERFECT!

With this setup my laptime was 14.100 (wich is fast at this track) and after disabling the front anti-rollbar my fastest laptime went to 14.043.

I have never driven without front stabi and I must say the effect was surprisingly good. A lot of more steering and the back of the car was more stable.

So I ended the testing, the car was perfect, I started cleaning and preparing my car for the next day.

Sunday morning, I wake up laying in my tent and I heard rain. Sounds like the weather forecast was right … grrrrrr :D

The first qualify I ran with MS aqua rain tires and these were the best at this track I think … but one problem, I only have one set of these. So I only ran one qualify to spare my rain tires for the final (you never know it it rains in the final).

I was fastest in the first qualify with Gunther Van Staey in second.

So second and third qualify I choose not to race to safe the tires, Gunther did race the second qualify, and the track was faster but still wet, so I lost my pole position but Gunther lost he’s only set of good rain tires.

In the final the starting order was:

1. Gunther Van Staey

2. Robin D’hondt

3. Michel Bourgeois

In the final after some laps I was first after passing Gunther and I stayed first till the end of the race …

There isn’t much to say about the final, only that I did a tire stop because of the huge tire wear (10 mm in 10 minutes).

Final result:

 

1. D’Hondt Robin 118 30:14.789 Serpent 960-08
   
2. Van Staey Gunther 114 30:01.040 Kyosho M3
3. Bourgeois Michel 109 30:07.457 Mugen Mrx-4R

 

The car went really fine in the final, the new car has improved a lot (I was driving OS2) and every change I made with setup I could feel immediately.

The new fuel of Merlin has also improved a lot, more power and less fuel consumption!

And since I drive Merlin fuel now the engine looks so clean on the inside.

Thanks to my sponsors Serpent motorsport, ATS tires, Mega Engines,

Merlin Fuel, Ghiant RC car colours for trust and support.

And special thanks to my 2 mechanics, my dad and Lode for the fast refueling and tire stops!“

 

 

Thanks to Robin for his chronicle and congratulations for the victory.

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, Racing

Victoria de Robin D’Hont Iª Cto. Nacional Bélgica 1:8

Robin D’Hont nos envía un crónica desde Bélgica, relatando cómo ha discurrido la primera prueba del Cto. Belga de 1:8 pista, en la que se alzó con la victoria.

Esta victoria, es un buen punto de partida para Robin, que esta temporada defenderá su título de Campéon Nacional.

Una carrera complicada por factores meteorológicos, en la que había que usar la inteligencia y planificar la estrategia a conciencia.

Esto nos cuenta el campeón Belga;

“The first round of the Belgian Championship was held at the rather small and very technical track of Houthalen (Limburg). Weather forecast was not as a normal racer would want it to be …

Many rain on Sunday they said so I prepared some rain tires for this weekend and a second radio plate also for the rain.

On Saturday morning I was the first man on the track racing, trying to get my car between the bars so fast and smooth as possible. The first laps were good but not fast enough, the back of the car was a bit loose and in some corners I wanted some more steering. The first thing I changed about the setup were the springs. I went from purple to blue in the front and from pink to red in the rear of the car because the car felt to drifty, not much grip all around the car.

The other springs improved the car a lot, but still a lot of things had to change. I was running with downstop in the back 8 and I thought because of the fast reactions that the car has to make 10 would probably be better. And indeed it was much better.

After this I changed to 11 downstop in the back and 2 in the front => PERFECT!

With this setup my laptime was 14.100 (wich is fast at this track) and after disabling the front anti-rollbar my fastest laptime went to 14.043.

I have never driven without front stabi and I must say the effect was surprisingly good. A lot of more steering and the back of the car was more stable.

So I ended the testing, the car was perfect, I started cleaning and preparing my car for the next day.

Sunday morning, I wake up laying in my tent and I heard rain. Sounds like the weather forecast was right … grrrrrr :D

The first qualify I ran with MS aqua rain tires and these were the best at this track I think … but one problem, I only have one set of these. So I only ran one qualify to spare my rain tires for the final (you never know it it rains in the final).

I was fastest in the first qualify with Gunther Van Staey in second.

So second and third qualify I choose not to race to safe the tires, Gunther did race the second qualify, and the track was faster but still wet, so I lost my pole position but Gunther lost he’s only set of good rain tires.

In the final the starting order was:

1. Gunther Van Staey

2. Robin D’hondt

3. Michel Bourgeois

In the final after some laps I was first after passing Gunther and I stayed first till the end of the race …

There isn’t much to say about the final, only that I did a tire stop because of the huge tire wear (10 mm in 10 minutes).

Final result:

 

1. D’Hondt Robin 118 30:14.789 Serpent 960-08
   
2. Van Staey Gunther 114 30:01.040 Kyosho M3
3. Bourgeois Michel 109 30:07.457 Mugen Mrx-4R

 

The car went really fine in the final, the new car has improved a lot (I was driving OS2) and every change I made with setup I could feel immediately.

The new fuel of Merlin has also improved a lot, more power and less fuel consumption!

And since I drive Merlin fuel now the engine looks so clean on the inside.

Thanks to my sponsors Serpent motorsport, ATS tires, Mega Engines,

Merlin Fuel, Ghiant RC car colours for trust and support.

And special thanks to my 2 mechanics, my dad and Lode for the fast refueling and tire stops!“

 

 

Gracias a Robin por su completa crónica y enhorabuena por la victoria.

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, Racing

Belgium Champ Robin D’Hont to Race Merlin Fuel next season

Robin D’Hont, current 1:8 Onrad Belgian Champion, has recently tested Merlin Pro-Racing Fuel.
After an intensive test in Roselare circuit, he has decided to race next season and defend his Championship with Merlin Fuel products.

Despite his age, Robin has a very good curriculum at RC. Belgian Champion 2007, absolute Benelux Cup 2007 winner, and Euro Championship 2006 finalist.

This season he has won 1st, 4th and 5th rounds in Belgium National Championship races.
Source: www.merlinfuel.nl (Benelux Delaer)

Driver Backgroud:

 

Name- Robin D’Hondt
Birth Date- 20 June 1989
Nationality- Belgium
Lives in – Oedelem (near Bruges)
Sponsors – Serpent Motorsport, Mega, ATS tyres, Merlin Fuel, Ghiant
No. of years racing – 5
Class experience – 1/8 and 1/10 235 mm
Sporting Hero – Ayrton Senna

Source Serpent Motor Sport

Good luck for next season Challenges from Merlin News!!

Tags: 1:8, Belgium, Racing