2009: SCHLEIZ
SCHLEIZ
PÄIVÄRINTA & HÄNNI FIRST AND SECOND IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 AT SCHLEIZ
Pekka Päivärinta and his new passenger Adolf Hänni won the long Gold Race of the FIM Sidecar World Championship on Sunday 24th of May, 2009 at the Schleizer Dreieck. It was a tremendous fight with the Birchall brothers Ben & Tom, and they changed the lead and were the whole race within about one second from each others.
Päivärinta & Hänni were second after the Birchall Brothers Ben & Tom in the shorter Sprint Race of Saturday 23rd of May. The Reeves brothers Tim & Tristan were struggling with technical problems and were third in the both races. Päivärinta & Hänni are together with the Birchall brothers even with 45 points each in the World Championship points after the first round of 2009.
Qualification practices
The first qualification practices in the afternoon of Friday 22nd of May were started in a dry and sunny weather. Ben and Tom Birchall were the fastest in the first qualification practice. Päivärinta & Hänni were second 1,235 sec. behind. The second qualification practises in the morning of Saturday 23nd of May were held in a dry and cloudy weather. With the very fast time of 1:28,434 did the Birchall brothers take the pole position in the last minute of the qualification in front of Pekka Päivärinta & Adolf Hänni 0,490 seconds behind. The Reeves brothers Tim and Tristan drove the third best lap time and got also a start place in the front row.
Sprint Race
The Sprint Race of 11 laps, being the first race together of Päivärinta & Hänni and the first race of the year by Päivärinta, did start on Saturday afternoon in a cloudy and dry weather. The Reeves brothers got the best start and were leading the race until the lap 3, when they were overtaken by the Birchall brothers and in the lap 4 by Päivärinta & Hänni. The Birchalls did win the race with 3,5 seconds separating them from Päivärinta & Hänni second. The Reeves brothers were struggling with engine problems and were left 32 seconds behind Päivärinta & Hänni, but however succeeded to achieve the third position.
Pekka Päivärinta told after the race “We did not have anything to do against the Birchalls, I did stretch too much and the hands got stiff. Only the last two laps went relaxed”. The whole team was pleased while the start of the joint season of Päivärinta & Hänni had started successfully.
Gold Race
The long Gold Race of 22 laps did start on Sunday afternoon in a cloudy and dry weather. Päivärinta & Hänni got the best start. After that, the race was an exciting battle of the lead as the Birchall brothers did follow Päivärinta & Hänni near in the tail during 11 laps and then overtook them for a while. Päivärinta & Hänni did battle to the lead again over the Birchalls four laps before the goal and succeeded to keep the lead with a difference of 1,058 seconds to the Birchalls to the chequered flag. Tim and Tristan Reeves were left about one minute behind to the third place. After the goal Pekka Päivärinta exhibited, what was the medicine of the victory by shouting “Suomen SISU !”
Pekka Päivärinta told after the race “It was not an easy race. The back tyre did begin to melt and the gearbox shifter of ignition did break in the middle of the race!”
Päivärinta & Hänni are together with the Birchall brothers even with 45 points in the World Championship points after the first round of 2009. The next World Championship race of the FIM Sidecars 2009 will be on the 2nd - 4th of July at Albacete in Spain.
