Part three of the mid-season review of the FIA ETRC season entrants looks at drivers in the chasing pack
Part three of the mid-season review of the FIA ETRC season entrants looks at drivers in the chasing pack. All four drivers have been regular visitors to the podium with Steffi Halm, reigning champion Norbert Kiss and René Reinert all being race winners so far in 2016.
As well as the 13 season entries, the FIA ETRC has already attracted another 10 race-by-race entrants and a few more new faces are expected over the course of the remaining five races.
The four drivers featured here have been at the heart of some thrilling and often physical battles for the podium and top points scoring positions. The drivers’ championship may appear to be out of reach at this point, but make no mistake; the battle to be ‘best of the rest’ is definitely on.
Name: Steffi Halm (DEU)
Team: Reinert Racing
Truck: MAN
Place in championship: 6th (90 points)
This very popular German driver has been a revelation this season. We always knew she was good because Steffi Halm is a driver with a great motor racing CV, but this season she is making a real name for herself.
In 2015 she was a race by race entrant, only doing six rounds and yet she still finished eighth in the championship and became the first woman to win a European Truck Championship race at the Hungaroring.
In 2016 Halm is a full-season entrant and is proving to be a real contender for race wins and podium finishes on a consistent basis. Unfortunately, she had to miss round one in Austria or she could have been even higher up in the championship standings.
Jochen Hahn, who currently lies second in the championship certainly feels she is a threat, commenting at the Nürburgring:
“We should really look at Steffi (Halm) who is coming up in the championship. She has made a big jump (in the drivers’ championship) with three podiums this weekend. She is definitely on the attack and Adam (Lacko) and I will have to look out.”
In the remaining rounds Halm will be looking for more race wins to add to her Nürburgring success and she will be very keen to take victory in races one or three which are not reverse grids and score more championship points.
Name: Anthony Janiec (FRA)
Team: Lion Truck Racing
Truck: MAN
Place in championship: 5th (95 points)
Frenchman, Janiec, has had an interesting season, a real mixture of highs and lows. The highs include a fantastic drive to second in Race four at Spielberg and another podium in Misano when he fought brilliantly for the position. But there have also been lows, especially demotion at Nogaro which cost him a podium finish at his home race much to the disappointment of the fans and not least himself.
Janiec is a hard racer and this brings him some good results. However, it can also lead to some incidents and as Janiec has found out to his cost this year, a few trips to the steward’s office. Either way, he is an entertaining driver to watch, and a firm favourite with the fans.
Name: Norbert Kiss (HUN)
Team: Tankpool24 Racing
Truck: Mercedes Benz
Place in championship: 4th (98 points)
Never play the current FIA ETRC Champion at poker. When we spoke to Kiss before the start of the season he made a big point of playing down his chances having just moved to the Tankpool24 Racing team.
But there is no doubt that there have been big challenges facing this team. In 2015 their top driver, Roland Rehfeld finished 12th in the driver’s championship. But thie German team with big ambitions brought in top engineer Stefan Honens, the Adrian Newey of the truck racing world, and did a late deal with reigning champion Norbert Kiss.
The hard work of the team and unquestionable talent of ‘Norbi’ Kiss has paid dividends with a first podium finish in Misano followed by a race win in Nogaro and more podiums at the Nürburgring. There have been problems as well, notably in Nogaro where he played no part in the Sunday races after a broken piston in the Superpole session confined him to the sidelines.
Kiss will be aiming to continue to develop the Mercedes-Benz truck and move up to third position in the championship, his stated target now for 2016. However, it is still mathematically possible for him to defend his title.
Name: René Reinert (DEU)
Team: Reinert Racing
Truck: MAN
Place in championship: 3rd (118 points)
Reinert currently holds the title of ‘Best of the Rest’ in the 2016 FIA ETRC. Adam Lacko and Jochen Hahn have built up quite a gap at the opening four rounds of the season, but it is Reinert who is at the front of the chasing pack and deservedly so.
The German driver comes across as a quiet and thoughtful man in the paddock, but on track, make no mistake, he is a fierce competitor.
Reinert had a fantastic start to the season scoring a confident second place in race one at Spielberg and holding off team championship partner, Jochen Hahn to score a win in race two. Sunday’s wet conditions didn’t suit him so well, but he finished the weekend third in the championship and is still there, thanks to some good point finishes including another podium in Misano and a win and a podium in Nogaro.
However, there have been a few lows for Reinert as well, including a retirement in Nogaro after contact with Janiec and an incident packed home event at the Nürburgring. The German driver was involved in a number of incidents and had a very beaten up MAN truck by the end of the weekend.
However, it was also a weekend which proved his steely determination after being caught up in a dramatic incident at turn two which caused the race to be red flagged. Reinert’s truck limped into Parc Ferme and what looked to be retirement. However, he made it to the restart, albeit from the back of the grid. He then scythed his way through the pack to finish sixth in what many considered to be the drive of the day, if not the season.
Reinert will have his work cut out to defend his third place in the championship, but more performances like that and the Saturday at Spielberg could easily see him consolidate his hard won position.
There are still five exciting rounds of the FIA ETRC left this season and plenty more action for fans to enjoy.
It is little wonder that this championship is second only to F1 in terms of popularity on the race circuits of Europe and so far, over 217,00 people have attended an FIA ETRC event this season to witness the action on circuit and enjoy the supporting entertainment programme.
To catch up on the season so far then go to the official YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/FIAETRCEuropeanTruckRacingChampionship
And for all the latest news and information visit the official championship website and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/fiaetrc/
Editor’s Notes
ETRC 2016 calendar dates:
|
30 April/1 May |
Austria |
Red Bull Ring |
|
28/29 May |
Italy |
Misano |
|
11/12 June |
France |
Nogaro |
|
2/3 July |
Germany |
Nürburgring |
|
27/28 August |
Hungary |
Hungaroring |
|
3/4 September |
Czech Republic |
Most |
|
17/18 September |
Belgium |
Zolder |
|
1/2 October |
Spain |
Jarama |
|
8/9 October |
France |
Le Mans |
FIA ETRC 2016 Season Entrants List:
|
Team |
Nat. Team |
Driver |
Nat. Driver |
No. |
Vehicle |
|
Tankpool 24 Racing |
DEU |
Norbert Kiss |
HUN |
1 |
MERCEDES-BENZ |
|
Jochen Hahn |
DEU |
Jochen Hahn |
DEU |
3 |
MAN |
|
Lion Truck Racing |
FRA |
Anthony Janiec |
FRA |
8 |
MAN |
|
Truck Sport Lutz Bernau |
DEU |
Ellen Lohr |
MCO |
10 |
MAN |
|
Eduardo Rodrigues |
PRT |
Eduardo Rodrigues |
PRT |
11 |
MAN |
|
Czech Truck Racing Team |
CZE |
Frantisek Vojtíšek |
CZE |
12 |
MAN |
|
Erwin Kleinnagelvoort |
NLD |
Erwin Kleinnagelvoort |
NLD |
15 |
SCANIA |
|
Tankpool 24 Racing |
DEU |
André Kurism |
DEU |
24 |
MERCEDES-BENZ |
|
Team Schwaben |
DEU |
Gerhard Körber |
DEU |
27 |
IVECO |
|
Sascha Lenz |
DEU |
Sascha Lenz |
DEU |
30 |
MAN |
|
Stephanie Halm |
DEU |
Stephanie Halm |
DEU |
44 |
MAN |
|
Buggyra International Racing System |
CZE |
Adam Lacko |
CZE |
55 |
FREIGHTLINER |
|
Reinert Racing |
DEU |
René Reinert |
DEU |
77 |
MAN |
|
Buggyra International Racing System |
CZE |
Jiří Forman |
CZE |
86 |
FREIGHTLINER |
FIA ETRC 2016 Team Championship Entrants List:
|
1 / 24 |
TANKPOOL 24 RACING |
MERCEDES BENZ |
NORBERT KISS / ANDRÉ KURSIM |
|
3 / 77 |
TEAM REINERT ADVENTURE |
MAN |
JOCHEN HAHN / RENÉ REINERT |
|
8 / 30 |
LION TRUCK RACING - LENZ |
MAN |
ANTHONY JANIEC / SASCHA LENZ |
|
10 / 44 |
WOW! WOMEN ON WHEELS |
MAN |
ELLEN LOHR / STEPHANIE HALM |
|
55 / 86 |
BUGGYRA RACING 1969 |
FREIGHTLINER |
ADAM LACKO / JIŘíÍI FORMAN |